documentary family Photography
You want awesome family photos, right?
Here’s the thing. . .
If you’re looking for “Pinterest-perfect, sparkling clean and smiling faces, coordinated outfits, standing in a field of flowers at sunset” awesome, this is not the place for you. Those photos are gorgeous. Sublime even. No doubt about it.
But I’m more of the “snot-wiping, tear-drying, belly-laughing, someone put a Barbie in the toilet AGAIN” kind of awesome picture maker. I want to elevate your down-and-dirty real life to photos that are worthy of luxurious fine art prints and heirloom albums because it’s the day-today that makes your life and truly matter.
I create compellingly real stories of everyday moments.
No matter how messy, loud, subdued, or boring you think your family is:
It is all yours.
It is all beautiful.
And it deserves to be honored just as it is.
“Christine did a fantastic job making the whole family comfortable. She was able to seamlessly blend into our family. As a family, we enjoy looking at our images together. It brings laughter and warms all of our hearts. Thank you, Christine, for giving us beautiful photos we will treasure our whole lives. P.S. You’re awesome.”
-Maren, Family Session Client
whatever I’m photographing, know this. .
I want you to relish this experience from start to finish.
I’m more awkward than you so we’ll get along great.
There will be zero posing. I hate telling people what to do.
Yes, we can take that one holiday-card-smiling-at-the-camera photo. (OK, this is one exception t#3.)
There will be zero judgement. I’m a parent too, and some most days we’re all just trying to survive.
Christine captured the most gorgeous and heartwarming pictures of our family’s every day life. They made our eyes well up with tears when we first saw them!
Our two-year-old twin daughters felt so comfortable with Christine during the session that they offered her bites of their dinner and requested that she tuck them into bed at night!
-Chris, Family Session Client
documentary family packages
Full Day
From when the kids wake up to when tuck you them in at night. What happens in between is completely up to you. Maybe you hang around the house the entire day, cooking, playing games and doing chores. Maybe you grocery shop, go to the park, cheer at a soccer game, get haircuts or go to a museum. This could be a much-anticipated day during your vacation or the day your child graduates from preschool (or high school). However you spend the day, there’s sure to be routines and dynamics that represent who you are as a family, including jokes, arguments, problem solving, discipline, temper-tantrums and cuddles.
starting at $1950
Half day
Similar to a full-day session with six hours of photographic coverage. Half-day sessions still provide plenty of routine-based picture opportunities. I’m with you long enough to break all the performance barriers of little people and awkward barriers of bigger people and have the time to craft a varied collection of images.
starting at $1400
Hourly
Two or three-hour sessions allow you to get great moment images during an activity or part of the day you’ve always wanted captured without having to feed your photographer. I don’t have the same access as a full or half day, but this option still results in emotive, artistic and REAL photos of your life. Dress how you’re comfortable, skip cleaning the house and plan 2-3 activities you love to do as a family. These sessions are still 100% undirected. You do you.
starting at $650
other family offerings
Documentary Portrait Sessions
For those curious about documentary photography but not quite ready to jump off the deep end. Moment photos combined with more traditional family portraits. One, two or three-hour options, depending on the number of micro-families participating. Great for extended families. Approximately 15 minutes of each hour is set aside for loosely directed portraits. The rest of the time is spent documenting your real life moments. These sessions are designed to be relaxed and, above all, fun.
starting at $375
small family events
You’ve planned your party, ceremony, or gathering down to the last napkin ring. Now be present and enjoy the fruits of your labor while I photograph the moments that make you laugh, cry and feel all the feels. I won’t ask anyone to look at the camera and smile unless you specifically request posed shots of particular people or groups of people. I may lie on the floor or climb on some furniture, but no one will notice because they will be in the here and now. For events lasting three hours or less and/or thirty people or less. Longer/larger events head to the Events Page.
starting at $350 per hour
minimum of two hours
How it Works
Easiest. Photo Session. Ever.
01 The Consultation
You tell me about yourself and your family and I share bits about myself so we can avoid those awkward meeting-for-the-first-time moments the day of your session. Together we pick the date for us to make photos and we book your session. That’s literally all the planning you need to do.
02 The Session
During your session you just live your life. There is no pressure to be anything other than who you are. best behavior is optional. While we're all hanging out, I'm observing your family dynamic, assessing the lighting, and designing compositions. I’m working to create both emotive honest images of your relationships, as well as less literal storytelling pictures that represent a mood, theme or idea. And no, your family will not “look boring” in your photos. Promise.
03 The Ordering Appointment
Once your gallery is completed, we meet in-person or online for your ordering appointment. There may be happy tears. Together we select your favorite images (it’s OK if it’s all of them) and create a true work of art. This may be an album, or a gallery wall of fine art prints. I'm present to help you choose which images work best as wall art and where you may want to display them in your home. In the end, you have pieces that serve as beautiful art, lasting heirlooms, and a family chronicle of your actual life.
No matter what you want preserved,
I’m waving my magic fairy wand and granting you permission to ditch matching outfits, awkward poses, and the Pinterest-perfect paradigm.
It’s time to be the REAL you and share with the world what matters most.
but DOn’t believe me
Believe Sarah. . .
”I am obsessed! If I could I would have Christine document our whole lives like this. It is amazing."
-Sarah, Family Session Client
