Why Family Photos Are More Than Just Pictures

Letโ€™s be honest, life moves fast.
One moment, youโ€™re rocking a newborn in your arms, and the next, youโ€™re trying to keep up with their never-ending questions about everything. The toys scattered around your living room, the little hand that reaches for yours without thinking, the giggles from a joke that made absolutely no senseโ€ฆ these are the moments that slip through our fingers without warning.

And yet, these are also the moments that tell your story.

I know, it sounds dramatic. But trust me, when your toddlerโ€™s tiny hand no longer fits perfectly in yours, or the โ€œmama look at me!โ€ phase turns into a teenager who barely looks up from their phone, you’ll wish you had more than just a phone full of blurry selfies and a few school portraits.

Family photos arenโ€™t just about perfectly posed portraits where everyone is (miraculously) looking at the camera. Theyโ€™re about the real, messy, in-between moments you donโ€™t even realize youโ€™ll miss until theyโ€™re gone.
Photos are tiny time machines, proof that life was once this loud, messy, and beautiful.


The Little Things Youโ€™ll Want to Remember

It’s not the โ€œcheeseโ€ smiles that get you years later, itโ€™s the way your toddler’s curls bounced when they ran across the backyard.
Itโ€™s the chubby little fingers gripping their favorite stuffed animal like itโ€™s their most prized possession.
Itโ€™s the quiet glance between you and your partner when the kids are wild, but you wouldnโ€™t trade the chaos for the world.

Itโ€™s your child resting their head on your shoulder after a long day, or their little feet swinging off the chair thatโ€™s just a little too big for them.

These fleeting moments happen daily, but because theyโ€™re so โ€œordinary,โ€ we donโ€™t always notice them slipping away, until theyโ€™ve already become a memory.


Why Candid Photos Hit Different

Candid photos are magic because they freeze those real moments. The ones that arenโ€™t planned, but are so full of life you can practically hear the laughter when you look back at them.

Itโ€™s their wild bedhead in the mornings, the way they play with your hair when theyโ€™re sleepy, or the sibling giggles that fill the house after bedtime when they should be sleeping. A candid shot of your child mid-laugh, mouth wide open, with messy hair and sticky fingersโ€”that’s the kind of photo that brings you right back to that season of life. Not just how it looked, but how it felt.

Posed portraits are lovely, but life isnโ€™t lived in perfect poses. Itโ€™s lived in the way your kids cling to your leg, the way grandma brushes the hair out of your face when she thinks no oneโ€™s watching, and the way you look at your people when your heart is full. These are the little thingsโ€”the in-between moments that feel so small right now, but in a few years, they’ll be the moments that tug at your heart the most.

mother and teenage daughter laughing together

Mom holding her baby close with a warm smile while sitting on the living room floor while her toddler dances circles around her.

Letโ€™s Document Your Story, As It Is

So when you think about booking a photo session, I want you to think bigger than โ€œI need updated pictures.โ€
Think of it as a gift to your future self. To have a visual time capsule of how your life felt in this exact seasonโ€”the beautiful, chaotic, heart-melting mess of it all.

Because one day, youโ€™ll scroll through your gallery and find a candid shot that stops you in your tracks. And youโ€™ll realize, those werenโ€™t just pictures. They were your life.


Your Story Deserves to Be Remembered

Family photos are not just for frames on the wall. Theyโ€™re for remembering what life felt like, right now.

Because one day, the toys will be packed away. The messy fingerprints will be wiped off for the last time. And all that will be left are the stories we saved.

Thatโ€™s why I do what I do. To give you more than just a gallery, I give you back a piece of time youโ€™ll never get back. If you’re ready to freeze those fleeting moments, Iโ€™d love to help you document them, those candid, real, and full of heart.
Letโ€™s create photos that tell the story youโ€™ll want to remember.

Family, Fun and a Little Dirt: Capturing Field Day Magic

โ€œThese Field Day photos capture the energy, laughter, and unforgettable moments of a family tradition filled with games like tug-of-war, sack races, and wheelbarrow races. From candid smiles to action-packed shots, these images showcase the beauty of authentic, unposed photography. Perfect for celebrating family, fun, and lifeโ€™s best memories.

Young black girls having fun at the park playing tug of war with cousins.

Every year, my dear friend (letโ€™s call her the queen of fun) throws an epic โ€œField Dayโ€โ€”and I mean epic. Imagine a mashup of your family reunion, summer camp, and the Olympics, but with more laughter and slightly less coordination. This isnโ€™t just a casual picnic with sandwiches and polite conversation. Oh no. This is tug-of-war, three-legged, and wheelbarrow races where the participants might not have their balance, but they sure have their dignityโ€ฆ well, most of it.

When she asked me to photograph the event, I jumped at the chance. First, Iโ€™d do anything for her because she’s my friend. Second, because events like these are my jam. Something about capturing people in their elementโ€”sweaty, laughing, mid-fall, or mid-victory lapโ€”makes the photos feel alive. Itโ€™s the magic of real moments, where no oneโ€™s saying, โ€œOkay, now tilt your chin slightly to the left.โ€

Field Day is the perfect reminder that not every photo session has to be cookie-cutter or full of posed smiles and perfectly coordinated outfits (although, shoutout to anyone who managed to wear matching team shirts this yearโ€”youโ€™re the real MVPs). The beauty is in the chaos, in the moments that make you snort-laugh when you see them later. Like that one uncle who gave it his all in the sack race and wiped out so spectacularly that his glasses flew offโ€ฆ but hey, he stuck the landing with a smile. Or the spur of the moment rap battle.

Thatโ€™s the thing about life: itโ€™s messy, funny, and sometimes downright ridiculous. And when you look back at the photos years from now, those are the moments youโ€™ll treasure. Not the stiff poses, but the candid laughs, the sweat-soaked hugs, the competitive streaks that turned your calm cousin into a sprinting blur.

Photographing Field Day was a masterclass in why I love what I do. Itโ€™s not about creating a perfect momentโ€”itโ€™s about recognizing that the moments weโ€™re already living are perfect in their imperfection. Itโ€™s the kid double-fisting popsicles, the aunt who came out of retirement to dominate musical chairs, and the look on everyoneโ€™s faces when they finally sat down to eat after hours of friendly but ferocious competition.

So, if youโ€™re thinking about capturing your own family traditions, let me just say this: Donโ€™t stress about the poses. Donโ€™t worry about everyone looking โ€œjust right.โ€ The best photos come from simply being yourselves. And if that involves a little dirt, sweat, and your team breaking into a victory chantโ€ฆ even better.

โ€œThese Field Day photos capture the energy, laughter, and unforgettable moments of a family tradition filled with games like tug-of-war, sack races, and wheelbarrow races. From candid smiles to action-packed shots, these images showcase the beauty of authentic, unposed photography. Perfect for celebrating family, fun, and lifeโ€™s best memories.

elder cousin surrounded by younger girl. cousins, generational growth of beautiful black girls

Life isnโ€™t staged, so why should your photos be?

And to my friend: thank you for letting me document the joy, the hilarity, and the slightly chaotic brilliance of Field Day. Iโ€™m already sharpening my camera skills for next yearโ€”because I know itโ€™ll be bigger, better, and possibly include water balloons. Just saying.