Documenting How You Live

Birth certificates show that you were born.

Death certificates show that you died.

Photographs showed that you really lived.

-Author Unknown

I saw this quote today on Instagram and it really spoke to me. The best way to capture memories and show that we really lived is through our photographs.  As a photographer, you would think I would be documenting every aspect of my family's life.  Unfortunately, this has not been the case. This year however I have worked to capture more of our every day life.

I took these of my son and parents while we were visiting them this summer.

This has encouraged me to think more about the way I capture your images.  Most people are use to seeing the portraits that are posed and predictable.  And while these are great and have their place, do they show how we have really lived?  These posed portraits are fine for showing family members at different stages of their lives, but recent trends are moving more towards candid shots that show your family as they really live.  These could be pictures of you reading bedtime stories to your children, family movie or game night, or even just playing with the kids in their rooms or at the park.  These to me are memories that are worth capturing.  

Recently I had the pleasure of going to a friend's home and capturing how her family lived.  I had a great time documenting her boy playing in his room and reading to his new sister, changing and feeding time with the baby, and the family just hanging out being themselves.  I was so happy to be able to provide these tangible memories of their lives. 

I have shared these experiences with family and friends, and would love the opportunity to give you and your family this experience as well.  See our Facebook later this week for more details.