Moving Out – Seattle Documentary Family Photography

This Today session, shot for a dear friend who was moving out of town, is a prime example of why I shoot the way I do and why I believe in a documentary approach to family photography.  A traditional portrait of perfectly lit, smiling, faces in an idyllic spot hanging is certainly a treasure.  But, as people, we are story tellers and story seekers.  Children love to ask parents about what things were like before they were born or before their memories are solidified.  Parents love to share stories of what life was like at a different place or time. The unifying thing in all of these stories is that they involve places, people or activities that may no longer be accessible.  As Thomas Wolfe so aptly wrote, “You can’t go home again.”

But you can photograph home.  And you can photograph the sweet, simple, but meaningful places you liked to visit and things you liked to do.

So, while her husband was away preparing for a new job out of state, my friend Rachel took some time away from packing up their home to take one last tour of Seattle. With her kids in tow they set out to soak up some favorite spots in a city that holds a special place in their family history.