FAMILY TRAVEL ADVENTURE SESSION

It's not everyday that I get to photograph an amazingly FUN and JOY filled family in one of their favorite places, and when I live half a world away. I'm tempted to tell you everything that was awesome about this family and their photo session in Calgary, but I believe that I should leave the words up to the Mom, Karin.

She is a fellow photographer who I met through the amazing Click & Co. photography community. When Karin learned that I would be visiting the Calgary area for a photography conference, she (perhaps literally) jumped at the chance to meet up for a photo session. When I arrived in Calgary it was FREEZING - particularly compared to the Taiwan weather that I'm accustomed to. Due to the weather conditions, we planned to have their session indoors in a meaningful location, the Telus Spark Science Museum. 

Karin created an album of the images from her family's session in one of their favorite locations in Calgary, and in the album she wrote a letter to her family. Her words are more powerful than anything I could add here about their session. 

In Karin's Own Words, A Letter To Her Family

"For years and years, I have had my camera in my hands documenting your every moment.  From the time you were born, we have images of you crying, soothing, being held and being cared for.  Your first baths, your first steps and even those moments where you fed the dog the spinach I gave you thinking that I didn't see it, I have these moments captured on film. 

As a family the most important thing we have done is to create memories.  Those intangibles that we carry with us - the things we giggle about and laugh over when I snuggle you to sleep at night.  Those things that come up when you are happy, sad, and euphoric with me all depending on how well you ate and feel on the day that you share your story.  

It is for this reason that I value photography.  It lends a visual to the stories we hold dearest to our hearts.  Most of all....you having this story to hold in your own hands is just as important as it is for me to create it.  Flipping through pages making us long for the past while making us wistful for what is to come, making us reflect on who we are and what we look like allows us to take pause in an otherwise hectic world. 

As Mom to my two beautiful daughters, as a wife to the most amazing man and as a family all together we laugh, cry, giggle, smile, kiss and move throughout our day with a halting fluidity that is life.  Being able to just be, to relax and let someone else record a moment in our life and reflect it back to us as a family is what I want to gift to you - I was there too.  

A professional photographer is so much more than just someone with a camera who takes beautiful pictures.  A professional family photographer is someone who is able through the lens of the artistic tool they hold in their hand, to create, personify, and orchestrate a living and most beautiful document of what and who we are right now.  

For the longest time I figured I could do it myself.  For the longest time my iPhone selfies were enough.  For the longest time I figured it was something I just couldn't afford.  For the longest time I had every excuse under the sun.    When the opportunity finally presented itself, I had professional family photographs taken of us.  I can't stop staring at the photos.  My children look even better through the eyes of someone else, and most of all....my youngest told me she loved the photo where my head is thrown back in reckless laughter and that she thinks her dad and I should kiss more often.  

Family photography matters.  It is much more than just a photo.  It is memories made, tangibles received and opportunities to snuggle, laugh, point and turn pages in the album of life that we have created."  

Thank you, Karin, for sharing your beautiful words with the world, and your amazing family with my while I was in town. I'm so looking forward to our next get - together, wherever that may be!

If you would like to schedule a photo session to commemorate a favorite adventure or your travels, please contact me. I'm available globally for Joy Filled Family Photos, and can't wait to create one of a kind images of you and your loved ones!