Category Archives: Personal

The house was so crowded that you couldn’t walk from one room to another without literally bumping into a dozen people. And each “excuse me” and “oh, did you meet…” was met with an endearing, joyful, or silly story. It was a testament to who Jill was, to who her husband is, and how their son will be loved forever. I left the shiva with my heart sad yet full of love. And my head was swirling.

Several weeks ago I received the news that Jill had passed away. Jill was dear to me not in a sense that I saw her often. I honestly can’t even say that I knew her that well. She was, and still is, dear to me because she touched my heart in a profound way. I spent half of a day photographing her, her husband, and their son back in 2014. That day will forever be in my heart for so many reasons: I learned that sometimes, the bigger the pancake, the better. I learned that we should all actively strive for grace. And it reinforced my belief: that sometimes, it’s the moments in between the big ones that matter. Her passing has pushed me over my fear of following my heart.

While I’ve been working toward this goal behind the scenes for a while now, I am now officially offering a new kind of photography session similar to the one with Jill’s family. A documentary take on YOUR family life. A whole day. A half-day. Think photojournalism meets family. Think of all the little things you notice with your kids in your day, in your home, in your routine that you want to remember. That you want your kids to remember: The way you brush their hair. The way they greet you in the morning. The food oh-so-lovingly thrown on the floor. The way the older one reads to the younger one. The way they wrestle on the couch. The stack of books that are seemingly always *beside* the bookshelf. The way the cleats pile up on the floor moments after they return home.

My girls are still quite young, but I know that years from now, when the surfaces are once again clean, when I’m putting their mail aside for when they come home to visit, when they go on a trip with their friends and forget to call, I’ll be looking for these memories. Here is my genuine nudge to you – think about how you want to remember these days.

If you are interested in a “day in the life” session, please contact me for more info. I’ll be updating the website in the weeks to come. I am offering a limited number of sessions at an introductory rate.

Here is the slideshow from my 1/2 day with Jill, Tim, and their sweet son. Tim, thank you for allowing me to (re)share your story. And to Jill, many thanks, my friend, for your grace, smile, and gentle push.