Why your next family session needs to be a storytelling one

For regular updates & early access to bookings, join my email list!

I’ve been doing a daily photo project this year, pulling out my camera to document our life as it is. Most days I feel wildly uninspired but when I step back and look at the now-six weeks of photos I have, I'm loving the story it tells.

In these photos, I see my daughter’s love of sewing, my cat in her favorite spots, the bird feeder outside my window that’s endlessly entertaining, the blur that is waiting-in-the-car-for-after-school activities, and the quiet beauty of winter. I see my kids growing fast but also still very young at heart. I see their friendship and how winter is a time for getting cozy and finding enjoyment in little things like puzzles and wildlife and the extra-bright light bouncing off the snow and into our home.

You know what I don’t see (and I bet you missed, too)? The messy table and living room and playroom floor. The doorways that need repainting. The dirty car. The windows that need cleaning.

What I see instead is little moments of beauty, joy, peace, and calm in the midst of regular, everyday life.

This is storytelling family photography and I want you to have these kinds of photos, too!

Need another example? This one took some bravery because the light is rough, my kitchen is a mess, and the layout isn’t conducive to photos…but I pulled out my camera anyway and now I have images that tell the story of my daughter coming home from school, seeing old bananas on the counter, and saying, “I want to make banana bread!” I have the story of her growing independence (she did most of the work), of our shared love of baking, of her curiosity and creativity and delight in the little things.

The last time I did a daily photo project like this was five years ago and I really regret skipping those five years. Not that I don’t have photos from those missing five years, but I really only have the highlights. Our trips. Local outings. The woods. They’re great to have, but these daily photo projects help me remember the real, mundane, little things in life. They put me back into these moments (and the moments from 5-6 years ago when I last did this project and my kids were so little!). They bring back memories that I would otherwise have forgotten.

When you book a storytelling family photo session with me, you also get to preserve these little, everyday moments that you would otherwise have forgotten. We all have photos of the highlights. What you need are the ones that you’ll look back on 5, 10, 20 years from now when the kids are grown and the photos are all you have left of this time.

What are you waiting for? Let’s tell your story while you’re in the middle of it! While they’re still little. While they’re still home. You won’t regret it.

Why winter is the perfect time to book at-home family photos in New England

For regular updates & early access to bookings, join my email list!

Living in New England, I can tell you that the vast majority of people equate family photos with fall. And I don’t blame them. The fall color makes a stunning backdrop! And the weather is usually more reliably-pleasant - not insanely hot, not frigid, not super rainy or humid or buggy - so it’s a little easier to think about photos then.

I am here to tell you, though, that winter is even better, especially for at-home sessions, and here’s why:

Winter light is stunning.

All that snow and gray may look dreary, but they make a perfectly neutral backdrop for family photos. Have you ever noticed how bright it is inside your home on sunny days, what with all the snow on the ground? The lower angle of the sun plus that bright, white snow make for some beautiful, clean light pouring into your home, and that light makes for some lovely photos.

Winter calendars are lighter.

Aesthetics aside and post holidays, winter is a quieter season than the fall (or spring!) seasons. The rush of the holidays is over, the days are shorter, and there’s more room to carve out time to be together as a family and document it. It’s the perfect time for a cozy game night, pancake breakfast, snuggly reading sessions, chilling by the fire… what cozy winter things does your family love?

Winter marks the start of a new year.

I write about it all the time but time flies. Our kids go from toddlers to teenagers in what feels like a blink of an eye (especially once they’re teens). They grow and change so much in the short 18 years they’re with us. The most-winter of winter months, January is a convenient reminder of a new year, of an opportunity to slow down and remember what life looks and feels like right now so we can remember it when they’re grown and off on their own.

Book your winter session today!

Whether you’ve got toddlers, teens, or adult kids starting their own families, winter is the perfect time to pause, connect, and make memories that will last forever.

What is a storytelling family session?

For regular updates & early access to bookings, join my email list!

A storytelling family session is one that centers your family - your personalities, your favorite things to do together, and above all, your connection with and care for one another - and tells a story you’ll want to remember for many years to come.

Storytelling family photography is a style I’ve been honing for years through this business and through photographing my own family. My favorite approach is the “fly-on-the-wall” approach, where I photograph you and your loved ones in your “natural element”. When I get to immerse myself in your connection and togetherness, magic happens. ✨

What is a storytelling family photo session like?

Storytelling family photo sessions take many forms!

• For some families, a storytelling family session centers around time with extended family, whether at your home, the beach, or a beautiful, local spot.

• For some families, a storytelling family session centers around “just us” - you, your partner, and the kids.

• For some families, it’s casual-but-posed group photos. Everyone smiling and looking at the camera. For others, it’s candid, almost documentary in the feel. Capturing the chaos, but also the love and care and connection.

• For some families, it’s a moment they never want to forget.

For every storytelling family photo session, I bring a calm, connected presence, easy connection with toddlers and teens alike (even the grumpy ones!), and an eye for the moments you’ll want to remember for a lifetime.

How do I book a storytelling family photo session?

I make it easy! Here’s what to expect:

• Inquire. Fill out a quick form and I’ll send you an email with a link to my calendar so we can briefly chat about you, your family, and your session goals.

• Book. I make it super simple, sending you a link to pick your date, sign your contract, and pay for your session fee, and pre-select your photo & print package if you want to save 10%. Visit my Families page for more info on the investment.

• Prep. I also make this easy: I’ll send you a guide and I’m available ahead of time for questions, outfit input, anything you need to feel at ease and comfortable about your upcoming session.

• Show up. On your session day, you just show up and focus on connecting with your loved ones! I’ll take care of the rest.

• Enjoy your photos for years to come. We’ll go through your gallery a few weeks after your session. You’ll be able to download based on your package selection, and the photos are yours to keep!

Make this year the year you prioritize telling your family’s unique, beautiful, everyday story.

A Year in Photos: Highlights from a Southern NH Photographer

For regular updates & early access to bookings, join my email list!

In the hectic pace of life, I often forget to pause and look back. To see where I’ve been as an anchor to where I’m headed. I have lots of thoughts and feelings about 2025 but suffice it to say that it was a pretty tumultuous year in life, in the world, and — because everything is deeply connected — in this business as well.

That said, I got to photograph some pretty amazing people this year! See for yourself:

When I stop and think—or really, when I stop and look, really look, at the photos I got to make this year with families, businesses, and non-profits, I am deeply encouraged. I got to photograph connection, joy, people who are proud of their work, people who are contributing to their communities in positive ways. See?

2025 had its challenges, and yet. These photos remind me that there was beauty, determination, grit, and grace in the midst of it all. Looking at them fills me with hope and reminds me just how much I deeply love this work.

Thank you to these wonderful people who entrusted me with their photos this year! It has been a privilege.

• 14 families from Hollis, Brookline, Amherst, and Nashua, NH (plus Pepperell, Dunstable, and Woburn, MA!)

• Dishon Bakery in Manchester, NH (if you’re GF and don’t know about it already, you MUST check it out)

• Morneau Law in Nashua, NH

• The Coworking House in Milford, NH

• Healthy Kids Running Series in Amherst, NH

Beaver Brook Family Photo Session

For regular updates & early access to bookings, join my email list!

Sometimes life is too hectic for a full-on family session, and what you really need is a quick, 30-minute option. My petite family sessions provide just that, and this family jumped on it this fall!

One of my favorite places to photograph families is at Beaver Brook in Hollis, NH.

The late-afternoon light is pure magic, there are a variety of backgrounds, textures, and options for photos, and they’re doing incredible work to not only support conservation but also raise up new generations of nature-loving people who are connected to the ecosystems around them.

I love supporting them with my photographer membership and helping families make memories in such a stunning place.

Petite Session FAQs

• What's the difference between a petite session and a regular session?

  Petite sessions are quick (30 minutes), perfect for busy families, mostly-traditional/posed portraits, and take place within 10 miles of 03049 (inquire for travel options). They include a selection of photos from your gallery, with the option to purchase additional images after the session.

  Full or regular sessions are longer, leave more room for candids and travel and telling your unique story, and have several photo & print packages to fit every family’s photo dreams.

• What are your favorite locations for a petite session?

  Obviously Beaver Brook is high on my list! I also love doing petite family photo sessions at your home, Woodmont Orchards, downtown Nashua if that’s your vibe, or wherever your family loves to spend time together.

• Do you make color photos, too?

  100% yes! I love the storytelling power of black & white photos, but most of your gallery will be color.

  If you’re as obsessed with black & white as I am, let me know and you’ll get loads!

• How do I book a petite family photo session?

  To book your petite family photo session, click the Book Your Session button below, fill out the inquiry form, and I’ll be in touch with next steps!

Hollis, NH, Family Photo Session

For regular updates & early access to bookings, join my email list!

Family photos are an excellent opportunity to slow down, spend some time with our loved ones, and pause time for a moment. It is breathtaking how quickly kids grow up, so pausing time now and then is essential!

I got to spend some time with this lovely Hollis, NH, family this fall. We managed to plan it just perfectly so that the fall leaves in their backyard were peak color (you can’t tell because I’m obsessed with black & white, but scroll to the end for the proof!).

Every family session is unique to the family - one of my top priorities is to tell your story, not mine or the same one everyone else tells - but they all have some common elements:

• We start with the money shot! Everyone posed, smiling, and (mostly) looking at the camera. Especially with young kids, it’s helpful to get this out of the way early, before kids just get tired of being told what to do.

• We play! If you have kids younger than 5 or 6 and it’s fall, we will 100% be tossing leaves into the air at least twice during the session. You can count on it.

• I let the kids take breaks. They can run, chase each other, play duck-duck-goose, whatever they need to do to relax, take a break from being asked to smile and stand up straight (ish), and enjoy themselves. Sometimes my best photos happen while they’re playing!

• I always get a photo of the parents on their own. You rarely have time for yourselves and probably haven’t been photographed just the two of you in ages. We make it happen, and you pretend to like each other. ;)

• We do it when your kids are happiest (or, honestly? when it works for your schedule). Sometimes you go with what’s ideal energy-wise (usually the morning with young kids) or light-wise (usually late afternoon!) and sometimes you go with what works for your schedule and trust your photographer to make the magic happen anyway. ✨

Whether you’re looking for a more traditional session like this one above or an even-more-candids, documentary-ish session like these over here, I love helping families of all sorts slow down, connect, and document their lives for a moment in these racing-by times.

p.s: Looking for that proof we hit peak-color? Here you go!