Life Lately

It’s been a while since I’ve written something personal, and if I’m being honest, life has felt a little heavy lately.

The last few months have been filled with the kind of moments that remind you just how quickly life changes.

The biggest one, of course, was losing my dad.

There really aren’t words that fully capture what it’s like to lose a parent. No matter how prepared you think you are, you’re not. Grief has a way of showing up when you least expect it. Sometimes it’s a song. Sometimes it’s a memory. Sometimes it’s something as simple as reaching for the phone before remembering they’re no longer there.

As hard as it has been, it’s also reminded me why I do what I do.

Photographs become priceless when the people in them are no longer here.

I have always believed that family photos matter, but this season has reinforced that belief in a way I never could have imagined. The images we create today become part of our family’s story tomorrow. They become the things we hold onto.

It’s one of the reasons I’ve become even more passionate about encouraging grandparents to join family sessions whenever possible. We never regret taking the photo. We only regret the ones we didn’t take.

At home, we’re also standing on the edge of another big life transition.

My youngest is about to start her senior year of high school.

I don’t know how that’s possible.

As a photographer, I spend my days telling parents that the years go by fast. I’ve said it thousands of times. But somehow it still catches me off guard when I realize I’m living it myself.

This is our last first day of high school.

Our last field hockey season 

last high school graduation 

and so many more ...

Our last year before another child heads off to begin the next chapter of their life.

And while I’m incredibly excited for her, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t feeling a little emotional about it too.

Professionally, things have been wonderfully busy.

I’ve spent my spring doing what I love most—photographing families at the, rose garden, beach, welcoming newborns into the world, celebrating milestones, and catching up with clients I’ve been photographing for years.

Nineteen years later, I still feel incredibly grateful that this is what I get to do for a living.

I still get excited about beautiful light.

I still love delivering galleries.

I still love seeing families grow from year to year.

And I still feel honored every single time someone trusts me to document a piece of their story.

Personally, I’ve also been focusing on taking better care of myself.

Some of you know I’ve been dealing with some frustrating hip issues lately, which has forced me to slow down a bit and pay attention to things I probably should have been paying attention to all along. I’ve been spending more time in the gym, focusing on strength, consistency, and building a healthier version of myself—not because I’m chasing perfection, but because I want to feel good, stay active, and continue doing the work I love for many years to come.

So that’s life lately.

A little grief.

A little growth.

A lot of gratitude.

A reminder that time is moving far faster than I’d like it to.

As we head into the second half of the year, I’m looking forward to a busy fall season, holiday sessions, and making memories with my own family while helping yours preserve theirs.

If there’s one thing this season has taught me, it’s this:

Take the photo.

Get in the frame.

Include the grandparents.

Document the ordinary moments.

Because someday those ordinary moments become the memories that mean everything.

Thank you for being here. Thank you for supporting my small business. And thank you for allowing me to tell your stories year after year.

It truly means more than you know.