Documenting given days and shared, sacred lives.
Long are the ordinary days lived with one another, but what’s said about the velocity of time is true. We’re too quickly distanced from our yesterdays. Left yearning. Lingering in front of family photos a bit longer than we once did. If we’re fortunate, those photos hold more than directed poses. More than extracted expressions. With any luck, they hold something of our heart’s inhabitants. Something idiosyncratic. A look. A gesture. Evidence of a shared life. A shared love. And it’s felt.
What is a documentary session?
Well, it’s a low-key, schedule-friendly approach to photographing your family in your home and community. It’s you, me, and a camera. Just hanging out. Think photojournalism, but you and your heart-work are the story. You be you. Do what you normally do throughout the course of a day, and I’ll photograph the organic, un-orchestrated mischief, mayhem, and love that make your family life uniquely yours. You’ve got more questions, right? Keep scrolling. This page is full of answers! That said, please reach out if you’d rather chat!
Short Session
At 2 hours in length, short sessions are designed for the documentary-curious — for families new to this way of being photographed. That said, they work great if all you want is a candid portrait session of your kiddos or have a specific family activity in mind.
Session fee: 500
Half-day Session
A longer session means more natural and intimate photos of you and yours. At 5 hours, a half-day session provides an opportunity to tell a fuller story of your life together as a family and includes a $100 gift certificate towards your á la carte purchase.
Session fee: 1250
Full-day Session
Likely to exceed 10 hours, this session begins the moment your kiddos rise sleepy-eyed from bed, only to end as the day draws to a close and the lights go out. Investing in a full-day session includes a $200 gift certificate that can be applied towards an á la carte purchase.
Session fee: 3000
Whichever session you invest in, you’ll receive a curated slide show and an opportunity to purchase á la carte items.
Life ain’t posed. Why should your photos be?
Why children and families?
I’m a former homeschool teacher and ESL educator. Before that? An early childhood educator. I could say that working with children and their families is simply what I know, so photographing them is a progression that just makes sense. I could say that kiddos and I operate on a similar frequency: we’re eternally curious, always wondering how and why, and not always excited about following “the rules”. But what I will say is this: as the parent of a child almost as tall as me, I understand in ways that I previously hadn’t that the years are far too few, time spent with loved ones is far too short, and memories irrevocably fade with age. A photograph holds memory, so offering my skill with a camera to families feels like a beautiful act of service. More questions? Keep scrolling. Or drop me a line!
“As a dad, I’ll admit I was kind of dreading the typical family photo shoot, but this experience with Rob was completely different and genuinely enjoyable… Highly recommend Rob, especially for parents with little extra time in their lives to schedule something else.”
— Nathan
You have more questions, don’t you?
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I’ve been told that I’m a quiet, calm presence who smiles more than I talk. And it’s true. I’m an autistic ADHDer with expressive language challenges that sometimes show up as long pauses while talking. And when it comes to speaking while photographing, let’s just say I’m a classic “can’t walk and chew gum at the same time” kinda guy. But I feel that this particular characteristic is an advantage as it reduces my influence in an environment; thereby placing you and yours right where y’all need to be during a session: at the center of your story.
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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 they do. But I’m all in for photographing whatever chaos comes my way!
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I prioritize my client’s personal feelings of emotional safety and their right to set boundaries over photographic opportunity. Your body is yours to advocate and set boundaries for. You say what gets photographed and what doesn’t. I honor it. Breastfeeding, potty training, etc. Some parents feel those seasons in life are so central to parenthood that the thought of not documenting them detracts from their story. Others would rather not have those moments preserved. Both positions are equally valid. 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.
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I value the right to privacy and will honor yours. But if you allow me to, then yes! Doing so 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. So, at the risk of repeating myself: if you allow me to post your family photos online, that would be helpful! If not, respect.
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During a session, I’m always on the lookout for candid portraits — those brief windows when something of a loved one’s personality is revealed. That said, if I’m not confident that I’ve gotten a portrait of your kiddos or family as the session nears its end, I can offer minimal direction to ensure you’ve got a portrait.
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I rely on natural and ambient lighting almost exclusively, as I find flash too intrusive for longer documentary sessions. 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.
