Bradley Family: Late Fall Family Session in Big Sky

Jan 7

A family of five, comprised of Mom, Dad, and three daughters age 2 to 7, sit on a hill. Mom has her arms around Dad's neck and the daughters are all looking directly at the camera.

The Bradleys were one of my first family clients at a time I was only photographing weddings and couples. I was so sure I didn’t want to be a “family” photographer, but Katie’s initial email was so endearing I decided to say yes. I’ve gotten to see them every year since that first time in 2017 or 2018, and over the years as a wedding photographer, I realized that the thing I really loved about photographing weddings was that it was like photographing one big family.

I left the wedding world at the end of last year and have learned so much about why I’m drawn to family photography and what it means to me in the years since Katie first reached out. It means so much to me that they have let me in each year for so long and through my own evolution as a family photographer. If I’m honest, photographing their sweet family of five feels a little like cheating: she’s a pro at styling them and the girls have more personality than I can bottle up in these sessions. But it’s also made me realize the importance of creating a relationship - some level of comfort, trust, and familiarity with the people in front of my lens. If I can give you one piece of advice for stellar honest, genuine, and authentic family photos, it would be to let your guard down. Let your photographer see the real you - not the “photo” you.