The messy truth…

I met my latest client via Facebook and I immediately vibed with her. She was so friendly, sweet, funny and not afraid to be vulnerable. An immigrant from Spain, she had found her home just down the road from me. She had just given birth to her third and final child and wanted to have photos of her quickly changing family. A newborn, a one year old and a four year old means that the little moments sometimes slip by.

I arrived at their house with one goal: capture those little moments. The lighting was not ideal, either natural light that was always behind my subjects, or a very orange kitchen stove light. The father was trying to cook for the whole family while the four year old did her best to get and keep everyone’s attention, the one year old clung to dad’s leg and the newborn was crying for mom. Chaos. Exactly what I wanted.

In between the water spills, the spit up, the noise and the mess I was able to photograph the laughs, the hugs, the rare quiet moment, the knowing glances between parents and the essence of their family. A family so full of love, a family that embraces the mayhem with patience and caring, a family that is so centered on their joy for each other. I walked back to my car so inspired.

These are the moments that we forget, and the ones that are the most precious. Not the birthday parties or vacations, not the Christmas cards or school dances. The times we spend eating lunch together, changing diapers, dealing with tantrums and resolving them with a much needed cuddle. My years in childcare and family management taught me many things, but the most important lesson I took away from that time is that the most fleeting moments are the most important ones.