Who I love. Who loves me.

I listened to a podcast this week with Viola Davis and it really stuck with me.

At the end Amy Poeler asks her what it’s like to be in her 60’s and she says -"Ya know - it’s all mine. All that matters is who I love, who loves me, and what I leave behind.”

I think I’m a still a little young to be thinking constantly about what I leave behind, but I do want to focus more on the first two. And who am I kidding - I'm deep as hell and my dad was a funeral director for my whole childhood so of course I'm thinking about what I'm leaving behind.

In the interview, there’s another part where Viola talks about this 4th grade teacher she had who ended up saving some of her writing and photos of her from all these years. As she was writing her memoir - after Julliard, after all the Oscars and Emmys and Tony’s - she went back to visit this teacher.. She didn't have many, if any, pictures of her childhood other than the ones this teacher took and printed and saved. (Should I remind you again how important it is to print your photos? Nah, you get it).

There was one picture of her on a field trip to a museum, staring an an exhibit with her mouth agape. I'm sure it was nothing spectacular otherwise, just a snapshot. But it wasn't the quality that hit her - it was the emotion. She said it captured something in her that she didn’t know was there - this inherit awe for art. An appreciation and admiration for it that was instinctual, deep in her little 8 year old soul, and it carried her through the career she spent the rest of her life building.

I like hearing stories like that about how a single picture revealed something to someone - a truth about themselves or someone they love or a someone they never knew. Even a stranger, a culture, a point in history.

I like hearing stories about photos that taught someone something, which, of course they can. Journalistic photography is built on this very idea of communicating stories, emotions, and moments visually.

Even as a family photographer, I’m really inspired by journalism and I want the photos I take in living rooms and parks to have the same effect at times - like they were a beautiful moment that was stumbled upon.

It’s hard to do when the session is somewhat orchestrated by nature. But these kinds of examples remind me to reach for pictures that say something - the expressions, relationships, environmental detail - they are avenues for people to learn and understand things like love.

Even if I don't fully grasp the depth in the moment, I'll get precious notes from clients like this one 👇🏼 that let me know the story they see.

“I had to reach out to say that you stopped me in my tracks and brought tears to my eyes with this one. I love J***'s curls so much and I stare the back of her little head all of the time. You caught the perfect moment of tender touch and I had to write to say thank you straight away. Thank you thank you thank you.” - Alex

Tomorrow kicks off the first in-person retreat I’m hosting in Madison, VA with 5 other photographers from around the country. I laughed at myself after sharing an excited story on instagram about all the behind the scenes prep I'm going to share, but the video was just me typing on my laptop.

WOW - thrilling.

Truth is, I will shop for grocieries and pack my bags and charge my gear and confirm with our model families and love on my kids a little extra today before I leave. But the cool part about showing up as yourself everywhere you go is that I’m not nervous one bit. I have that feeling of I am exactly where I need to be.

Gathering with people face to face has become a really important part of my life and work. I like to look people in the eyes and practice listening and asking questions, expanding my capacity for empathy and love.

These women are all photographers - sure, that's our common link. But they're also a runner, a teacher, a painter, a pharmacist, a mother of young babies, a mother of teenagers, an animal lover, a gatherer, a grower, an extrovert, an introvert and a million other labels we don’t have to give ourselves when we are immersed in the privilege of creating and being only in charge of ourselves for 3.5 days. That space is something that feels like a very worthy endeavor.

We will search for that 8-year-old girl with her mouth agape energy while learning to get better at our craft. We will savor the reminder that for all the things we can't control, we can work on who we love and who loves us.

I think there are a good amount of photographers who read this so if you happen to not be on the retreat-specific interest list, you can click the buttons below to be automatically added.

The next retreat is happening at the end of July and while summer is a hard time to commit to something, (me too) I think it just also might be the thing that keeps us going with any semblance of order.

If you feel like it's usually a time when you could use some motivational support to bring you into a strong and thriving fall, maybe the timing is just right.

Join the retreat interest list

// new + noteworthy //

GOOD THINGS ON THE INTERNET I SAVED THIS WEEK //

Damn. In the year 2026, yes patriarchy still exists and this woman is pushing back. 👏🏼

I feel seen.
The best Disney revelation I've ever heard.

FOR KIDS //

A few fun things for the Easter baskets from our local toystore:
These glow-in-the-dark planets for the boys room, cute tiny things like this are always a tween win, + fun puzzles like this cutey.

& a few things from the doorstep delivery machine:
Sensory play bags + “the best” slime (I'll never understand), Wild Kratts early reader books, the next few books in this cute series, & sunny summer ballcaps,

LISTEN //
This episode with Steve Carell also made me laugh out loud to myself this week.

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CREATIVITY | FAMILY | SIMPLE JOYS

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Learn more about: Family sessions | Newborn Sessions | Education