People often ask me how I got into photography.
The easy answer is that my mom gave me my first camera years ago.
But that’s not really why I became a photographer.
The real story begins with my grandma.
When I was fifteen years old, I came across a photograph of her on her wedding day. I remember sitting on the couch thinking she was absolutely beautiful. Her dress was simple, timeless, and elegant. I couldn’t stop looking at it.
I turned to her and said, “I want to wear your dress someday.”
She smiled, touched my knee, and asked if I’d like to try it on.
I remember twirling around the room while my grandma and my mom smiled. In that moment, I knew it would one day become my wedding dress.
Years later, it did.
Today, my daughter hopes to wear that same dress someday.
One photograph connected three generations of women in my family.
That’s when I realized photographs do so much more than capture a moment.
They preserve a legacy.
Now, as a mom of two teenagers, I understand just how quickly childhood changes.
One minute you’re packing lunches.
The next, you’re helping your teenager choose a college.
The days feel long sometimes.
The years don’t.
That’s why I don’t chase perfect smiles or perfectly behaved kids during my sessions.
I want the laughter after the joke.
The little hand reaching for yours.
The quiet hug that wasn’t planned.
The way your child looks at you when they think no one is watching.
Because those are the moments that tell the real story of your family.
I know moms carry so much. The mental checklist never really stops. Outfit planning, snacks, schedules, homework, sports, birthdays, permission slips…it’s a lot.
Family photos shouldn’t be another source of stress.
My job is to make this experience feel simple, encouraging, and fun so you can stop worrying about everything being perfect and simply enjoy being together.
Years from now, I hope your children pull these photographs off a shelf and remember what this season felt like.
I hope they see how deeply they were loved.
And I hope every mom who steps in front of my camera leaves believing something she may have forgotten along the way:
She is beautiful.
Not because life was perfect.
But because she was there.
Showing up.
Loving her family.
Being present.
That’s why I do what I do.
Because childhood doesn’t wait.
Be present. I’ll preserve this season.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Photographer – Kim
A photo of my and Ben with my grandparents on our wedding day.
