⚠️ This is a legacy episode that reflects an earlier season of my work, when I was creating for documentary family photographers.

While some links and references are now dated, this is one of the most heartfelt origin stories in the archive and laid the emotional and creative foundation for what eventually became story work.

If you want to understand the soul of this earlier work, start here.

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This is the episode where it all poured out — the why behind it all.

If you've ever felt torn between capturing beauty and honoring truth, or between doing what's "right" in photography and doing what matters to you, this is the heartbeat behind the Intentional Documentary® movement.

This episode covers:

• The personal origin story of Intentional Documentary® (and why the term even exists — hint: this isn't about documentary family photography nor lifestyle photography)
• Why I stopped trying to fit into "pure" documentary family photography — and made room for meaning + mindfulness
• The Real is the New Perfect Photo Challenge
• How loss shaped my urgency to preserve what matters — even the small, annoying, ordinary stuff
• The difference between photographing a great moment vs. a living memory
• Regrets around what I didn't capture
• Why I trademarked the phrase Intentional Documentary® and what I don't want it to become
• Reflections on legacy, grief, presence, the emotional richness of tiny details, and the "why" behind preserving everyday life
• The beginnings of the DGS Story Work Practice (formerly, The Preservation Project) + how I started legacy boxes for my kids

Access the free Mini Mag for this episode and other legacy resources here: → dangerouslygoodstories.com/intentional-documentary-podcast-archive