Lifestyle Family Photographer | Summer Sessions Full of Laughter

If you’ve been around here for a minute, you know that as a lifestyle family photographer I love photographing families in a way that feels real. No forced smiles. No standing still for thirty minutes. Just joy, motion, connection, and maybe a little chaos (the good kind).

This summer, I had the honor of photographing two incredible families whose sessions reminded me why I love doing this work. Whether we were racing through the grass at Buhl Park or dipping our toes in the lake at West Branch in Ravenna, both sessions were filled with laughter, movement, and heart.

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The Deraway Family | Buhl Park Family Session

Ah, the Deraway crew! After a string of rain-outs and schedule Tetris between baseball, soccer, and all the things kids are into these days, the weather finally cleared—and gave us one of the most beautiful evenings of the summer at Buhl Park.

These two boys were pure sunshine. I never expect little ones to stand still and smile—and honestly, I don’t want them to! I’d much rather capture their real personalities, giggles, and wild energy. So we ran. We chased. We played. And somewhere in there, magic happened.

Does it get a little chaotic? I mean… probably. And I know moms and dads get a wee bit stressed. But these moments are organically your family—the way your kid is fully cheesin’ chasing a bird or bursting with excitement because they get to be the tickle monster? That’s the good stuff. Those are smiles you just can’t call up on demand.

During the second half of their session, I could not stop smiling—because their oldest son had picked out their tie-dye shirts himself. I absolutely love when kids have a hand in the session—it gives them ownership and makes the experience even more meaningful. There may have been a skinned knee and a quick tear, but by the end? Everyone was laughing, and I left with a full heart. This session reminded me why I love being a lifestyle family photographer—these are the moments that matter

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The Stutz Family | West Branch Family Session

The Stutz session is one I’ll never forget. After several weather reschedules and a few near-misses, the stars finally aligned. It wasn’t too hot, we weren’t dripping in sweat, and even the geese gave us a little grace as we photographed around them (thank you, photo gods 😂).

For those that don’t know: geese… cause me GREAT stress. I have a stupid fear of being attacked by a bird, because there is absolutely nothing I can do about it. BUT—for my clients—I’ll suck in my fears and party hardy to get those photos. 😅

This was my first time shooting at West Branch in Ravenna, and wow—it did not disappoint. But more than the scenery, it was this family that made it special. From the moment Sarah reached out, I could tell how much these photos meant to her.

Her words after the session left me absolutely in tears:

“I haven’t hung a family photo in my house since 2019. After a really hard few years… I’ve taken all of them down. But this? These? These are going up. Every single one. Thank you for giving me this gift.”

Sarah, thank you. Your trust, your laughter, and your girls’ absolute joy made this session feel like sunshine in motion. I’ll never forget it.

This session was pure movement—booty bumps, tickle fights, water splashes. There was not one moment where we weren’t moving… and everyone had a blast. The girls even threw ideas at me, and I said “Sure! Why not?” Because honestly, why not let these two incredibly happy girls call the shots and show just how fun photos can be?

Growing up, we had our photos done every year—and honestly? It was kind of painful. Don’t get me wrong, my mom has some amazing photos of us holding our chickens… but I also remember standing there thinking, “Did you get it yet? Can we move?” I never want that for these kids.

I want laughter, joy, and space to be organically themselves.

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Your Family Deserves to Be Documented

If you’ve been putting off family photos—because life is busy, because it feels overwhelming, or because you’re not sure if it’s worth the chaos—let these families be your gentle nudge. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be you. As a lifestyle family photographer, my goal is to make your photos feel like you. Not posed. Not forced. Just joy

Let’s chase the light, splash in the water, and capture something real.

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