A beautiful fall evening with the Jackson family. I just love you guys and look forward to spending time with you each year. <3
I met Laura on the inter webs over our mutual love for film photography and I can’t even believe I had the awesome privilege of photographing her and her boys when I was in New York City this fall. When she reached out to me she told me she wasn’t concerned at all about where we were or if it looked quintessentially NYC. But rather, she just wanted the focus to be on her love for her boys and man oh man was that something to see. Laura, you are a beauty inside and out and it was an honor to meet you and testify to this love that you so freely give to your family. Blessings.
“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” -G.K. Chesterton
I had the honor of photographing this incredibly talented mama and her family as they welcomed their first babe into their family this fall. Anne is the creative art director at Altrd State and I probably spent a whole afternoon watching her instastories after her inquiry. Go see for yourself and you’ll understand. She has the most incredibly creative brain and is responsible for the window displays at Altrd State’s retail stores. Seriously seeing what she comes up with is INCREDIBLE. I could have spend the entire afternoon at her session just picking her brain. lol. So, of course I had such an incredible time getting to know her and her husband and of course the star of the show, little Behr. <3 Congratulations Thomas family!
“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” -Abraham Lincoln
I have photographed this family for years and each time is special but this time was even more so. That’s because I got to photograph them on their new farm. I’ve seen and heard them dreaming about this since we met and to see them in this space that’s been talked and dreamed about for so long was so beautiful to me. I love that they are seeking a life for their family where their days are filled with homesteading, farm chores, chickens and goats and long walks to the fire pit, watching sunsets on the pond and most importantly, each other. I hope you love these photos of the Bessom family at home on their farm as much as I do.
If you’d love for me to capture your family at home where you’re comfortable and you and your kids let your guard down. Where all the beauty of the mundane and real living take place, I would love for us to talk about a session together this year. You can drop me a line here and we can chat!
Engagement photos are something I don’t do very often but these two made me want to do them ALL THE TIME. What a beautiful shift it was to take things slow and quiet as I got to focus on these two and the love that obviously radiated from them. I loved hearing their story of how they met along with some really funny stories and how they are so excited to start a life together. This time in life is so precious. For me, it was the beginning of some really beautiful seasons. Not to say there weren’t trials, because oh there are. But those beginnings as a couple are such sweet times to look back on. I’m so glad I got to have an afternoon to see these two as they start this journey together. Congrats Jonathan and Jess! All the blessings on your marriage. <3
I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you. -Neruda
The beautiful Byrd Family together in Knoxville at the end of summer. <3
“There are divine things, more beautiful than words can tell.” - Walt Whitman
Time spent with this family is time well spent. I first met them when they brought their twins home and I’ve been fortunate to see them blossom into a beautiful family. It does a heart good to be around families that love each other in a deep deep way, and these are those people. Congrats Noll fam, you guys are such a wonderful family. <3
This blog post is a long time coming! I’ve shared several images from our time in Colorado at the Rise Retreat earlier this year but haven’t sat down to share more of my favorites as well as some about our time together.
When Nicole, Sara and I set out to plan our first retreat, one of the big things we all agreed on was that we wanted it to be real and applicable for our attendees and was it ever! We wanted our families to be just like any family we would photograph on a normal day, with all the normal challenges that come with family photography. While our families were AMAZING we had some crazy challenges with weather but thankfully it all turned out great! We started our retreat on Friday night with two sessions led by Sara and Nicole. They each had a family they directed and our attendees were able to split their time with each of them and be in even smaller groups to listen, ask questions and even direct the clients themselves if they wanted.
Here are a few film images I snagged while Nicole and Sara led their sessions.
That night we had a cozy dinner waiting on us when we got home. Definitely come to the Rise Retreat ready to be taken care of because we are not playing around about our food. lol. I’m hungry just thinking about next years food. Think gourmet cheese boards and hot coffee on tap. yummmm!
The next morning we woke up to a blanket of snow, and headed to Breckenridge for an in home family session that I led after I did some teaching on how I approach my in home sessions. Everything from my why, to how I walk through a home and get a plan for my session flow. I wanted this session to be just like a session I would have with a client at home so that our attendees could see what it would be like for me to walk into a client’s home for the very first time and photograph them there. That is just what we did and this precious family was as lovely as could be. All images shot on Kodak Portra 400 and Kodak TriX 400. Developed and scanned at The Find Lab.
For the rest of Saturday we sipped coffee by the fire and watched the snow fall outside as we chatted about all things related to business. We held discussions about marketing, SEO, film, creative projects, setting boundaries for your business and so much more.
Sunday morning we got up for a sunrise session that it ended up snowing for most of the session and I cannot say I was mad about it. Although the weather was a surprise, it felt like the most magical way to end our sessions together.
After our last session, we went back to the house to talk editing and gallery delivery as well as just answering any questions anyone still had after our time together. Then our goodbyes!
This retreat was so wonderful and there is no one else I’d rather do it with than Sara and Nicole. They’re incredibly talented artists but also strong and successful business women with a passion to help others achieve their goals and improve. I believe that we have created a beautiful retreat to connect and refresh the artist in you. So if your heart’s desire is to dig deeper into connection at family sessions and creating the kind of work that lights you up + you crave community with other creatives, this is for you. Our retreat is hybrid. Including both film and digital mediums. Because we believe there are strengths in both mediums. And while we each share our love for our medium of choice, this retreat is about so much more than that. It’s learning to pull those honest connections from families even when everything is going crazy at a session, it’s seeing and understanding light and how it can enhance your images, it’s knowing how to run your business well so that you can not only stretch those creative muscles but also help support your family with your art. We just announced our 2020 retreat in Asheville, NC April 19-21 and we would love to have you join us. You can find out all the details about our retreat and register at this link. We hope to see you there!
Also, a HUGE thank you to all of our sponsors from this years retreat! We were able to provide the best swag bags to our clients with some of our favorite things and business tools so THANK YOU!
We have SO MANY good things in store for this year and I cannot wait to share it with you! Join us!
Real human connection has always been my absolute favorite thing to photograph. When I look at my work from the very beginning, I can still see my voice was there all along. That has always been my hearts cry in this art form. The human element. Not incredible locations or stunning wardrobes, although those are always nice and inspiring, but when it all boils down, those things are always second fiddle to me. I want the heart response to my images, the twist of the gut, the lump in the throat. The ones that make you close your eyes as they fill up and you remember your season just as it was. That is why I absolutely feel that my sessions are a co-creation with my clients. They may not even know that, but they are. Yes, I have a vision for certain elements but the connections are not my own nor are they my doing. Instead they are simply the product of my observation, and that is and has always been my most powerful tool.
This family always makes me think about these elements. My growth, my voice, the things I see. Because they started with me from the very beginning. And while my style has evolved over the years, my voice has always been to tell the beauty of their story, not my own and that makes me feel all the feels. I hope you guys love these as much as I do.
Also, I wanted to take a minute to share that I’m co-hosting The Rise Retreat again this year with my friends Sara Garcia and Nicole Dina. These two women are not only incredibly talented and experienced artists in our industry but they’re also super gifted at teaching others about the art of family photography. This year we’re joining together in the mountains of Asheville, NC to share all of our love for photographing families in an intimate setting on a private estate with 12 other attendees. The three of us have felt the vital importance of community within our industry and we cannot wait to experience this years retreat with our attendees. If you are wanting more information about registration you can do that here. We’d love to have you!
Bethany
PS. For my photography friends these were all shot on Portra 400 or Kodak TriX400 film
Evelyn has been a friend of mine online for years after participating in our 10 on 10 monthly lifestyle blog together so it was so great to get to meet her in person along with her beautiful family. We met on a beautiful foggy morning in the Smoky Mountains and it was really something special. They way this family loves each other deeply is truly inspiring. I hope these images help you to see it too.
Have you ever met someone and instantly known they were your people? I always tell this but the first time I met Nicole, we were at dinner and she ordered 2 dinners and I knew right then and there I loved her. Lol.(I will never let that die because I love it so much) But seriously, not only is she one of the funniest people I’ve ever met, her love for her people runs DEEP and it is inspiring ya’ll. I am grateful to say that I’ve been able to get to know Nic really well over the past couple of years and recently co-hosted a workshop with her and Sara and through all that, I’ve grown to love her even more. She is genuine, not afraid to say the hard things you need to hear and I appreciate that SO much. So, to get to photograph her in her home with her family was truly an honor to me.
I love you friend. Seeing you with your family is a thing of beauty.
“What is done in love is done well.” -Vincent VanGogh
I got to meet Ali earlier this year at a gathering of local photographers. I sat across from her and listened as she spoke about her family with joyful tears running down her cheeks and how having her son had changed everything for her. So, it was my privilege to photograph her in her home and pull up a chair with a front row seat and spend time time documenting the beauty of this family. What a blessing your family is sweet Ali. <3
The simplest of days, the sweetest moments. Nothing fancy or fussy which is exactly how it should be. A morning at home with the Montgomery Family. <3
To know them is to love them. I’ve gotten to know this sweet family over the past few years and it was a JOY to photograph them as they welcomed their 5th baby girl earlier this year. Congratulations Duncans, we love you guys so much!
Trying to get myself back in the swing of blogging because I have had so many amazing family sessions this year. So I’m gonna start by sharing this one. I met this family at home and hung out with them there followed by a walk at their farm. It was a sweet and slow evening and just really the most beautiful thing you can imagine. Enjoy.
Hi friends! It’s been a while since I hopped in on our 10 on 10 blog circle and I wanted to share some of our every day images from this past month. As always, I can’t quite get it down to 10 images so I’m sharing a few extra. Be sure to make your way around the circle and visit Kalajoki Lifestyle Photographer Noemi’s post next.
“You are so much sunshine in every square inch.” -Walt Whitman
“As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful.” -Laura Ingalls Wilder
I’m completely in love with this session for lots of reasons but mostly because my time with this beautiful family was so natural and honest. Kids playing all around, making coffee, practicing piano while mama fed the baby, warming up supper as I finished up. Just a beautiful piece of their story captured on an early spring afternoon. Congrats Meek family. It was a blessing to photograph you guys.
