Documentary style family photography is quickly coming one of my favourites genres. In the midst of the chaos and craziness of raising young children, there is so much beauty. We don’t always see it – we skip past it as parents as we trudge through the days. In the moment it often feels mundane: food, activities, food, naps, food, bedtime. Of course, there are great moments, but it sometimes takes an outside perspective to see the beauty in the things we do each day.

It was an honour to be invited into the Flynn family home and trusted to capture their unique connection and lifestyle. Every family is different, but the love, tenderness, and bond every parent has with each child as well as their partner, is always evident in these sessions.

Unlike the posed and prompted outdoor sessions I often photograph, like this one, these sessions are all about you and your family in your own environment. They’re less about having the perfect “pinterest” photo and more about capturing the life you’ve built as a family. Photojournalistic sessions aim to capture that beauty that you often miss in the midst of your every day routine.

Ready to book your documentary style session? Contact me.

Of course, it takes some time to warm up to the paparazzi in their home. Though my goal is to be a fly on the wall, small children especially aren’t great at pretending a stranger pointing a camera at them is totally normal. The Flynn kids were no different, often staring at my camera and smiling as most children are taught to form birth. So, often I suggested starting with some sort of activity. Giving everyone something to do with their hands and be engaged in while they get used to the camera helps ease us all into the session. It was a beautiful Saturday morning, so pancakes seemed like the perfect fit.

I’m not sure what it is about kids and food, but it’s pretty much the secret ingredient to getting them to act naturally. Big brother C was eager and excited to help mom. Baby girl was happy to hang out with dad and just eat all the pancakes that came her way (my kind of girl!) While cooking and sharing a family meal, all four of them relaxed a bit and got used to me and my camera, so when the meal was over and we all moved into the living room and a dance party ensued.

“Alexa, play I like to move it, move it,” is apparently the signal for it’s time to dance at the Flynn home. The kids started bouncing around on furniture, jumping on mom and dad and just generally having a great time. Now that they were comfortable with me, and doing what they loved, the kids’ were able to be themselves, and have fun.

Want to see more sessions like this one? Find the gallery from my documentary style family photography session in Mission, BC here.