Are you like me in that you feel best living a life of continual learning both professionally and personally? Tim jokes that if I could get paid to be a student forever, I would totally do it and he’s right I probably would. Right now I am taking a great business class created especially for documentary family photographers. One of the questions we had to answer was “What is our why for being a documentary family photographer?” I realized that I have multiple why’s, but this one below is a big WHY for me.

WHY AM I A DOCUMENTARY FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER?

It may be surprising to some, but a large part about making these photographs for me is about empowering women as mothers. We are often the core of our families. We provide the security, the love, the comfort, the guidance, the glue that holds it all together for our families. Shoot, our bodies are even designed to provide the nourishment for our children as babies without us having to do anything else at all! How unbelievable is that?! We help our children to be brave when they are scared, to know that they are capable of things that feel hard. Because of us they know that they are loved and worthy. Because of us they can try and make mistakes and try again and know that we are there and that they are okay. To our children their mothers are the center of their world, their source of comfort.

This is one of my big why's as a documentary photographer. To empower women as mothers by showing them their own greatness, value, and love as a parent. That moment when a woman sees themselves in their photographs with their children and feels so great about herself as a mom. When she sees how important she and all she does is to her family. AHHHH, that is my why!

Now before we even go there. Does this mean I don't care about men or dads? No not at all! My husband is such an involved and important part of our family and is my son's hero. Way more than I am. But men in general, they do not question their parenting like we do. Somehow they have a different level of confidence that they are doing a good job. Women, as mothers, we need to see and feel our value more. It's time for us to be empowered in our role as a parent.

Are you ready to yourself and your value in your family’s photographs?

book your session