That Family kind of Magic | Northern Colorado Family Photographer

This spring we headed to Austin, TX with our family. I have been fairly fortunate in the way of weather in the past with travel sessions, but the very first days there called for rain and gloom and the photographer in me tried everything I could not to panic.

This was the day my perspective changed.

Let’s face it– when families envision that “perfect” family session, they aren’t picturing down pouring rain and mud and gray skies. I admit in the past I would reschedule my families if possible, but we traveled with kids in tow to another state and had rigid schedules between the two of us, so we decided we would make an adventure out of it.

It was the best decision I could have made. In fact, this is one of my favorite family sessions to date? Why? Well, because these photos are unapologetically and imperfectly about them and their connection. My work grew a bit that day. Maybe I even grew a bit that day.

If I can share with anyone that considers having families photographs made… ever, just a little tidbit of advice from one Mama to another. I am completely removing the “Photographer” aspect from this. Loose the “P” word from your vocab. You know the one. The “Perfect” word. I get it. You agonize over clothing choices and in some instances spend time (and money!) getting your hair and make up done. You have thought and maybe fantasized about this for months. You hope your children will cooperate–No more than cooperate– frolic with you. We think of all those tender moments we are going to get with our perfectly curated outfits in our beautiful setting. We get our family photos made too every year. Just like you. I am a Mama of almost seven. Trying to pull it all together while not losing my mind is an act of God.

But to put that photographer hat back on and share a heaping dose of reality, these moments don’t always just happen. I help direct and reassure and share what is going to bring out the best in your family and in turn, help you to create those gorgeous authentic emotions. It only takes a moment. But I don’t expect perfection from you. In fact, your imperfection is what inspires me. It is glorious. It is even magical in ways. It is what helps make you all who you are and lets your reason for being there in the first place shine on through. It isn’t about those clothes or the mountains or rivers or fields. It’s the love you have for your family. It is the need to document that you were all here.

So should the weather be imperfect.
Should you all be imperfect.
That’s perfectly okay. Because you are imperfectly enough.
And that is beautiful.

I am sad that we won’t be able to travel next year even if it is for the most amazing of reasons, but I do get a lot of families that come to me from out of state or even out of the country and this applies very much to that too. Should the weather be less than optimal or maybe not even what you dreamed about on your big day, it’s still going to be beyond wonderful. You are making memories in this place with your people. What is better than that? And they are documented and memorialized.