Often, I find myself envious of other photographers who have their own families to photograph. I even feel like an imposter when I promote my family photography work. How can I truthfully document a family’s connection and accurately preserve what the experience of pregnancy and parenthood looks like if I only have an outsider’s perspective?
The truth is, I’ve always yearned to be a mother. By 25, I envisioned myself married with six kids—I craved the harmony of a balanced household. Growing up without a sister, I’ve forever envied the sisterly bond, but that’s a tale for another time.
Life unfolded differently than expected. I find myself a childless woman, not by choice. Some days, accepting this reality is easier than others. Yet, I strive to embrace it fully, acknowledging that pregnancy and parenthood will forever remain enigmatic experiences for me. Despite this, I’ve discovered moments of joy and purpose in my childlessness.
Curiosity ignites my creativity for family photography
The allure of the unknown has always been a guiding light in my creative journey—a boundless curiosity that propels me forward in my artistic endeavors. This innate fascination harkens back to my early days as a wedding photographer, a time when I had yet to find my life partner and embark on the journey of planning a wedding of my own.
Before meeting my husband, I yearned to immerse myself in the intricacies of love and matrimony firsthand. As I peered through my lens, I delved into the enigmatic realms of human connection and commitment. Each couple I photographed became a window into the complexities of relationships, allowing me to uncover the profound beauty nestled within their shared moments.
Now, as a family photographer who has yet to experience parenthood myself, I find that the same curiosity drives my work in capturing the essence of family life. Just as I once explored the mysteries of love through wedding photography, I now embrace the unknowns of pregnancy and parenthood by candidly documenting families as they navigate life together.
Exploring parenthood through the lens
Despite not having a family of my own, I am deeply committed to candidly preserving the precious moments shared by expecting parents and families as they navigate life together. And maybe because I don’t have a family of my own I feel compelled to document the genuine experience of parenthood and childhood, preserving these stages as they truly are.
My own path, marked by childlessness, has deepened my connection to and curiosity about the parent-child relationship. While pregnancy and parenthood are parts of the human experience that will remain a mystery to me, photographing families allows me to explore these human experiences by observing and documenting others. My work as a family photographer allows me a peek behind this mysterious curtain. And I am so grateful to the couples and families that have opened their hearts and homes to me, allowing me to do just that.
Though childlessness shapes a significant part of my narrative, I’m committed to embracing it and creating beauty within it, for myself and others.
To find out learn about my family photography services, please reach out via my contact form here.
