documentary FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY IN RALEIGH, NC
You're busy. The house is a mess. But it's all so beautiful.
Does life ever just feel ordinary? We get caught in the mundane & repetitive tasks of parenthood, and we forget to take a step back and soak it all in.
Amidst the getting ready, the feeding, the car rides, the playtime, and all the big feelings in between - magic is happening. These are the little moments that make up the story of your life.
Get a glimpse into what your life really looks like - the beautiful, natural moments that unfold & are true to you. Messy hair, food on kids’ faces, toys everywhere. The big & little ways you care for your family (yes, YOU get to be shown in the photos too).
No planned outfits. No forced smiles. No new environments.
Embrace the ordinary, document real life moments, and let me show you how beautiful you & your family are, just as you are.
LET'S CAPTURE YOUR REAL LIFE
Embrace the magic
in your real life rhythms
“It felt very natural for Kelly to follow our family throughout our daily habits at home. She captured some beautiful moments that I would have otherwise forgotten without the photos! It's a wonderful snapshot of this moment in our family's life with two young children - the laughter over the dinner table, the bedtime routine, the negotiating for more ice cream. We will cherish these photos and these memories - thank you!”
- Haley & Michael
The Details
Documentary family photography with ease & fun
2 hours of photo coverage of your everyday life
60+ documentary storytelling images as printable digital files
4x6" print of each image, or $400 artwork credit toward heirloom photo album or other artwork investment
Documentary family session preparation guide
Shareable online gallery & slideshow
Option to purchase extended photo gallery
Personal touch-points (consultation, session planning, photo reveal & ordering session, home delivery of artwork)
And all the behind-the-scenes work like professional photo editing and artwork design, preparation, & ordering!
Our experience together includes the photo session itself & receiving images both digitally and as printed artwork. Your investment of $850 includes:
The overall investment for your photography experience & family heirlooms may vary based on the artwork you choose to relive these memories for years in the future. Full pricing details and artwork options will be shared during your complimentary consultation.
LET'S GET STARTED
Chronicle your real life rhythms in every season of the year
LEARN MORE
LOOKING FOR MORE THAN ONE SESSION?
My mama-to-mama
promise
to you
This will be one of the easiest and most impactful photo sessions you’ve ever experienced, all at the same time. No pressure, no prep… so natural, so simple. Just your everyday life. That’s what makes it easy, and that’s what makes it special. We’re capturing your kids’ childhood - who they are, what they love, & what they do. We’re capturing your parenthood - your hard work & loving devotion. We’re capturing your natural environment - in this moment, before it shifts again to meet your family’s ever-changing needs. We’re capturing images that your children will show their grandchildren one day - saying, “This is what my life really looked like.” Let’s create real, natural photos that reflect your family in an honest & beautiful way.
LET'S CHAT
the Light Creative experience
one
Complimentary
Consultation
two
session
planning
three
true-to-life session
four
photo reveal
& ordering
five
artwork
delivery
I’ll be with you each step of the way so you and your family know what to expect, feel comfortable & relaxed while I'm photographing, and receive printed artwork to help you document these beautiful, simple, real life moments.
Learn More
how to take better photos of your kids with your phone
Get 5+ tips for the best ways to document the daily moments you want to remember with your kids using your smartphone.
“Working with Kelly was such a seamless experience. From beginning to end, I felt like I didn't have to plan anything, didn't have to spend the mental or physical energy preparing and we could just show up as ourselves. Authenticity is important to me and now we are going to be able to look back on a day spent together that reflects our real life and how we interact with each other. These photos are so special because we had someone documenting what our evening actually looks like versus creating a "scene" and making it look more perfect than it is. The imperfections are captured and that is really special to me. Thank you, Kelly, for this amazing experience! Our family had the best time and will cherish these pictures forever.”
- Amanda & Chris
Interested in a photo experience that documents your family in every season of the year?
YEAR IN THE LIFE COLLECTION
frequently asked questions
FAQ
This is honestly the best part! You’re being yourselves. You’re living your regular routines. Maybe you’re cooking pancakes on Saturday morning, then enjoying them & having some playtime with your toddler. Maybe you’re picking up your child from school, having snacktime, then heading to ballet class. Maybe you want to document life outside the home - let’s head to your favorite playground, coffee shop, or another spot your family loves and capture some real life moments there.
We’ll chat about all of this & more in your complimentary consultation, then plan a time based on what parts of real life you’d like to document together!
Our photo reveal & ordering appointment will typically take place 2 weeks after the session for documentary photos. This is when you get to see the photo proofs for the first time, and we’ll review your ordering options & make sure all your questions are answered! If you need some more time to make final decisions about what artwork to order or adding on the extended gallery, your order will be due 1 week after that so I can start getting everything ready for you.
A downloadable online gallery will be shared soon after ordering. Artwork will be delivered to you within 2-6 weeks of ordering, depending on the amount of design work needed and current turnaround times with my professional printing lab.
Psst - You probably know this, but perfectly happy & always well-behaving children aren't real life!
This is one area that’s way different than your traditional portrait session - in a GREAT way. Big feelings happen in real life. I bet you know the best ways to understand your kiddos and console them. Maybe they need space; maybe they need a hug. Documentary photography allows us to capture ALL the feelings - joyful, sad, angry - and document the unique ways you care for your family through all of it.
Rest assured, I’m extra aware during those moments of less-than-happy feelings and do a “vibe check” to gauge if I should take a few photos during those times for you or not. It may feel awkward when I do, but then you get to see your caring self in the photos you get as a result.
Most importantly, your kids are going to have a blast in this session - just being themselves in an environment they already know & love, without any pressure to pose or wear outfits they’re not used to. Because of this, meltdowns tend to happen much less often in these true-to-life sessions than in a posed portrait or lifestyle session. But if they do, I’ll be there for you in that time, in whatever way you need me to be!
I believe photos come alive when we hold them in our hands! My job isn’t done until I’ve provided you with a finished product, so that you can quickly and easily enjoy your photos in your home and one day pass them on to your kids. Our memories aren’t meant to live on a hard drive - they’re meant to be displayed around your home & bring joy daily.
You get the best of both worlds here! You’re welcome to use your high-resolution digital files for any print needs on your own, and I’m here to help with any archival-quality heirloom artwork you may be interested in. We can chat about using your artwork credit toward albums, wall art, mounted prints, etc., or we can keep it simple by sticking with the included 4x6” premium prints.
Absolutely! I welcome people of all different backgrounds - sexual orientation and gender identity included. Please know that I value you, honor you, and celebrate you exactly as you are.
