I’ve been told that I’m a quiet, calm presence who smiles more than he talks. And it’s true. I’m an autistic individual with ADHD and expressive language “hiccups”. Because photography is a special interest that feeds my otherwise dopamine-starved brain, I have energy and focus in spades when a camera is in hand. Yet, speaking while working can sometimes be challenging. I’m a classic “can’t walk and chew gum at the same time” kind of person. But I feel that this particular characteristic is an advantage because it reduces my influence in an environment, placing you and yours right where y’all need to be during a session: at the center of your story.

Bring it! I’ve been a stay-at-home dad for ten years and a homeschool teacher. Before that I worked with kiddos in a number of settings - in classrooms, childcare settings, and shelters. Do my joints creek? Sure, but I’m all in for photographing whatever chaos comes my way.

I prioritize my client’s personal feelings of emotional safety and their right to set boundaries over photographic opportunity when working with them.  Your body is yours to advocate and set boundaries for. You say what gets photographed and what doesn’t. I honor it. My partner breastfeed our kiddo. She found the experience deeply connective, and it served as an important foundation in her relationship with them. Some mothers who breastfeed want to be photographed. Others don’t. Similarly, some parents want potty training or bathing documented. Others don’t. The most important part of my job is to listen to you and only photograph what you want incorporated into your story. Prior to and on the day of your session I’ll regularly check in with you to determine what your boundaries and comfort levels are. Likewise, if you allow me to post photos from your session online, we’ll have a discussion around what can or cannot be posted.

You noticed the portraits in the portfolio above, right? Those were all “found portraits” — candid portraits made during a session. In fact, making a portrait during a session is the easiest part of my job because most kiddos naturally look at a camera when it’s placed in front of them. More often than not, the hard part about documenting kiddos is getting them not to look at the camera. That said, if I’m not confident that I’ve gotten a portrait as the session nears its end, I can offer some minimal direction to ensure you’ve got a portrait of your kiddos. I’ll make it happen!

Three words come to mind when I think about external lighting: sensory processing disorder (SPD). In my experience, kiddos can have SPD long before parents catch on (ask me how I know). This can include a sensitivity to light. With this in mind, I use natural/ambient light almost exclusively, so there’s no need to concern yourself with flash photography. In the event that you have a specific activity or location in mind that might require external lighting, we’ll talk about it prior to the session.

I value the right to privacy and will honor yours. But if you allow me to, then yes! Personally, it helps me advertise myself as a service provider: the more people see my work, the more opportunity I have to provide photographic services to other members of the community. More importantly, I feel that posting client photos online makes the heartwork of parenthood known, revealing its value in a society that isn’t always supportive of parents. Moreover, it offers an opportunity to broaden the definition of what family is at a time when institutions are openly assaulting non-normative ways of being. So, to repeat myself: yes. If you allow me to, that would be fantastic. If not, respect.