As I was writing my bi-monthly newsletter, I found myself typing out the phrase, "Find beauty in the ordinary." I closed my lap top and went about my evening but then the weight of that phrase really started to set in for me. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that it completely embodies what I do as a documentary photographer and what my clients do when they book sessions.

In todays world, we are constantly bogged down with media: both large scale and small scale, like social media. We see everyone's extravagant vacations, their brand new cars, their perfectly choreographed parties and internally, we start to feel a little less good about our lives. But the thing is, your life is beautiful because its yours. Your daily happenings are beautiful! Whether that means a birth or a newborn or just a day in the life of your family, there is true and cherished beauty there that deserves to be preserved.

Want proof? Here are some of my very favorite images that perfectly embody finding beauty in the ordinary...

This image is so relatable to anyone with multiple kiddos. Its such a simple moment. A moment that probably happens a few dozen times a day. But when time is stopped and the moment is captured in a photograph, the beauty just jumps out at you and tells so much about this family.

If you follow my Facebook, you know how much I adore documentary style portraits! This picture was from a mini-milestone session. It took place at a park. Not the scenic, peaceful ponds type of park. The 101 kids climbing all over some crazy playground equipment (no, seriously, a bus showed up about five minutes into the session and dropped off no less than 40 kids). Yet the simple, beautiful portrait was still captured during all of this chaos and it means even more to mom because it is at a park that they frequent and that Sophie adores!

Coloring. I think its safe to say that most families do this on a daily basis. Its a great filler for those down times when we want our kiddos to be content yet intrigued. Rarely would you run for your camera to snap a picture, yet in this in-home family photography session, the vibrant crayon colors, the careful selection by Mr. Cain along with his concentrated face and little sis in the background observing while savoring a sucker all tell an adorable story in a beautiful way.

(I had to sneak a personal image in here). My own home is where I truly learned to see the beauty in the ordinary! I love capturing the fun quirks and habits of my girl as she grows. Since she was very, very young, she has loved to take my books and pretend to read them. Its a simple habit that, in words, doesn't sound like anything special. But in this picture, its truly gorgeous.

See? Its not just the big moments that need to be captured. It doesn't have to be a major milestone or epic event to deserve to be preserved. Our every day lives offer infinite opportunities to capture their beauty. Contact me to schedule your session and capture your family's beauty!