First birthday family photo session in Canton, Ohio

I’ve known Molly for almost four years now, and it’s been so special to see her become a mom to two beautiful little girls.

When she asked me to do a family photography session for her littlest’s first birthday, it was an enthusiastic “YES!” from me!

Choosing a studio location for the family photos

Now, it can get very cold, snowy, and wet in Northeast Ohio in February, so it was important to find an indoor space. After some brainstorming, we decided to have the session in a local studio (LovelyInk Studio) in downtown Canton, Ohio.

It was an extremely versatile space, and its beautiful exposed brick walls made for a nice backdrop for the photos. The girls were also so interested in all the different set ups and loved exploring. As an added bonus, when we needed to capture individual photos of one of the girls, being able to check out all the fun scenes kept the other quite happy!

Fun activities are an easy go-to for family sessions

As a documentary-style photographer, you already know I like to incorporate some fun activities into my sessions, even if the session is a little more posed in a studio setting. With it being so near Valentine’s Day, I tried to think up something that would fit the theme.

Confetti hearts were the move! They are adorable in photos, and truly it was so special for the girls when their dad started to sprinkle the hearts over them! I mean, just look at those expressions of pure joy!

Candid moments to remember

Laughing over the girls’ antics later in the session, Molly and I started chatting about how doing family photos with young children can honestly be pretty hilarious. I mean, we all know kids usually don’t want to sit still for photos when they could be exploring a fun new place! That typically means lots of squiggling out of mom and dad’s arms, running around exploring, and generally low levels of chaos. BUT, we both agreed, that chaos makes for some fun and funny photos to look back on!

And while this was a lighthearted conversation, Molly said something that really resonated with me: “I just want to remember these days as they were.” That, in one sentence, is why I love being a documentary-style photographer. I love helping you capture the candid moments where your kids are showing their adorable personalities, the sweet moments between you and your family when you’re just hanging out, and your overall connection with and love for one another. Really, there’s nothing better!