My backstory of approaching family photography in a documentary way

When I first got into the idea of newborn and family photography I started out doing posed and propped sessions. I quickly realized that the pictures weren’t quite what I wanted to create for my families. The pictures might've been pretty and sweet, but I wanted *more* out of the pictures for the families I work with. The posed and propped pictures simply didn't say much about the family I had photographed. I tried out lifestyle photos for a little bit – but that didn't feel quite right either.

The pictures I was feeling more drawn to were the in-between moments, the natural interactions between family members – the giggles, the laughs, the connections. And oh the tantrums!

Fast forward about 17 seconds, and I decided to start photographing families in their everyday environments amidst their everyday interactions. Capturing life as it was, organized inside a little frame.

I wasn't exactly sure what to call it – I wanted to do street photography, but in families' homes. Later on I discovered the growing phenomenon called documentary family photography – and the beautiful community of photographers that was growing throughout the world.

Not only do my photographs capture something that will be more and more valuable as years go by –  but now I was doing it in a way that was comfortable, easy, and uncomplicated for the kids and the parents, too.