Life Inspired Imagery - letting go of perfection

Perfection.

When I first got married, I thought I would be the perfect wife.

When my first child was born, I thought I would be the perfect mother.

You know, the three course dinner ready on time, the house neatly Pinterested, hair done, makeup on, never a raised voice.....and the list went on and on.

As our family grew and the demands increased, I started to burn out.  My anxiety soared and I struggled with feelings of depression.  Life was just not going the way I expected it to be and perfection was simply unattainable. I was riding a bicycle as fast as I possibly could and not getting anywhere.  I was failing miserably.

And I knew that I needed to change. It was not my husband, my kids, my neighbors or my job. It was me.  I needed to let go of perfection.

It wasn't fast and it is still not easy, but my ideas of perfection have shifted. I have slowly embraced the chaos of a young growing family instead of fighting it. The laundry is not done, the dishes are not washed and the toys are not put away.  And I can even go to bed ok with knowing all that. And when I start feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope, I know it is time to refocus on what is truly important.

And that is not perfection.

I want my husband and children to feel loved and accepted for whom they are.

For my home to be a safe place in a world gone crazy.

Where mistakes do happen because we are not perfect.

I have stopped fighting for perfection and I have started seeking beauty in our everyday moments.

There is beauty in the mess and the chaos. Because this is where real growth happens.

This growth in my personal life has definitely changed my perceptions of photography as well.

Sadly, the idea of perfection in the photography industry has become more important than reality and I want to change that for my clients.  I believe the day to day life is worth remembering.

I find the most magical stories are happening in the quiet moments of your own home.  Where the memories live.  Where the day to day happens.  It's these stories I long to document for my clients.  I call it "life inspired imagery" and it's the new tagline for my updated website where I'll be focusing on lifestyle imagery as opposed to staged photographs that are posed with everyone smiling, props and the perfect background.

Don't get me wrong, I love a beautiful portrait - and we'll capture those in your sessions with me as well.  But, it's your unique story I want to tell.  My goal is to create an experience where you can let go of expectations and embrace the everyday beauty of your family. To remind you of the most incredible job you do every day: raising your children.  To allow the uniqueness of your family shine. This style of photography is called life inspired imagery and it’s an honest reflection of life as it is.  Today.  And I’ll be there to tell that story of the love between your family.  You’ll look back on these photographs as reminders of yesterday’s moments with nostalgia and smile.

In this documentary style of photography, I will spend a portion of your day with you doing things you do everyday like making dinner together, playing a board game, taking the dog for a walk, a bath, visiting your favorite park.  The images I'll capture for you will be the connections between your family - the simple, beautiful moments that exist in every day life.

I'm currently booking these types of sessions with cherished families I have worked with in the past and will be opening up my schedule for additional spots in spring 2015.

If you want to be the first to know when spots become available, just slide your email in below and we will notify you!  In the meantime, take a look around our newly freshened up site - you may see some familiar faces in our updated portfolio and you can check out our other session types here.  And if you want to see more from this session, click here.

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