Denver Family Photographers

There are some really talented family photographers in the Denver area  so let me help you narrow down the field a little by telling you what I love about family photography, and how I approach my shoots. 

I love catching moments. Catching little pieces of time with my camera that tell an expansive story… a story that sometimes the subjects of are not entirely aware of or have somehow forgotten about amidst all of the hubbub of day-to-day life.

I would like to photograph you and your family in a way that will show you what your family really looks like when you’re together.  I want to capture your dynamics through my lens. Such images, in their honesty, will tell a story that is timeless, emotive, and true.

You will walk away with a set of photographs that will make you clutch at your heart when you look at them in the years to come. They will age like fine wine, reminding you that you are a great mother, a hilarious brother, a tender father.  You’ll see the freckles, the missing teeth, the giggles, the pouts, and that well-loved stuffie that your two-year-old can’t part with.  You’ll see who you really are.

Denver Documentary Family Photography

You love documentary family photography but wonder if it’s okay to pose a little for the holiday card component of the shoot. Absolutely! We can do some of those to cover our bases, but let’s have some fun and see what might happen if we let go and “fall apart”. Let’s see what might evolve from those initially awkward, sometimes stiff photos. Let’s capture your real smile, your natural stance, the gentle way you look at your children when no one is looking.  

There’s nothing wrong with people smiling at the camera. I love smiling faces!  But a good family photo shoot can be so much more than that. It can be the place where memories are not only made but preserved.  They can be the photos that stop people in their tracks because they are so intimate or emotionally resonant.

I would love to meet and photograph your beautiful family. Let’s connect and figure out when I can get my camera on you and yours.

Some Pro Tips for Your Next Family Photography Session

1). Relax. I know that not everyone enjoys having their picture taken. I don’t always like it either. That’s natural as getting your pictures taken can feel performative and mechanical, especially if working with a stranger for the first time. But as in so many things in life, relaxing a little can go a long way towards achieving your goal (in this case, having beautiful images of your family captured). So, relax. Your pictures are going to turn out great.

2). Don’t match. Matching outfits are distracting and throw off the natural color scheme of your family photo shoot. Dress in complimentary colors that work well together but don’t match.

3). Fake it until you make it. Ever hear the phrase, “if mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy?” Well, it’s true. The mood mom or dad are in can be contagious and affect the overall vibe of everyone in your group. If you’re not excited about having your family photos taken (I’m looking at you fathers now :), FAKE IT! Belly laugh for no reason. Tickle someone (or allow yourself to be tickled). Talk in a silly voice or make funny faces in order to flip the script and turn that frown upside down. Trust me, the fake laughter and forced smiles will be genuine and true before you know it, and I’ll be there capturing the whole thing.

4). Trust me, I’m a pro. I’ve been doing this for over 20 years, and I know how to please my clients the vast majority of the time. I’ve done a number of shoots where a client has resigned themselves to their perceived reality that the shoot was a bust only to be delighted by the finished product when they see the images a couple of weeks later.