photographer . magic maker

tidbits of magic: look at your photos

one of the ways i am most excited to celebrate this milestone month in my business is by sharing fifteen of the most valuable lessons i’ve learned in my fifteen years as a photographer. fifteen tidbits of magic, if you will.

this one is an easy one.

remember to look at your photos.

i’ll always encourage prints on your walls and albums on your coffee table, but even just making sure you transfer your images to the camera roll on your phone so you can scroll through them regularly is worthwhile.

there is truly no better medicine for a tough parenting day/week/season than looking back with gratitude at days gone by and remembering that each phase, no matter how wonderful or how difficult, will have moments of worth celebrating.

because the way photography works together with reality to create our memories is perhaps the most magical thing about it.

i mean, i’m fairly certain this rainy camping trip we took had its moments of frustration — due to the lack of sunshine, kids fighting over whose turn it was to paddle the canoe, and who knows what else — but when we look back through the album of soggy photos, all i remember is the wonderful adventure.

during your session i’ll find and document the magic in your story — even the imperfect bits — so whenever you look pull out your photos and look through them, you’ll be reminded of the goodness in your days ✨

tidbits of magic: there’s a last time for everything

one of the ways i am most excited to celebrate this milestone month in my business is by sharing fifteen of the most valuable lessons i’ve learned in my fifteen years as a photographer. fifteen tidbits of magic, if you will.

this one is coming from the motherhood perspective as well as the photographer one, because 4500+ days deep into this parenthood thing, there’s one thing that hasn’t changed:

there’s a last time for everything.

depending on where you’re at in your parenthood journey, this might come as welcome news. (believe me, while there have definitely been many phases i’ve wanted to last forever, there were others i couldn’t wait to end.)

and yet, when those frustrating stages have passed, somehow we end up missing them too.

one day the slippery baby sink baths evolve into splashy toddler bubble baths, and the next thing you know, your child is in the shower with the door locked tight behind them.

and the thing about last times is often you don’t even know you’re at the end until it’s over. and even then you might not notice for a while.

there will be a day they learn to buckle their own car seat. a last time they need you to catch them as they jump into the lake. and at some point you’ll realize they haven’t fallen asleep on your chest in a really long time.

a last kick from the inside. a last onesie snap. a last wiggly tooth. a last piggyback ride.

there’s the very last bottle. the last set of spiky pigtails. the last time you blow on their hands to warm them up. and the last time they grab hold of yours to walk beside you down the stairs.

i’m not going to tell you to savour every moment, because let’s be real, not every moment feels worthy of celebrating while you’re in the thick of it.

but i AM going to tell you that one day you’ll miss almost all of it. even the hard times. and the photos you have of those moments will mean more than you could ever imagine.

and that is why i take all of the photos i do. not only the pretty portraits, but also the tiny snippets of real life that will one day happen for the very last time, and will exist only in memories and photographs ✨

tidbits of magic: go with the flow

one of the ways i am most excited to celebrate this milestone month in my business is by sharing fifteen of the most valuable lessons i’ve learned in my fifteen years as a photographer. fifteen tidbits of magic, if you will.

when it comes to kids and photo sessions, this one is essential:

go with the flow.

let kids be kids. play games. eat snacks. throw rocks. roll down hills…

nobody wants to just sit around and smile at a camera all evening, and honestly, there’s not much i want less from you.

i’d much rather follow your families’ lead and photograph your kids’ antics, listen to your laughter, and watch your little ones interact with the people they admire most in the world. (hint: that’s you.)

our time together is about so much more than just creating art for your walls. it’s about slowing down for a couple of hours, finding the magic, and creating an experience worth remembering.

so let’s think about what your family has the most fun doing, spend an evening doing some of that, and come away at the end with new family memories AND beautiful images that will only get more valuable as time passes.

i would so love to make a family photo session a highlight of your year this year 🤍✨

my 15th anniversary sale pricing is on until june 15 — if you’re thinking about a session in 2021, hit the contact button above and email me for all of the details!

tidbits of magic: there’s no perfect time for a photo session

one of the ways i am most excited to celebrate this milestone month in my business is by sharing fifteen of the most valuable lessons i’ve learned in my fifteen years as a photographer. fifteen tidbits of magic, if you will.

this lesson is especially relevant after an unprecedented year like this past one:

there’s no perfect time for a photo session.

bad weather. messy house. botched haircuts. scrapes and bruises. home renovations. a global pandemic…

it’s easy to come up with reasons to put off your family photos, especially this year. but if the past fourteen months have taught us anything, it’s to appreciate what we have because things can change in an instant.

for so many of us, this year has been a tricky one, but it’s also been an opportunity to truly appreciate the light amidst these darker days. to look for the magic found in the mess and the beauty in the chaos.

so let’s embrace imperfection, and create a record of the best bits of this year. both for your family to look back on, and to share with the loved ones you’re missing.

while there may never be a ‘perfect’ time to for a family session, there’s also never a wrong one.

i promise you, it’s always worth looking for the goodness in your days and you’ll never regret taking an evening (rain or shine) to slow down and find it together as a family.

i’d love to be the one to tell this chapter in your story, and with my 15% off sale this month, if you’re thinking about a session in 2021, it’s a great time to get in my calendar.

(so grateful for long term clients like the family above who last week trusted there’d be no shortage of magic, even in a rainstorm.)

tidbits of magic: pack snacks

one of the ways i am most excited to celebrate this milestone month in my business is by sharing fifteen of the most valuable lessons i’ve learned in my fifteen years as a photographer. fifteen tidbits of magic, if you will.

today’s piece of advice applies both to photo sessions and to every single other time you ever leave your house:

pack snacks.

nothing brings a fun time to a grinding halt quite like a hangry human.

so whether it’s a special treat, a healthy snack, or even just a drink of water on a hot day, i’ll always recommend building a snack break into our time together.

in the words of winnie the pooh, “what could be more important than a little something to eat?”

bonus: the photos are always some of my favourites.