The Wilke Family in Big Sky

There's something uniquely magical about summer in Big Sky, Montana. The rolling hills kissed by the golden light of a setting sun, the whispering pines swaying gently in the breeze, and the wildflowers carpeting the meadows in a wash of colors all create the perfect backdrop for capturing precious family memories.

The Wilkes’ family photo session this summer was a heartfelt reminder of the simple joys that bind families together. Along the banks of the sparkling Gallatin River, the laughter of their kiddos was plentiful, mingling with the soft murmur of the water. It felt like a scene from a cherished family movie, one where every frame tells a story of love and togetherness.

The days are long here and the warmth of the sun lingered in the air as the sun set. Sweet Paige kept busy collecting rocks and picking wildflowers while the boys skipped stones across the river. These candid moments are more than just photographs—they are fragments of time, frozen and infused with the essence of summer and childhood.

While my focus is always on the connections and nuances of each family and I firmly believe your backyard is just as good a spot for family photos as anywhere, this Big Sky meadow provided plenty of scenic views as a backdrop and by allowing the kids to lead from start to finish, we were able to freeze both candid moments and capture some portraits that felt honest and reflective of who they are as a family.

As the evening drew to a close, the sky transformed into a canvas of pinks and oranges, blues and grays. The kids chased butterflies and played photographer with my little Instax against this beautiful backdrop, creating timeless images that evoke a deep sense of nostalgia. It's a reminder that while children grow and time marches on, the memories you create together are there forever for you to return to.

If you approach your family photos as nothing more than a couple hours with nothing to do but enjoy each other’s company, your photos can be more than just a series of pictures. They can be a celebration of the love that connects you, a tribute to the beauty of the present moment, and a promise to cherish these fleeting, precious days. These photographs will be treasured, not just as images, but as tangible pieces of our family’s story.

Film Lab: The FIND Lab

Nettie + Waylon on a Stormy Saturday

“And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.”

~John Steinbeck

I’ve been a fan of John Steinbeck’s work since high school, but no line of his has stayed with me the way this one has. It struck me after my dad died as I was struggling to pinpoint exactly why I felt like his death left me alone in this world when I am surrounded by so many friends and family members whom I love, and who love me, dearly. As this line kept making its way around my head, I realized my dad was the one person with whom I truly did not feel the need to be perfect. Maybe it was because he was so unapologetically himself, good, bad, and everything in between. Or maybe it was the way he always encouraged me to try and celebrated the effort without paying any mind to the success or failure of the endeavor. Or maybe he just got me in a way that others really didn’t and recognized that I needed one place to let down my guard. Understanding this piece of my struggle with his death has inevitably bled over into my views on family photography over the last few years.

The most common concern I hear when it comes to preparing for family photos is something along these lines: “what if my kid is having a bad day/has a meltdown/isn’t cooperating?” I get it. You’re spending time and money on these photos, and not just the time it takes to take them. You’re planning everyone’s outfits, coordinating time and location - all of it. Of course you want everyone to be (or at least appear to be) happy in your photos!

Here’s the deal though: much like the meltdown, this season, too, shall pass. And then you’ll be on to another, full of its own joys and challenges. So I encourage you to to focus less on perfect and more on good. Less focus on ensuring you have nice, happy photos and more on how and what you want to remember - and what you want your children to remember - about this season in your lives. I’ll never say nice portraits don’t matter - they do, and I always try to grab a couple. But I think there is value in bottling up reality too because each season is so fleeting. By letting the kids lead and honoring whatever comes our way, you have an opportunity to give them tangible reminders of the way you comforted them when they skinned a knee, and how you entertained their overwhelming, all-encompassing desire to do nothing but throw rocks, and how they buried their heads and little hands in the warmth of your neck as their alligator tears fell freely and fiercely. You have the opportunity to show your kids all the good there is when we stop focusing on perfection. I know firsthand just how much comfort those reminders can bring as your children get older.

So let’s rethink family photography. When you book your session, I challenge you to really think about what’s so special about this season, even if that thing is simply that it is full of challenges that you’re navigating together. Let’s document it all. And maybe the photos don’t make it to a gallery wall (or maybe they do!), but I hope they’ll make it to a photo album that you pick up frequently and that your kids can take with them when they’re settled in their own homes. I hope that album is full of fingerprints on the pages and smudges from chocolate-covered fingers on the cover: evidence that your kids grew up revisiting pieces of their childhood and getting to know themselves, you, and your relationship better through years of storytelling.

Bradley Family: Late Fall Family Session in Big Sky

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.

Film scans by The FIND Lab