When friends feel like family.
This was an extended family session with a family I’ve known since I was little; the Haydens were our neighbors growing up and I remember fondly going over to grab a drink from the soda machine for movie night or going over to say hi. The best part of shooting a session for people I know, is that the time feels like spending time having fun friends rather than showing up for work. There’s something really grounding about photographing people who have been part of your life for so long — you don’t just see who they are now, you see all the layers of history, inside jokes, and shared memories wrapped up in the way they stand together.
The session itself came with a fun surprise. One of the daughters flew in with her own family as a surprise during the break, and the rest of the family had no idea until she arrived. Cue the excitement, and the slightly chaotic energy that only comes from everyone being together in the same place at the same time. Of course they wanted to document it — moments like that don’t happen often as everyone gets older, and they’re the kind you want to remember.
We lucked out with the weather, too. It was cold (definitely jacket weather), but sunny in that crisp, wintery way that makes everything feel a little brighter. With a few jokes, a couple of silly distractions, and some well-timed “look over here!” moments, even the kids were smiling the whole time. Honestly, they were troopers.
Sessions like this are such a good reminder of why photos matter. It’s not about perfection or everyone looking at the camera at the same time. It’s about freezing a moment where everyone you love is together, breathing the same air, laughing at the same jokes, and sharing the same space — even if just for a short while.
I left this session with a full heart (and very cold hands), feeling incredibly grateful. Grateful to document a family that means so much to me, grateful for surprise reunions, and grateful for the kind of moments that turn into stories you’ll tell for years.
