How I took my own family photos for our Christmas card

Guys, we did holiday photos and sent out Christmas cards! Last year was the first year that I have ever gotten family photos taken for the sole purpose of sending out Christmas cards. Let’s be honest, I’ve never had family photos taken, let alone for Christmas cards! I had this vision of documentary-style photos of our family on our Christmas cards, and actually sending out Christmas cards. Hahaha! I originally wanted to use a bunch of photos I’d taken from the year but I realized that I’m never in any of them. So I roped Damian in on my scheme and planned a day to do something we do every year, make and decorate sugar cookies.

We blocked out a Saturday morning when I knew we would have some soft light coming in through our kitchen windows and time so we wouldn’t be rushed. I made the cookie dough and prepped everything I would need for baking and decorating the night before, so I wouldn’t get overwhelmed with making cookies and shooting at the same time. That morning I insisted everyone wear the clothes they would normally wear on Saturday. I set up my tripod and got my camera settings ready before we started. And Damian and I traded off wielding the camera so I could get in some shots with Hyrum. I am so happy with how they turned out! And just to be safe I set up my camera on a tripod in front of our new porch to get a few shots there and for posterity… OK, I admit I was a little worried that the documentary ones wouldn’t work out. Hahaha!

Baby A Newborn Session {Salt Lake City, Utah Newborn Photographer}

This is the second time I’ve had the privilege of photographing the Sanchez-Clifford family, as they welcomed their newest little baby into the world. As I looked at their photos from 2 years ago, I was keenly aware of the way the more things change the more they stay the same. Their two older children were just as fascinated by the large hospital window as they were two years ago. I love watching this family grow and way that they just take in the whole moment and really familiarize themselves with their new baby. Baby A was such an easy-going and patient baby as they stroked the hair on his head, the fuzz on his tummy, and inspected his toes.

I had to share this photo from a session with this family two years earlier, just for funsies. Same family, same kids +one, same hospital… two years later. To see more from this session see this blog post

Baby P Newborn Session {Salt Lake City, Utah Newborn Photographer}

In-home sessions are my most favorite sessions of all time. I just love spending this intimate time with families and really witnessing all the love they have for each other. Spending the morning with the Kirks was the perfect Saturday morning. Making muffin, playing with the dog and new kitty, wrestling on the floor, and of course, all the nuzzles and kisses for sweet Baby P.

West Caribbean Cruise

In February I went on my first cruise to the West Caribbean and we had so much fun biking around Key West (where I convinced everyone to bike through a cemetery), soaking up the sun and holding monkeys in Honduras, tubing in caves in Belize, snorkeling and shopping in Cozumel, and looking at Graffiti walls and eating tacos in Miami.

Evening in the Backyard- Woodward Family - Utah Family Photographer

We had been planning this session for about a year. Not that it was so much work to plan, but just trying to decide what part of your everyday life to photograph takes some thought. We had so many fun ideas, but when she got pregnant she knew that she wanted photos of her family with her newborn. I won’t forget the messages we shared after this sweet mom lost her baby a month before she was due to deliver her…. The line that hit me so hard was, “I should have done a maternity session.” This experience and her words made me think about what I was putting off in my own life. There are so many times in my own life where I’m waiting for things to be “just right” to move forward or do what I want to do. It was a strong reminder of how valuable photos are in every stage and season of life. And it reminded me to not wait for the perfect moment, the perfect occasion, or the right circumstances to document my own family. I realized that every moment is the perfect moment and that I need to embrace it for what it is because I will never get that moment back.

And that is what Stephanie did. Even though her session wasn’t what she originally had in mind, she was able to notice how much she loved these warm spring evenings with her girls, planting their garden and reading bedtime stories cuddled up in the hammock in their backyard. It was a perfectly warm evening as the girls dug in the dirt, discovered bugs, and made little plates of leaves and rocks. The girls welcomed their dad home from a long day at work with requests for him to swing them and wrestling. They did their routine games of sliding down the hammock to crash into their mom. They giggled and belly laughed as Stephanie read Junie B. Jones. And I had flashbacks of reading those books to my own daughter who is now too old and too cool. This family had a hard year and they were such an example of embracing the moments they had and they really saw the beauty in the season of life they were in.

What I Want For Mother's Day. And It's Not Breakfast In Bed.

Mom’s of the world want a lot of different things, but there are a few things we ALL want. We want to know that we matter. We want to know that the countless days of wiping messy faces, and sleepless nights worrying about our teen or holding a small child actually mean something. We want to know that those hard days where we are at our wit's end and we feel like a total failure as a mom and wife do not define us. Even when we let our kids watch “too much tv” or spend all day mopping up spills and don’t even touch the mounds of growing laundry, it doesn’t mean that we are the world’s worst mother. We want assurance that we are good enough and our kids still feel how much we truly love them. This is not an easy task. Because just saying, “you are a good mom” doesn’t quite sink in. Our minds recall all the ways and proof that “I am not a good mom.” We want evidence.

We want evidence that we exist in our children’s lives and we want to know that the day to day tasks of being a mom make a difference and matter. When we see the evidence of our value in photos it is undeniable. We see our continued efforts. So we may not be perfect, but we are the perfect mom for our kids. We see that we actually exist in our children’s lives, beyond the constant reminders to “turn off the tv” and “sit down and eat your food.” We see the times when we held a sad child and gave the hug that made everything better for that moment. 

I try to help moms feel seen. I help them realize that what they do every day does make a difference and it’s all the good stuff that actually matters and makes them the world’s best mom. 

Is Documentary Photography Right For Your Family?

Documentary family photography is so different from your typical portrait session. Here are some common concerns people have.

“Going in, I was mainly concerned that I would not have enough going on that was interesting enough for pictures and video. I was also concerned with how clean my house was after just having a baby. But Meili let me know that the point is to be who you are at that moment. Now when I see what she has done, I get emotional and feel super grateful, just like when I did after seeing our images for the first time, but even more now because it is a moment in time saved about us, and especially me as a mother with my last baby.”
Jennifer Chipping

“My house is so messy!”

Unless you want to feature your house because you are moving, or there is something you particularly love about your house, I am there to photograph your family, not your house or your mess. I use my knowledge in composition, framing, depth of field (to name a few) to focus on the most important parts of a scene. Usually that is the interactions between your family, moments of play, and the details that tell your story. We are documenting real life so some toys on the floor and dishes in the sink will not spoil your photos one bit. In most cases they are just another layer of your family’s beautiful story. I can’t imagine having my son’s beloved scrappy, stuffed fox or the stacks of my husband’s books edited out of our family photos, because they are a part of who we are.  This is not an expose on your unmade bed or the open closet. It is about a beautiful moment you had with your new baby as memorized each other’s faces while you nursed him. You can pick up the clutter on the counter if it makes you feel better or clear the hallways so no one trips, but I won’t judge your house. In fact, I’m usually so focused on the story I rarely notice.

“We’re too boring…”

Most people believe two false things about their family, that their boring and that they’re a little bit crazy. but it turns out that that little bit of crazy isn’t that crazy at and is what makes you totally interesting. You may think you need to plan a slew of incredible adventures to avoid boring pictures, but most people are surprised at how much they love images of their everyday routines, like making pancakes, reading bedtime stories, and brushing teeth. Sometimes we are so busy life-ing that we don’t notice the beauty in the way our kids are actually really best of friends even though they seem to be fighting all the time, or cuddling in bed on a Saturday morning that comes too soon. But I will be there to show you how beautiful and not boring your life really is.

“My kids are probably going to be so wild and crazy?”

Kids are usually very aware of the camera in the beginning and they love showing off for the camera. With a little time and a few tricks up my sleeve, they will forget about the camera and get back to their normal selves. As for them just plain acting “naughty,” I have kids of my own and I’m used to chaos that comes with kids, including tantrums and meltdowns. Not only will I not judge because we’ve all been there, but it’s also totally normal! The many ups and downs of one day are all part of normal life. And although the meltdowns can be super annoying right now, you will look at your photos and know that you were exactly the parent your kids needed and you were more than enough! Take a deep breath, and just know I will also be there to document you giving all the cuddles after the storm, and kissing the skinned knees better. 

Most people really want to have documentary photos '“like that” of their own family. But then the self doubt starts to enter their minds. They wonder if their house is clean enough, if their family is interesting enough, if they are enough. You are enough! And you deserve this! You deserve to see how beautiful and interesting your life and family really are. You deserve to see all the love and life I see when I photograph your family. I see it and you will too when you look at your images from your shoot.

Park City, Utah- Family Reunion Photographer

The Dayton’s are all about good food, good conversation, and a good adventure. Everything else is gravy, as long as it’s time spent together. A typical day at the Dayton family reunion started with the sweet smells and tastes of pancakes with fresh berries on top and bacon, and moved onto yoga in the living room, or a morning run in the hills of beautiful Park City, Utah. We were amazed at the scenery and being able to see elk grazing on the daisies in the front yard.

Our first day trip was to the Park City Mountain Resort, where we raced down the Alpine Slides and filled our tummies with the magic of Dippin’ Dots, one of Grandpa’s favorites. They spent the next day playing in the sand, and flexing their muscles on the obstacle course at Deer Creek Reservoir.  And of course the day wouldn’t be complete without shakes at the Dairy Keen in Heber City, and then back the house for naps, and cuddling up to movies in the home theater. Some retreated to work on their performance in the upcoming family talent show. 

Every day was followed by some good conversation late into the night. The whole trip was wrapped up with the annual Dayton talent show, impromptu singing and music led by Grandpa and the ever growing Dayton handshake. And we can’t forget the polar bear plunge into the bathtub filled with ice water. 

Robbins Family Dinner -Utah Documentary Family Photographer

The Robbins family chose this beautiful summer evening to have their Sunday dinner documented because the three oldest grandsons were all preparing to go on 2 year missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They knew how special these family dinners were for everyone to come together and reconnect, gather around a Sunday meal and talk, laugh and play together. And they knew this would be the last time they would all be there for a very long time.

They gathered around in the kitchen as grandma finished the dinner preparations. After eating a homemade meal in the backyard the kids looked for bugs, played games and wrestled on the grass, and everyone cuddled in the hammock.

But the things this family will remember most is the way grandpa always made sure that everyone took their shoes off before they walked in the door, and saved their watermelon rinds for the compost, and the way grandma would lead everyone in a special birthday song at every family meal. And they will always remember that they were gathered around on the grass for a family prayer at the end of a great evening.

Park City, Utah- Family Reunion Photographer

The Forrest family a beautiful home in picturesque Park City, Utah for their family reunion. This family knows how to Park City, starting with a trip to the Alpine Slides at the Park City Mountain Resort and snow cones to cool off after. There was shopping at the Tanger Outlets, and boating at Deer Creek Reservoir. 

But the real good stuff, the stuff that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside and like you want to bottle up certain memories forever, is the time spent together.  The cousins building rabbit traps in the yard, playing and wrestling on the couch, and watching movies snuggled up in the home theater, while the adults spent much needed time catching up with their siblings and lifelong friends. The home was filled with sounds of little kids laughter and bustling conversation in the kitchen… isn’t that what family reunions are all about?

They will never forget the time they planned a water fight and the much anticipated ambush on grandma with water balloons and super soakers, or the time spent snuggled up on the big wrap around couch, as the kids put on a family home evening lesson with a little help from grandma, or commiserating about their childhood, and their father and the lessons he taught them as kids. This is the good stuff, the stuff that brings them closer together, that strengthens their love, the stuff that they look forward to and holds them over until the next year when they get together again.