Year in the Life: A Deeper Look at Long-Term Family Storytelling (Part 2)
If the first Year in the Life post was about logistics and “how it works,” this one is about the heart of it all. Photographing a family across a full year isn’t just a project, it becomes a relationship, a rhythm, and a story that reveals itself slowly. Here’s a closer look at what makes these sessions so meaningful.
1. What inspired you to start offering Year in the Life sessions?
I’ve always loved the quiet, unscripted moments that happen between the “big events.” A whole year gives me the chance to witness the transitions, the way a toddler’s feet dangle a little lower from the breakfast bench, the shift from warm layers to bare feet in the grass, the new routines that quietly replace the old ones. Families change quickly, and this format preserves the beauty in that evolution.
2. How do the photos from these sessions evolve over the course of a year?
Early sessions often feel cozy and familiar, usually indoors or in favorite spots. As the year moves forward, families tend to get more comfortable on camera and lean into their natural rhythms. By the final sessions, the photos often reflect a deeper ease, new traditions, and visible growth, everything from first steps to new sibling roles to the way the light in your home shifts with each season.
3. What kinds of stories emerge when you document a family over time?
Patterns start to stand out, the rituals that repeat, the personalities that shine through, the ways a family’s love language shows up in daily life. Maybe it’s weekend pancakes, a beloved stuffie, a backyard garden growing through the seasons, or a toddler’s insistence on wearing the same favorite rain boots for months. Over time, these threads weave together into a fuller picture of who your family is right now.
4. How do you keep kids (and parents!) feeling natural with a camera around?
Time is the secret ingredient. Because I’m visiting regularly, kids see me more as a familiar grown-up than a photographer. They don’t feel pressure to “perform,” which means I can capture their real expressions and energy. Parents tend to relax for the same reason, once they realize they don’t have to pose or direct, they simply get to be in the moment. I have actually increased my session time to 90 minutes instead of just an hour. That extra 30 minutes has helped everyone let their guard down a bit more and also allows us all to feel less rushed if there’s an activity planned.
5. Do you approach each family differently, or follow a consistent storytelling style?
The documentary approach stays consistent, but every family truly shapes its own story. Some are high-energy and outdoorsy; some are quiet and cozy; some have new babies and ever-shifting routines. I follow what’s real, your pace, your dynamic, your version of everyday life.
6. What surprises families most when they look back at the full year of images?
Almost always: how much has changed without them realizing it. Parents notice things like the way a child’s hands have grown, how their home has transformed, or how a morning routine has now become a cherished memory. It’s the subtle things that hit the hardest, the details you can’t see clearly until you have a full year side by side.
7. What’s been your most memorable moment or session from a Year in the Life project?
There are always standout moments - a first birthday, messy baking disasters, the joy of playing in the fall leaves - but the truth is, the most memorable pieces are usually small. A child inviting me into their imaginative world, a quiet hug on a couch, a routine unfolding naturally that will inevitably fade as a child grows. Those are the moments that stay with me.
8. Do these photos change in meaning as time passes?
Absolutely. What feels “ordinary” now becomes priceless later. Families often tell me that the photos mean more a year, two years, or five years later than they did when they first received them. Kids grow, homes evolve, and life shifts. The images become a time capsule of a season you can’t return to.
9. What add-ons or keepsakes do families usually choose to celebrate the completed year?
Every family receives an included year-end album, designed to tell the whole story beautifully. Additionally, families love to order prints, framed wall pieces, or an extra copy of their album for sharing with family that may not live close by. The album is especially popular because it brings the year together in one place; a tangible story you can flip through again and again.
10. What advice would you give families who want to start documenting their year?
Don’t overthink it. You don’t need perfect outfits, a spotless house, or a list of activities. The beauty of these sessions is that they’re grounded in your real life. Show up as you are, embrace your routines, and trust that your everyday moments have value. They’re the ones you’ll want to remember most.
Decorating the Tree - Family Documentary Session - Shoreline, Wa
A quick sneak peek from a documentary family session where they decorated the tree together! Baby Frances loved watching her family decorate and wanted to be part of the action at all times! :)
5 Reasons to Document Baby's First Year!
You may be thinking, do I actually need a reason to document their first year? I mean come on! Look at those tiny toes! Well here are a few reasons you may not have thought about and why the documentary approach might be the right fit for you.
They change so fast. No seriously they do. If this is your first baby, ask anyone who has older children. That first year, one day you wake up and realize they’ve grown and changed seemingly overnight. You can’t go back in time. By the end of their first year they will be a drastically different small human.
You won’t be in the photos you take everyday on your phone. Read that again. Yes, I know you’re taking a million photos of your baby on your phone, what parent doesn’t?? But beyond the occasional selfie, are you in those photos? Will your baby be able to see you and how much you loved them, held them, cuddled them, and perhaps even superhuman multitasked with them, when they are grown and looking back at photos? Documentary photography allows you to get in the frame.
You’ll be busy. We all live busy lives, throw in a newborn and it goes up a huge notch. Planned documentary sessions throughout the year allow me to pop in, document, and let you keep on doing your own thing. There’s no outfits to coordinate, location to drive to, or stress of if baby will be in a good mood that day. You get to release all that for the entire year and just be a present parent.
The Baby Book dilemma. How many of us buy/bought a baby book for baby’s first year and never finished it? [Raising my own hand.] Think of this as a made-for-you baby book. Highlights from your sessions will all be printed in a book for you at the end of the year. Meaning no homework for you! If you are a journaler, upon request, I can even leave room for you to write notes in your book for each session, milestones that have happened, or things you’d like to remember about that time.
Your child will thank you later. Yup. Some day when they are older they will look through the photos taken and get to see YOU and THEM during that first year of their life. If you are like me, those photos of our parents and our family only grow more valuable over time. Not only will you be enjoying the photos as your baby grows into a child, a teen, and then an adult, but they will someday be thanking you for the photos that allow them to see a time they do not remember.
Whether you chose to only document those newborn days or opt for a larger First Year Package that includes multiple sessions throughout the year, you won’t regret having the time documented to relive later down the road.
Ready to document your baby’s first year?
I offer not only a First Year Milestones Bundle but can also customize any Year in the Life package to a First Year in the Life package.
Cozy and Relaxed In-Home Newborn Session - Shoreline, Wa
With her friendly and furry doggie sibling nearby at all times, this little girl seemed so peaceful, cozy and completely settled in at home even though it had only been two weeks. I’m sure someday she will look back at these photos and see how enamored her parents were during those first days with her.
When we chatted on the phone prior to their session, her parents were looking forward to a laid-back low-stress newborn session. The great thing about the documentary approach is that I just come over and hang out with your family, just like a friend would. We go with baby’s flow and I document your daily lives in this season. My goal is to create a visual time capsule of those sweet newborn days that speed by in a blur.
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A Fun First Birthday Documentary Family Session - Bothell, Wa
No matter how you celebrate, a first birthday is a big deal! You as parents have survived one whole year with this little person; who you’re still very likely in awe of everyday. Your baby is not as much of a baby any more, although I won’t tell you that in person ever because I know first hand it would have caused me to break into tears if someone would have told me that. And finally, this little person is now super active, learning everyday, and growing! It’s a whole new chapter in their life and yours too.
Mara’s parents planned a nice low-key evening with visiting family to celebrate her first birthday. Surrounded by family she tried some cake, but wasn’t a huge fan this time around. She was way more excited to just hang out with everyone, find Mario on her cake plates, and investigate some new toys during her birthday gathering!
Happy first birthday little one!
