August 03, 2022

See More of Your Life: The Ripple Effect of a Photograph

23 minutes

I was driving home and did something I've never done- recorded a podcast episode in the car.

I just couldn't help myself-I needed to speak right there and then. Not waiting until I got home or in a more ideal situation- I was vibrating with joy & purpose & need to speak directly from that moment. It felt URGENT to speak from this place of knowing and feeling in that very second.

I had spent the last 2.5hrs photographing a family doing absolutely nothing- & it was simply everything.

You see, there was no planned scenic background-

just the home in which they live their lives every day.

There was no coaxing of kids participating & behaving a certain way-

just letting them actually be EXACTLY who they perfectly are in this season.

There was no performing for the camera-

just a beckoning for them to look up at my lens for a moment every now & then while they were already in the natural flow of being in their bodies and in their lives. Their REAL lives.

This was not a box checked off on a to-do list.

This was not a mini session to be gotten over with ASAP in order to avoid emotional turbulence bubbling over from little ones just wanting to be.

This is was not a “job” for me.

This was “This.”

This was true seeing.

I saw a treasured rock collection.

I saw toothy grins,

I saw the sun lighting them up in a way that felt like tangible rainbows.

I saw tears.

I saw an impromptu story time.

I saw blueberry & cheese snack time.

I saw a father lovingly witnessing his family.

I saw a mother who was so gentle & tender with her babies that it almost brought me to tears.

I saw patience, acceptance, joy, curiosity, and so much love.

In that session on a random Saturday morning, together we were all gorgeously present. Present to what is, was, or whatever could have risen during that time. There was nothing that was to be fear or nervous about. Nothing not idea. It was all perfect because it was presence.

But it didn't stop there.

In fact, it's only the beginning of the ripple effect.

When I got home & was amongst my own family chaos, I anticipated being a little frustrated with overstimulation- knowing I would want to simmer in what just happened a little longer.

But what happened was such a “duh” moment for me I laughed that I didn't see it coming. It's everything I teach.

I was awake to my life in a different way.

Suddenly my little boys incessancy was precious instead of slightly suffocating to me.

I found myself looking deeper into my baby's eyes instead of tending to him and putting him back down.

I felt gratitude in places & spaces that I would have glazed over that day had I not been woken up to seeing through the lens of my camera and the lens of someone else's mundane.

& now, when I deliver the photographs of momen

See More of Your Life: The Ripple Effect of a Photograph

23 minutes

I was driving home and did something I've never done- recorded a podcast episode in the car.

I had spent the last 2.5hrs photographing a family doing absolutely nothing- & it was simply everything.

You see, there was no planned scenic background-

just the home in which they live their lives every day.

There was no coaxing of kids participating & behaving a certain way-

just letting them actually be EXACTLY who they perfectly are in this season.

There was no performing for the camera-

just a beckoning for them to look up at my lens for a moment every now & then while they were already in the natural flow of being in their bodies and in their lives. Their REAL lives.

This was not a box checked off on a to-do list.

This was not a mini session to be gotten over with ASAP in order to avoid emotional turbulence bubbling over from little ones just wanting to be.

This is was not a “job” for me.

This was “This.”

This was true seeing.

I saw a treasured rock collection.

I saw toothy grins,

I saw the sun lighting them up in a way that felt like tangible rainbows.

I saw tears.

I saw an impromptu story time.

I saw blueberry & cheese snack time.

I saw a father lovingly witnessing his family.

I saw a mother who was so gentle & tender with her babies that it almost brought me to tears.

I saw patience, acceptance, joy, curiosity, and so much love.

But it didn't stop there.

In fact, it's only the beginning of the ripple effect.

When I got home & was amongst my own family chaos, I anticipated being a little frustrated with overstimulation- knowing I would want to simmer in what just happened a little longer.

But what happened was such a “duh” moment for me I laughed that I didn't see it coming. It's everything I teach.

I was awake to my life in a different way.

Suddenly my little boys incessancy was precious instead of slightly suffocating to me.

I found myself looking deeper into my baby's eyes instead of tending to him and putting him back down.

I felt gratitude in places & spaces that I would have glazed over that day had I not been woken up to seeing through the lens of my camera and the lens of someone else's mundane.

& now, when I deliver the photographs of momen

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See More of Your Life: The Ripple Effect of a Photograph

See More of Your Life: The Ripple Effect of a Photograph