What parents thought about their photo sessions

 In the past few weeks I sat down to talk with some of the families I've photographed, to hear what their photo session experience was like. I'm so thankful for them for taking the time, and I had such a hard time culling out video clips!Incase you are in a spot where you can't watch a video with sound, here are some of the thoughts from our calls (I've edited out some filler words for the text to read more fluently):

Why did you choose me as your photographer?

"I felt like your photos just looked just more realistic and less like a magazine... When I was looking at your pictures, it was like looking at a window right into somebody's day," - Mia

"You have a way of capturing moments, and a way of sort of being in the background but still being a part of things that really supports capturing these amazing moments." - Katie

"Not having our family and friends nearby ... we wanted something that captured those first few days because we kind of wanted to keep them pretty private. We didn't really want family to be out here with us because we felt like that would stress us out a lot more, just getting used to the new.... situation." - Megan

Did you have any hesitations booking a documentary session? Did those hesitations come true?

"At first I was kind of nervous about like, 'Oh, I look kind of like a hot mess'... But that's your life. That's who you are. It's just like accepting that moment and that situation, like your current state, whether it's  the best state or the not so best state." - Olivia

"I was nervous just about how it would go, or what it would be like, and what I should do to prepare, or if I would be too nervous during the photoshoot. But all that went away once you walked through the door." - Katie

"While I liked the idea of having some mementos or something to remind [us] of that time, I was a little worried about the idea that someone that we haven't really met before would be [with us at the hospital] so soon. I wasn't really sure how it was all going to work out. It felt totally normal having you in the room and taking pictures. There was never any time that we were being posed or told to do something that we weren't already doing." - Paul

"I was worried too... [we're] in a teeny tiny hospital room, we don't have our stuff, we don't have our animals, we don't have anything that's really ours. What are [we] going to do for two hours? It seems like it's going to be a long time. It really didn't [feel like a long time] to me. By the time you were done it was like OK, that's it? It just felt really natural." - Megan

"I had planned what I wanted to do, like I really wanted to decorate the nursery, and then the decorations didn't come in time. So I was really worried that we were just not going to be interesting enough. But it didn't come true, I felt really comfortable with you." - Mia

How did the session feel?

"It felt really natural, because it was just like us conversing, it was me focusing on Elliott. It wasn't like a staged thing where I'm like 'OK, let me make sure about this angle'. It was very relaxed, I love that you were just capturing us in our natural environment. And it wasn't uncomfortable at all." - Olivia

"Just how natural the whole session felt, is one of the big reasons that a lot of your photos come off feeling very candid and very natural. That's just how the moment was, there's nothing artificial about them." - Paul

"It was really fun! I felt like your approach and your personality really helped me and my family feel relaxed and at home. It ended up being a really neat experience." - Katie

How did you feel when you saw the pictures?

"Oh my gosh, they're everything! Moments like that you cant go backwards, you know? You did such a great job capturing each moment. Even the little videos too – I still look at it and cry because it goes by so quick and it's so cool to capture that moment and have it forever. Those photos are everything to me. They're probably my favorite photos I've ever had in my possession." - Olivia

"The quality of the pictures we got when we worked with you was much better than any pictures we got from a posed photographer. And I feel like you're now our family photographer. You're part of the family, and it's wonderful that you know my extended family." - Katie

"It just confirmed why I picked you. Because it was just like 'That's us', there's nothing extra. We didn't need anything extra." - Mia

Any final wise words for other families?

"OK, it's nice to do the photo shoot where it's staged and what-not, but it's like a different... But I feel like it's a GOOD different. Looking back, [I see that] I'm completely different now that I see this photo, and I feel like it's a good experience because it is so natural." - Olivia

"[Your sessions are] really just for anybody who wants to make sure that they capture the glimpse into everyday life. The Mommy and Me session was really great for that, because I don't want to have regrets about not having enough photos of me with her. I'd say I recommend you for any kind of occasion. It doesn't even have to be a specific occasion, it could just be a day, if you wanna remember what the everyday was like. That's what makes up most of life, not just the big occasions." - Mia

"I would definitely recommend the Fresh 48... you're never going to be able to go back. The good thing but the bad thing about how we all have cameras in our pocket now is that is that whenever anything happens it's like 'Well are you taking photos of this? You need to take photos of this, because we need to remember it!' What was really nice for me was that I knew that during that time I didn't need to make sure that we were getting a photo of every possible moment because we were going to have you come in and take care of that for us. That was really liberating for me – I feel like it took a lot of pressure off of what I felt like I had to do during that time." - Paul

"Because looking at your pictures, something that's not a big deal – like Bagel's water bowl or something – is actually such a cute photo. People don't realize I think, how sometimes the little stuff really can make such a fun memory when it's captured on film. I'd say just not to worry about not being interesting enough, because you find it all interesting. It's amazing!" - Mia

"I've never yet regretted having photos. I don't think anyone is going to die and say 'Oh man, I captured that birthday party [too] well...' I would rather overdo it than underdo it. I've yet to have too many photos, and too many good photographs, of my child, of Paul and I, of my pets so... You live once, why not?" - Megan