Sometimes I feel as though you don’t really know someone until you see the inside of their home and how they interact inside of it with their loved ones. The real interactions that come about especially with children cannot be mimicked in a session at a park. That’s not to say that you wouldn’t come away with beautiful photos of your family, but there is another level that I feel can be reached when kids and adults alike, are within the comfort of their own homes.
I have walked away from shoots in secondary locations and had families say things like, “ugh wow. I don’t know how that went. I really hope you got something. ” And I’m fairly certain that their main feeling is relief that that is over with. We always come away with great shots, but it’s the stress of it all that is the hardest part for everyone being photographed. Every time I’ve walked away from an at home shoot though, I’ve received texts and emails saying what a great time they had. They didn’t know what to expect, but it really went better than they had envisioned and they even had fun with their family throughout! Those words always mean so much to me.
When people look back at those photos from their homes, the emotions that will be evoked will not be ones of stress. Instead, my hope is that the emotions these images will evoke are ones of laughter and joy. Fondness of remembering the things that the kids used to play with, and how they fought over that unicorn doll or whatever it was that day. There are so many little moments that I know I’ll forget as my kids grow. I’m hoping that by photographing everyday life, it’ll give us a way to remember things as they were. A way to see the soul in the every day.
