family photojournalism :: the srebinski family

Whenever I get to photograph a family for the second (or third or fourth) time, my heart rejoices! It's seriously such a joy to watch families grow and change over time, adding kids, moving to new homes, taking on new ventures (or pets)... life moves on so quickly and with such astonishing beauty and pausing to freeze a small section of it in photographs is such a great gift to give to yourself. 

Erin and Keith have moved AND added a child (who just turned 1!) to their family since last time I photographed them. They're feeling more settled these days, more rooted in a home that they really love, and more complete as a family of four. They're a fun bunch and I think these images clearly display their energy and connection as a family, from playing in their yard to tickling and popsicle dances in the kitchen. So much goodness. 

family photojournalism :: the leightons

Do you remember when your own baby was 6 months old? How magical it was to watch his/her little personality begin to emerge? How widely he/she smiled at you with recognition of the biggest love you've ever experienced? That's pretty much exactly the state Reagan is in right now, and her mom and dad are eating it right up. Of course they are. I would be too. 

family photojournalism :: the menkveld-tiedt family

A baby changes everything. For this family, it meant moving to a more family-friendly city where they could raise their baby boy. They've made such a lovely home here and are adjusting to life in a new city all while caring for one very busy and happy little son. He's not quite 1 year old, and I'll bet it's been one of the fullest and most rewarding years of their lives so far. 

personal :: day in the life, february 2017 edition

I've found that periodically photographing an entire day of my own life helps keep my documentary eye and skills sharp. It also helps me to see my family, home, and life from a fresh perspective, usually refreshing my gratitude. 

Since I've been on a break from shooting professionally since Maeve's birth, I thought doing a DITL would be a good way to break in the camera again. 

This post actually only contains images from the first HALF of an ordinary Thursday in early February. I decided to stop at the 1 pm mark because otherwise this post would be unbearably long and quite possibly boring for most of you. :)

On this particularly Thursday we opted out of our usual activities (a mama bible study for me, work for Tim) in order to mark our dear friend Coop's birthday with a celebratory lingering brunch, so you'll see him and his wife, Charis (who is also my album designer and the one you should praise if you like your album, dear clients) and their daughter, Lois in these photos as well. 

As it turns out, I also did a DITL in February of LAST year (2016). It's so fun to look back and see how much has changed in a year, including the addition of a whole other PERSON to our family!

family photojournalism :: the (other) kuchan family

Sometimes people I love photographing refer people they love to also have me photograph their families. That's pretty much the highest honor, delivering a lot of warm fuzzies to this heart of mine. Such is the case here! The Kuchan family I first met, whose TWO births I've photographed, sent their brother and sister-in-law my way this fall. This second Kuchan family is every bit as wonderful as the first one, with their own unique flavor. 

A vintage flavor! :) Their sweet midcentury modern home features amazing decorating elements that haven't been touched since the 70s (and they like it that way), and is filled with all of Cat's vintage thrift store finds, which fit in perfectly. But best of all is the little love named Meris who entered their lives four months ago and captured their hearts. 

Cat and Daniel and Meris were awesome at just going about their usual rituals and routines whilst I was there. Because of that, we captured so many tiny ordinary details and activities, the kind of stuff my documentary heart delights in. 

Side note: You'll see in some of these photos that Meris is being held naked over the bathroom sink. Why? Elimination communication! It's a method of toilet learning that starts in early infancy and sometimes results in diaper-free kiddos by age 1! It was fun to see this in action and I'm feeling a bit tempted to try it out with my new arrival, too. 

family photojournalism :: the kranzo family

Somewhere outside Lansing, MI a family of 5 resides in an artful midcentury modern home. Their days are spent almost entirely together, as Kyle works from home as an independent designer and Melissa parents full time and whole-heartedly their three small children. The amount of thought and love invested in every detail of their home and family rhythms is hard to miss, from the daily walk to the eldest daughter's bus stop, to the regular playing of Chopped at snack time, the gallery walls of kids' art, the annual photo albums spread on the coffee table, the dance parties, and the good coffee always ready at a moment's notice. They live deep and close, this family. So to spend an afternoon in their company, observing and documenting it all unfolding was such a treat. SUCH a treat. 

It's December now, and that means I'm on maternity leave. My baby is "due" in about 2 weeks! So though I won't be shooting again until probably March, it's absolutely okay to reach out between now and then to book your 2017 birth, fresh48, family photojournalism, or life with a newborn session. Be patient with me, as my response time might be a bit slower, but I'm here and booking for Spring onward.