{Storytelling Family Photography in North Central Iowa}

Four years of fall mini sessions, and this is the first time I’m blogging them. 😂 Better late than never, right? This year’s mini day was almost 90 degrees in October! I’ve photographed in plenty of heat, but this was the hottest mini session day I’ve ever worked, and the families handled it like champs. They showed up, laughed at the weather, and let their kids be kids, and honestly, that’s exactly what I was hoping for!

We set up in my pasture near Livermore, where the fall colors show off every year. But I think the star of the show was the tractors, which the kiddos decided was the best thing out there. I’m not sure who had more fun, the kids climbing on them or me watching it all unfold. 😉

What I love the most is creating the kind of images I dream about: storytelling over posing and smiling. Those real moments in between, like a kid mid-giggle on the tractor, playing “airplane” in the tall grass, a special look that says everything…those are what these families will actually want to remember. In a couple of years, these kids will look completely different, and these photos will be the only way to hold onto this exact chapter.

Beyond these images, I have even bigger dreams! I want to photograph families the way they actually live: working together on the farm, making pancakes in the kitchen, shooting hoops at the basketball court, riding bikes at the skate park, boating at their favorite lake. Your daily life right now, the stuff you do together without thinking about it, is the story that will matter most to you someday. A beautiful way to remember exactly what this season looks like. I know it’s a bit different from what most photographers around here do, but I think our families have the best stories, and I’d love to tell more of them! If your family has a hobby, a place, or a routine that feels like you, I’d love to hear about it. Tell me all about it here!

Thank you to every family who joined me this fall, and for trusting me with your kids, your time, and a very sweaty October afternoon!

Until next fall…