The Night I Put the Camera Down (And Why It Changed How I Think About Family Photos)

Behind the camera is my happy place. It is where I am most comfortable, most confident, most myself.

But every once in a while a night comes along that pulls me right out from behind it.

Turnabout with Olivia was that night. No camera. No directing. No thinking about light or angles or composition. Just me, fully present, making memories with a girl who is growing up faster than I can keep up with.

And on the drive home, all I could think was: I am so glad I have photos of her at every age. Because this version of her, right now, is not going to last.

The Thing About Kids Is They Don't Wait

I have photographed hundreds of families over the years. And the conversation I have more than any other is some version of this:

"We've been meaning to do this for a while."

I get it. Life is full. Schedules are impossible. Someone is always in an awkward phase or going through something or the timing just never feels quite right.

But here is what I know after 16 years behind the lens: there is no perfect time. There is only now, and later, and the photos you either have or you don't.

Kids do not pause while you get around to it. They just keep growing.

What Parents Tell Me After Their Session

Nobody has ever walked out of a family session and said they regretted doing it. Not once.

What I do hear, over and over, is some version of this: "I wish we had done this sooner."

Not because the photos weren't worth waiting for. But because they look at their kids in those images and realize how much has already changed. The baby who is now a toddler. The toddler who is now in kindergarten. The kid who used to hold your hand without thinking about it who now thinks they're too cool.

A photograph does not stop time. But it does hold it still for a moment. And that moment becomes the thing you reach for when the years start moving faster than you expected.

Why Professional Photos Hit Different

Phone photos are wonderful. I take them constantly. But there is a difference between snapping a moment and intentionally creating one.

A professional session gives your family the experience of being the only thing that matters for an hour. No distractions. No bad lighting. No one staring at a screen. Just your people, fully present, with someone who knows exactly how to draw out the real moments and capture them beautifully.

Those are the photos that end up framed. The ones your kids show their own kids someday. The ones that make you catch your breath when you come across them years later.

That is not something a Tuesday night iPhone photo creates. That is something you choose to make happen.

A Few Things That Make Family Sessions Easier Than You Think

Kids do not need to be perfectly behaved. The real moments, the silly ones, the chaotic ones, are almost always the favorites.

You do not need to buy new outfits. Wear what feels like your family. Coordinated colors, not matching sets. Comfortable enough that everyone can move and breathe.

The session does not need to be long. Some of the most beautiful family photos I have ever taken happened in under an hour because we kept the energy light and let things unfold naturally.

You just need to show up. I handle everything else.

This Season Is Worth Documenting

Olivia is growing up. I see it every single day and it still catches me off guard sometimes. Turnabout reminded me that the moments I am most grateful for are the ones I was fully present for, and the ones I have photos of to look back on.

Your kids are only this age right now. That is not a guilt trip. That is an invitation.

Book the session. You will be so glad you did.

Reach out to start the conversation and we will figure out exactly what works for your family.