Loui Turns Three | Charlotte Documentary Family Photography

I've been photographing Loui since she was about three months old.

Over the years, I've seen her change from a tiny baby into a little person with a personality that's becoming more apparent every time I see her. At this point, I think she might even recognize me when I walk through the door and even heard her call me by my name.

That's one of the things I love most about photographing families regularly. You're not just documenting individual sessions. You're watching people grow and creating a visual record of their childhood and all the changes that come with it.

For Loui's third birthday, I photographed a small gathering at her family's home with a few close friends and family members. There wasn't anything elaborate about the day. It was simply a group of people who love her, getting together to celebrate another year.

And, of course, there were presents.

A Three-Year-Old's Birthday

One of the best parts of photographing children at this age is that they're starting to have very definite opinions about things.

Loui got to discover her birthday presents one by one, including a new battery-powered Jeep that immediately became one of the highlights of the day.

There was the excitement of seeing the gifts for the first time, the reactions from everyone watching, and all of the little interactions happening around her.

At three, she's old enough to understand that something special is happening, but still young enough that the day unfolds almost entirely on her terms.

That's where the interesting photographs tend to happen.

Loui pulls off the cover to reveal her new battery powered jeep.

Watching Her Grow

When I photographed Loui at three months old, I obviously couldn't photograph her personality in the same way I can now.

She was still a baby.

Now she's talking, playing, exploring, reacting, and developing her own little way of interacting with the people around her.

Having photographed her several times a year makes those changes particularly noticeable to me. I get to see the subtle differences from one session to the next—the expressions that weren't there before, the way she interacts with her parents, and the little pieces of her personality that become more recognizable as she gets older.

That's one of the unexpected rewards of being a family's photographer over time.

You're not just showing up for birthdays or family sessions. You're becoming a small part of their visual history.

Charlotte, NC documentary Family Photography

If you are looking for a family photography experience that focuses on real moments, un-staged and un-filtered, we would love to hear from you. My goal is to make photos of your family over years. This helps your kids start to recognize me, which helps them feel more comfortable. This is where they start to open up and show their true personality.

After some time, you will have a substantial body of work that you can use to do a high quality photo book, or even some framed prints. All of which my clients can order right from their personal online gallery. The print store gives you real life mock-ups for wall prints and books.

You can view more info on our family photography page

You can get in touch with us on our contact page.