{Storytelling Photography} A Day in the Life in Tacoma

Why choose a Family Storytelling Photography Session?

She was a little nervous about her in-home storytelling session. Was her house OK to photograph? She said it didn’t look exactly how she wanted it to look.  And what about the girls?  Having a blended family with older girls and two younger kids meant a big age gap to span.  Would they be comfortable? Would they be bored? I walked in the door to Carissa’s home and was greeted by pigtails and Legos. I met the sweet littles, the funny and talented high schoolers, the dashing husband. It was easily apparent that their home is full. Full of love and laughter…. and I’m sure full of all the normal family drama as well.  Moments in time are well documented in photographs on the wall. Year by year the story of this family unfolded in the frames. I have a soft spot for big families. Especially families with an age gap. There is such a sweetness that I’ve seen in our own home and in other homes where older kids get to love and nurture their younger siblings. It’s a gift for the whole family.

The longer I am on this journey of photography, the more passionate I am about documenting family life. With Robin off to college this fall and Emily soon on the way, it was a timely pleasure to meet these girls and capture a little bit about who they are at this point in life. So many changes and transitions. But your story always begins at home. I want this family to remember how it feels to be together, blowing bubbles, playing, reading, being goofy, making cookies. (By the way, the Morants make some amazing chocolate chip cookies!  I tried to replicate them but they were not the same at all!)

Our homes tell about who we are as a family, as a unique culture. The details that change so quickly as our children change and grow. Binkies in the dish drainer are soon no longer needed. Precious preschool drawings taped to the pantry evolve into more sophisticated interests. One day the princess playhouse is the favorite toy, the next it might be in the donation pile. One day a teenager’s bedroom is full of make-up and posters, only to be replaced with college books or turned into a guest room. These are things I want to remember in my own home, for my own family. These moments together are the reasons I keep photographing families. Because the days are long but the years are so, so short. I’m not at all interested in making everyone wear matching outfits and telling them how to pose. I can recommend many photographers who are great at that. That doesn’t tell me anything about who you really are. I want to see you together– how you love each other, what your real life looks like. I want you to see it too, to really see how beautiful it is. How it is full of grace and light and laughter.

Carissa, thank you for inviting me into your home. It’s perfect because of those who fill it and the memories you have made there. But most of all, beacause it’s yours.