I opened the "doors" to Little Story Studio in 2012, but it wasn't until the second part of 2014 that I found my niche documenting family life. The very first session I shot in this fly-on-the-wall style was that of my good friends, Carolyn and Justin. They were totally open to letting me come to their house and follow them around for the evening. At the time, I didn't even have the correct gear, and some of the low light pictures could be technically better. But their session still gives me the feels when I watch it back.
That got me thinking-- if my eyes well up with tears watching this old video, what do my friends feel and think when THEY watch it back? So, I asked!
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.... the light was just so irresistible and I felt inspired. And the day didn't let me down- from morning till the sun's last rays it was beautiful. The breeze made the light shimmer through the leaves and left patterns on the walls and floors. I've been a bit uninspired lately, but it's days like these that make me happy I have photography to capture this kind of beauty. Here is June 9th, 2016 (10 images + one video)
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Ever consider booking an in-home documentary photography session, only to put it on the back burner because you don't know what part of your life is interesting enough to photograph? It's something I hear again and and again: My life's just not that interesting. To that I say, do any of these moments look familiar? Do any of these moments look like something worth holding photographing?
Read MoreOne of my favorite places to photograph my kids is in their bedroom. Why?
Why NOT? Their bedrooms are like an extension of them. What they read, play with, hang on their walls, set out on their shelves... all tell a story about who they are now and who they are becoming. As you read the rest of this article, don't forget about older children and teens. It is at every stage of your son's and daughter's childhood that you will find satisfaction in this process.
Read MoreMy boys and I have lots of adventures. But every once in a while, there is an outing that leaves a lasting impression. I'd like to think that these passionate learning-driven events contribute in some small way to shaping my sons into who they will one day be.
Read MoreIt was 4:00pm and it was that Time of Day. Every day by that time, my feet ache, my nerves are frayed, the kids are tired, I'm hungry, etc. etc. etc. But with only an hour until dinnertime, collapsing onto the couch is the last thing I have time to do. Plus, there's always the chance that if I sit down I'll never get up!
On this day, I shuffled into the kitchen, still a little foggy-headed and craving a nap after reading to my oldest from his favorite chapter book series. I dug the chicken out of the refrigerator and turned around to see an overflowing and cluttered countertop. Every part of our day had contributed to the overwhelming mess in front of me.
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Finally. We were beginning to think the snow would never visit our little spot on the map. As soon as it began to fall, the kids' noses were plastered to the windows. I held them off as long as I could, but to no avail. I bundled them up till you could only see their squished faces and we out in the 18 degree cold.
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When you are storytelling, one of the simplest things you can do to tell all of the story is think about perspective. It is incredibly easy to fall into the trap of standing in one spot like there is glue on your feet and ending up with 30 frames that are so similar you have play the "which thing is different" game to decipher which one you want to keep. To avoid falling into this trap, think:
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