4 reasons to include grandparents in your family photos

4 reasons to include grandparents in your family photos

you might not get to see them everyday

Sometimes grandparents have to travel a little ways to be with family and we want to make sure we make the most of their precious time. If the grandparents are coming into town to help once your new baby is born, let’s include them into the family session!

I photographed this family soon after the baby girl was born and I was excited to hear that the grandparents were there. I don’t have a lot of photos of me as a baby or young child with my grandparents so it’s something I always like to include when I am photographing a family for a family session or newborn session.

it brings out their playful side

What are grandparents typically known to do? Spoiling the children and playing with them!

It was so cute to see how playful the grandparents became when playing with this little guy. I think it definitely brings out the child in them and I fall in love seeing photos like this.

opportunity to get solo shots with children

During this lifestyle newborn session I wanted to focus on the entire family to provide a variety of shots, and towards the end of this newborn session we had several opportunities to get photos of the grandparents with just the baby. There was so much connection and love -two things that I focus on during my lifestyle family photography. The hands help to tell the story and I love the perspective holding that fresh new baby!

opportunity to get extended family photos taken

When the grandparents are included into the family session I think it’s important to take an extended family photo. It might have been a long time since the entire family has gotten together and I think it’s a special gift to be able to do this for them. This family had a lovely living room background that I thought was perfect for a backdrop for their family photos.

I can’t wait to photograph your family!

3 Reasons Why I am a Lifestyle Family Photographer | Atlanta Family Photography

When I am thinking about my reasons for being a photographer I like to think about my “why”. I like to reflect about what it is that pushes and guides me to be a photographer and what I hope to accomplish each time I pick up my camera for a session. I make sure I speak and execute my “why” for each newborn, maternity, and family session I get to photograph.

 Keep reading to learn a bit about my style of photography and what drives my passion.

3 Reasons why i am a lifestyle photographer

1. Telling a story

When I was young, my Dad was in the military and would leave for several months at a time. My mom took photos and videos of our family and little things that made our family special. This could be anything from photographing the way we played on our swing set or showing off our new clothes and toys to show my Dad. All of these photos tell a story.

When I would go to my grandfather’s house in California I used to make it a point to sit in his living room and pick at least two or three photo albums at a time to look through. He would look through them with me and laugh so hard that he couldn’t even tell me the story about the photo. He recently passed away but I will always cherish the moments and the stories told through photography.

Photography gave me a way to learn about his life from several years ago, and gave me a way to also learn about my mom and her siblings. He actually told me that if it weren’t for my grandmother he wouldn’t have any of those photos of the family or his children. It’s so nice to be able to get closer with friends and family members over something that seems so insignificant but is actually very important. Situations, families, jobs, and experiences can be so different several years from now and being able to use a camera to document the moment and memory is a way to help tell the story. It might be hard to remember how your daughter looked and felt when she lost her first tooth. And you may want to look back at that silly face your son made when Daddy held him close.

Sometimes photographs can tell a story without words and I try to incorporate that every time I press the shutter.

2. Documenting memories

This relates to telling a story and really captures the moment in time. Take the time to think about what memories of your child you have and what you want to be sure to document and not forget. A good example of documenting memories is photographing your new baby during a lifestyle newborn session.

You might not remember how little her toes were or what kind of blanket she loved being swaddled in, but it’s important to have those photographs to look back on.

Maybe your little girl is teething and makes a funny face with a little bit of drool. That’s okay! More than likely I wouldn’t edit that out of my photo, it stays in to tell a story and document the memory!

3. Because life isn’t perfect

What I want to show in my lifestyle work is the viewer to be able to see the connection and the love. I do try to make sure everyone looks and feels comfortable, however I don’t want to take away from the family’s connection. I prefer connection over perfection any day. I don’t fix my hair to be perfect every day and 90% of the time my nails aren’t manicured or painted. Half of the time my socks are mismatched. It is interesting to see how my personal feelings are embedded in my work.

I love the documentary aspect of lifestyle photography and the way the details show life and don’t focus on perfection.

There is always a time and place for perfection but I hope to be able to provide the means to tell your story in a way that is specific and tailored to your family what is important to you right now.

Sometimes your child would rather look at you and sing than look at my camera. Sometimes your child wants to read a book with you and would rather read than sit on a couch for a stiff family photo. And I’m okay with that. It’s connection. And I can’t wait to meet you!

I’d love to photograph your family for a lifestyle family session. Check out my family portfolio here and send me a message on my contact form about how we can schedule your family session!

{daphne} | sweet auburn curb market | creative women's portraits

I had the pleasure of spending the day with my dear friend Daphne over at Daphne Joy Photography. Daphne wanted some updated portraits so we headed over to Sweet Auburn Curb Market in Atlanta. It has a nice urban feel and we knew we would be able to grab a nice lunch after! If you haven't yet been to Sweet Auburn Market, I highly recommend spending some time there checking out the fresh produce and small businesses. I went to school just a couple miles from the market and couldn't believe I had never been there! Some of the restaurants inside have been there for quite a while and they are making way for even more yummy places! They have everything from fresh fish and poultry counters to colorful vegetable stands. Let's not forget about two popular restaurants there : Afrodish (Caribbean food) and Arepa Mia (Venezuelan food)!

I can't wait to go back.

You need to go go go!

Using the space gave us a good reason to get iced lattes (not like we really needed an excuse haha!) and navigate the market. Daphne made my job so easy because she was such a natural and loved getting her photos taken! And can we just take a second to talk about how perfect she matched these amazing green walls? Win win!

If you're interested in business and lifestyle portraits, head on over to this blog post or say hello! My passion is capturing people in a lifestyle way, and you can check out my family portfolio here!

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{abby lynn} | playground fun at piedmont park | atlanta lifestyle photographer

There's so much joy in hanging out with a toddler. We had this session at the park just for fun and I was happy to click during some cute moments of AL playing on the monkey bars (those are words I don't hear as often anymore!), playing with wood chips, and just running around. Last time I got to see her, I got to take some daddy daughter photos at the park. 

I love how free spirited children are at this age and it wouldn't hurt to learn a thing or two from them. They are bright eyed, happy, hyper, and just excited for all of the things. 

Looking at these images just makes me want to go to a park and have fun. I can remember the feeling of the grass and just hanging out playing with sticks! 

What I love about lifestyle sessions is the ability to allow the child to take the lead and enjoy all of the small moments. If you're interested in booking a session, head over to some of my favorite images or drop me a message on my contact page! 

{jenna & cole} | mommy and me session | atlanta lifestyle photography

This was my second time photographing this Mommy and toddler and we decided to do a Mommy and Me session! Click here if you want to see Cole's one year cupcake smash! Cole is such a fun toddler and we went with the flow during this in-home lifestyle session. What I love about this age is that it ends up being more fun and relaxed when you go with the toddler's lead and what he or she wants to do.

We had so much fun today reading books, playing with puzzles, eating a snack, playing with toys, playing airplane with mommy, and really just seeing what Cole had in mind to do. I love capturing the way she and he look and adore each other. Mom is a local photographer so it's always fun to give her some fresh images of her and her little snugglebug!

That's what lifestyle is all about. Capturing real life. If you are interested in booking a family session, get in touch with me by filling out this contact form and we can get something on the calendar! Can't wait to meet you! 

{biscuits and burlap} | atlanta food blogger | atlanta lifestyle photographer

I had the pleasure of meeting Pam and Sara at an Atlanta Food Blogger's meetup and I was so excited when they reached out to me about lifestyle photos for their blog! Pam and Sara from Biscuits and Burlap were so comfortable in front of the camera and you can totally see their passion behind their Southern roots and their loving nature to provide delicious recipes for others!

It makes me so happy to capture people in their element, and even better when it's in their home and their most favorite surroundings (or food)! 

If you're interested in booking a lifestyle session, family photo session, or just because it's a Wednesday, please reach out and say hello! I'd love to hear from you. Here are some other recent posts on the blog!