There is so much I want to say about this session. So many things that I have on my mind and in my heart after this evening, yet too many things to accurately describe the way I feel.
In this business, there really isn’t a greater honor than having someone you’ve known your entire life ask you to photograph their family, especially when they’ve just welcomed a new member. It feels like the biggest, most sought after achievement. I can probably count on one hand the number of times someone that I’ve known since elementary school has asked me to document their family, and, I must say, it feels really good.
I don’t like the thought of having to sell myself or my work. I don’t like the thought of having countless other photographers in our area that I am constantly competing for the next like or comment with. I don’t like the idea that someone posts that they’re looking for a photographer on Facebook and we all pounce on that opportunity like it’s the last one we’ll ever get. I’m a constant work in progress. I like that about this business and this art. I like that I have a lot to learn. I like that I never, ever want to stop growing. With that being said, it feels really good when someone else recommends you on one of those threads. It feels even better when, out of multiple choices, your work gets chosen.
I always go into a situation like that with an opportunity to educate my clients about my approach to family photography. Storytelling and lifestyle photography is a growing genre and it isn’t always what people are looking for. I respect that 110%. I just always want to make sure my clients understand that the images they are going to get from me aren’t going to show a perfectly posed baby in a cheesecloth wrap. That just isn’t something I’d be good at. After Brittney reached out to me, I showed and explained the type of newborn session I do. My passion for photography lies in sessions like this, so I want everyone to love it as much as I do. I’m slowly learning to realize that it’s ok if you don’t. My heart nearly exploded when she told me she liked the idea, and we got to work “planning” our session.
I knew, after talking to her, that their dog, Finn, was a big part of their family, and that, although their lives have changed greatly, loving their son has been the best thing that’s happened to them. It was so beautiful to watch them as parents. Seeing two people that I’ve known since my childhood parent their sweet, little guy together, was such a gift.
