Family sessions grew on me last year, which took me completely by surprise. I referred to myself as a wedding photographer WAY more often than a family or lifestyle photographer. I didn’t do it on purpose, I just enjoyed photographing weddings more so that’s what I wanted my specialty to be. Then 2021 happened, and I found a passion for photographing family sessions. I no longer found them to be chaotic or stressful. Instead, I found the joy in the commotion and embraced it when it came to candids that really showed off who a family is. I realized the reason I didn’t like photographing family sessions was because I was always expecting them to go like the family portrait portion of a wedding day, and that led me leaving every family session feeling discouraged like I didn’t have a handle on things and therefore wasn’t a professional.
I’m SO HAPPY I don’t feel this way anymore! Instead of approaching family sessions thinking “Okay I know there will be chaos but I can control it” I now approach family sessions thinking “Okay I know there will be chaos but I can EMBRASS it”. Guys, this made all the difference in the world! No family is perfect and no one should expect perfection especially when you add in a stranger with a camera to the mix. Not to mention if little kids are involved.
I owe a lot of this thinking to BreAnne Weston. She’s a family photographer out of Utah who I’m low key obsessed with and has an entire workshop dedicated to embracing the chaos. She’s mastered it, not to mention produces GOREGEOUS work! I’ve already told her I’m flying her out to take our family photos once our newest addition arrives and I can not WAIT!! Of course I immediately bought her course when she made it available and I’ve applied that knowledge to my own business and I couldn’t be happier with the results.
Take Meg’s session below. Some of my favorite images from this session are the candids that instead of trying to control and contain, I embraced and encouraged. I LOVE how this entire session turned out, and I hope they do too! Enjoy scrolling through my favorites and if you are interested in booking a family session for yourself, please don’t hesitate to reach out! My schedule is over half full for this year already and I would love to fit you and your family in while I still have some availability!
