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this man. he treats fatherhood as a privilege. a calling. a blessing. words fall short of how thankful i am for him. he is a true partner and friend. and, we love him completely .
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a few weeks ago, i met up with this family for a mini-session in honor of their youngest son’s birthday. having worked together before, i knew that a mini-session would be ideal for them and their needs. i just love photographing this family. they are so willing to go with the flow and to just let things be, which i think shows in their images. our brief time together was spent catching up, laughing and cutting up. fun times.
i hope you enjoy.
i am at my best as a photographer and a person when i am photographing connections and emotions – people loving people. for me, there is nothing better than capturing a raw, unscripted event. as a new photographer – which now feels like forever ago – i shied away from occasions to really capture people. i worried that i wasn’t good enough. i worried that i would fail.
and, then, i photographed the home birth of my best friend’s baby girl, and my purpose became clear. i was meant for this. i was meant to capture people authentically. i could and would rise to the occasion. i could and would be trusted as a photographer and a human being to be present with people in their moments and to capture them responsibly, beautifully, and honestly.
tomorrow, i will photograph a birth. tomorrow, they will be a family of four.
i can’t wait.
Beautiful! Good luck tomorrow. Photographing a birth is one of the most special and awe inspiring things we can do in this profession (IMO). I am already looking forward to what you share!
love comes in so many forms. it is so fluid and so endless and so true. when freely given, it is everything that is important. i believe that the world is good. that people, at root, are love. and, that we are all connected. i seek that connection. sometimes elusive in a daily life of clutter, when attained, it strikes at my core. i love what i do, because it allows me to be privy to amazing love and connection. and, sometimes, that love and connection is so big and so great that it envelopes me too. and, i get to be a part of something much larger than myself. that, my friends, feeds my spirit in a way that little else does.
i was recently asked to photograph the homecoming of two parents who would be arriving at the airport with their daughter and son from haiti after much too long a wait. upon arrival, they would introduce their loved ones to their two precious children. cousins would meet for the first time. a grandmother would reach out for her grandchildren for the first time. aunts and uncles and family and friends would all welcome two children into the folds of their lives. i couldn’t wait to be there to document it all.
what i didn’t count on was the outpouring of love that would swell to almost holy proportions and envelop me.
these parents had such a crowd to welcome them! these children have such a network of love and support. as they all gathered, they were brimming with anticipation. when they got the message that the family had landed, the excitement was tangible. as they lined up to get a first glimpse, they kept inching closer and closer. they became one. a truly connected whole sharing this amazing love and excitement. when the family rounded the corner, emotions overflowed.
i am reminded of these words
“to touch the soul of another human being is to walk on holy ground” – stephen covey
on that afternoon, souls collided in the most joyful way. i am so lucky to have been there – to have been a part of it all. i hope that these images serve to tell the story of this day – of these moments – of their love. enjoy.
simply amazing. stunning. moving. i want to be there to welcome those beautiful babies!!
What a beautiful time in this young couple’s life. They are so lucky to have all this support and love, as are these two children . . . (and to have you there to document this special event).
Beautiful capture Crystal. I have only had the privilege of photographing one homecoming, but I will not soon forget the honor and joy. You have given this family a great gift 
Crystal, you have given our family such a gift to be able to remember that day with such clarity through these photos. I am so grateful you were there with us. Thank you!
I’ve gone through these pictures multiple times and each time, they bring tears to my eyes. What a wonderful capture of excitement and joy. Best wishes to the new family.
yesterday, i woke up to discover that little bellows, one of my favorite sites for photography inspiration, had featured one of my newborn sessions. i really can’t express how wonderful it feels to be featured and appreciated for work that i so cherish. happy monday to me.
head on over and check me out. while you’re there, make sure you take a good look around the entire site. you’ll like what you see.
