I’m completely obsessed with this sunset family photo session in Milford, MI!
I don’t always know every family’s inside story. Most of the time, the special moments and feelings happen in a session regardless of my knowledge of the why’s or the how’s, allowing my photos to be transparent in showing raw emotions. Theresa insisted that it was me that did this; that I created what you see in these pictures, but it really had nothing to do with me, and everything to do with them. I was just there to document what already exists between them. And what exists between them is something so real, and powerful.
I’ve known the C. family for a very long time. Theresa and I have been friends since we were in high school, so she was around back when I first picked up a camera, and was often my subject for a lot of weird concept photo shoots I’d think up. So when she asked me to take some photos of her family, I was all about it for a couple of reasons.
This session gave me the opportunity in my mind to take back all of those (embarrassing) little photo shoots I did of her when I was 16. (Trust me when I say I’ve come a long way!) But the most important reason I was super geeked for this session was because this family hasn’t had updated photos in 17 years. A lot happens in 17 years. You grow and change with life. Relationships fade and re-blossom. You learn things that only time can teach. The world throws things at you with a force that can’t be stopped.
This is true for everyone, and this is true for this family. If they were my average client, I might not know some of the things I know about them. I wouldn’t know parts of their story, that made this session so important. I wouldn’t know that they, as a family, have had wounds that are only just beginning to heal. Mercedes’ permanent smile would only tell me that she’s a happy person, but it’s not just that. She was truly beaming. You can see it in every photo of her. Her heart was (and probably still is) completely filled to the brim. And the way that Tina and Theresa looked at each other would just be a nice photograph, but knowing them on a personal level, what I see is so much more than just that alone. I see strength, love, change, peace, and gratitude- and I see them, seeing that in each other.
Most sincere thank you to these 3 beauties, for baring your souls and allowing me to tell your story.
Updating your family photos is so important. If you asked this family, they might say that doing this was priceless! I recommend taking new photos annually. (It’s a promise I’ve made to myself for my own family, too!)
Don’t let 1 year turn into 2 years or longer. Schedule your session for this Summer with K&J!
