Wilson Family | Steubenville, OH

The Wilson family was the first to take a chance on me back in 2018. Theirs was my first ever photo session, and man was I nervous. Our youngest was only a couple of months old at the time, and he came with me to the shoot.

Cutest. Second shooter. Ever.

He was strapped to my chest with my Ergo, and I remember worrying I might whack him in the head with my camera. The Wilsons were so kind and patient with me as I adjusted settings and posed them slowly and moved them from location to location. I’m so grateful for that patience and their trust in me, because that session gave me the confidence to do this work.

A lot has changed since then, not the least of which being my cute second shooter is rarely still long enough now for a hug, let alone an hour in the Ergo. I’ve learned so much about who I am as a photographer too, about how I want to run my business, and what motivates me in this industry. And it all boils down to service. I love serving these families and couples with the joy of a photograph. I love capturing these moments when kids are young and wild and life is a beautiful, chaotic mess.

A lot has changed for the Wilson family since our last shoot, too. Mary and Tom were expecting their sweet baby girl in the fall of 2018, and now look how big she is! Those curls! It was such a joy to spend an afternoon with the Wilson family again, and I am forever grateful for their trust in me in capturing these moments for their family.

Mary and Tom—thank you. Thank you for inviting me in, thank you for trusting me, thank you for allowing me to do this work. I don’t know that I ever would have found the courage to say yes to photography if you hadn’t said your own yes to me.