Documentary Family Photography | Sand, swings, and puddles: the mysteries of life

The life of a documentary family photographer is never dull. You know why? Because for an hour or two or three, we get to engage in exactly what the families we're photographing are engaging in. Sometimes that means running through green fields, down forest trails, or riding rollercoasters.

In the case of my session with the Byrne-Walker family, it meant going from sleepy-head yawns indoors to swinging from ropes in the back yard, to building sand castles in a near-by park, to splashing in parking lot puddles. And while I might not have been the one doing the swinging or the splashing or the sand-castle buildin', I sure was right there in the thick of the action, preserving it for the family just as they'd like it, getting my jeans and my lenses wet, and my heart racing.

This family of five made every minute of that hour count, and by the sounds of it, this is how they live life in general. It was the second or third bike ride of the day for them, for one.

You've heard me say it before and I'll keep saying it just as often as I can: every family is different, and the activities that fill your days are unique to your own family, and you should never ever try to compare yourself to any other, because comparison is the thief of joy. But all strong families have one thing in common, and that is - knowing how to share love and laughter, and how to take things lightly when it's needed. This family was no different, in that respect. They were silly and honest and I thank them for giving me a small glimpse of their lives so that I could give it back to them in return: through photographs.

Hope you enjoy the Byrne-Walkers gallery.

© Viara Mileva

To inquire about documentary family photography, contact me.