Here is an additional peek into one of my recent family photography sessions. I've been thinking a lot about family lately and some of what appeals to me about family portraiture.

I believe family portraits are important and consider my work to be heirloom photography. Documenting the history of my own family is important to me which is why I love to focus on family portraiture. I strive to make sessions a fun, relaxed, and enjoyable experience for everyone and love to show people how amazing they are. My photography sessions are meant to document a family's history, but also to capture the essence of what is special about you and the people you love most!

This is because when I look back at my own family photographs the first thing I notice is what they mean to me and what family means to all of us when I am reminded of the memories we all share. The photographs are a documentation of our bonds as a family, a permanent record of a long passed moment in time with the people I care about. When I look at older photographs I'm thankful that the previous generation was thoughtful enough to preserve something so special for us to enjoy in the future.

I'm always thinking about the heirloom component of photographs when I'm photographing a family. The images and moments that I capture are for the immediate family of course, but they are also taken with the next generation in mind. I think about how children or grandchildren may one day hold that photograph feeling thankful that they have that permanent piece of their family's story---an important record of something unique and special.

-M