How Motherhood Shapes My Work as a Family Photographer | Holland, MI

Time is a thief.

I don’t think I truly understood it until I became a mother—the way time slips past in tiny, tender details. I never used to notice things like the fading of hand dimples or how a little face can shift and grow in just a matter of days. I’ve always loved being around kids, especially my nieces and nephews, but that deep, aching feeling—that your heart now lives outside your body—I get it now.

This was one of the first family sessions I photographed after becoming a mom, and something about it stayed with me. It brought into focus all the fleeting little things I now want to hold onto—the backdrop of our everyday, the well-loved toys scattered in the grass, popsicle-sticky hands, dirt-caked toes from barefoot wandering, and that carefree kind of summer magic where saying “why not?” to the sprinklers—dress and all—feels like the only right answer.

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I’ve kept my summer wedding schedule lighter this year to give more space to slow down with my own family. But I’d really love to spend more evenings photographing families like this—real, playful, joy-filled moments.

If you're drawn to honest, relaxed photos that reflect the heart of your everyday, I'd be honored to document this chapter for you—just as it is, no rush, no polish, just real life, beautifully remembered.