Documentary / Storytelling session
One of the things that was lost in 2020 was the ability to safely shoot indoor, storytelling sessions. From Fresh 48’s (in hospital) to in-home sessions, they disappeared from my calendar overnight.
In recent years, they’ve slowly made their way back and I could not be happier. Yesterday I had the opportunity to join a beautiful family in their home for a few hours and I loved every minute of it!
If I’m being 100% honest, these types of sessions feel most authentically “me”. From a high school student just learning how to use my camera to a college student who was finding a deeper understanding of the craft to a new mom in my late 30’s, I have often carried my camera with me, ready to capture whatever unfolded.
I’ve always had a deep appreciation for character studies, photographing people as authentically as possible, being themselves. I think it’s important, especially in a time of highly curated social media feeds, to let go of the idea of the perfect, polished family portrait and see what reveals itself.
These types of sessions work well for all ages but I find them especially wonderful when children are 10-ish and under. Anyone who has ever attempted to pose young kids and make them sit still for 30+ minutes knows what I’m saying…it’s often like herding feral cats. When all is said and done, parents are exhausted and kids are not at all happy. Is that perfectly posed photo worth it? I guess it depends.
There’s a time and place for all types of photography and as long as you have realistic expectations, then all will be well.
I can tell you that my children have had a heavily documented childhood. There are very few posed photos of them on display in our home.
As they’ve gotten older, now 16 & 12, they are much less cooperative. To be fair, the level of activity and time spent meandering and building forts, lego, mag-tiles, etc has also changed. I’m less inclined to photograph them as they close themselves up in their bedrooms to play on their computers, lol.
Though the moments are fewer, I remain ready to document at any given moment. I treasure the images of my kids just being kids…muddy from the backyard slip n slide, hanging with friends in a hammock while camping, swimming in Lake Michigan with friends, building Lego creations, living room dance-offs, and game nights. These images bring me so much joy.
When you invite me into your world/home, my goal is the same…I hope to create images that will bring you joy (now and later!).
