If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be on the other side of the camera for family photos—hi, it’s chaos
Our session started the way most family photo sessions do: as a full-blown flurry of motion. Kids zig-zagging across the studio like tiny caffeinated squirrels climbing up the highest of chairs. Someone yelling, “Wait, where’s her shoe?” A baby getting changed in the corner. And then there was the spit-up. Because of course there was.
At one point I counted no fewer than six adults trying to make a single baby smile. There were silly noises. There were dramatic peek-a-boos. And the ultimate sign of desperation, a promise of candy in exchange for a "real" smile.
And honestly? It was perfect.
Because this is what family photos really look like behind the scenes. They’re not quiet or still or perfectly composed. They’re loud and wiggly and full of love. They’re a dozen people working together to get one tiny human to look toward the camera for half a second.
But in the middle of the movement—the running kids, the bouncing babies, the chorus of “LOOK OVER HERE!”—there are these little flashes of magic.
As a photographer, I see this kind of joyful chaos all the time. But getting to experience it with my own family reminded me of something important: family photos aren’t about perfect behavior or perfectly still children.
They’re about documenting the season you’re in.
The busy one.
The loud one.
The one with sticky hands, dirty feet and spit up stains on shoulders I have to edit out.
And someday, when the kids are bigger and the chaos looks different, these photos will feel like a tiny time capsule of what life looked like right now.
Beautiful, messy, love-filled life.
Thinking About Booking Your Own Family Photos?
If you're worried your kids won’t sit still long enough for photos, trust me—you’re not alone. The best family sessions embrace the wiggles, the giggles, and all the perfectly imperfect moments in between.
Because the goal isn’t perfection.
It’s capturing your family exactly as you are right now.
Seasonal mini sessions are perfect for this season because they're a short and sweet 15 minutes because we all know the kids expire shortly after that. Minis are offered in the spring, summer, fall and at Christmas. Follow me on socials to be the first to know when these drop!
