Franklin, TN Family Photographer | The Gasparo Family
Spending the evening with The Gasparo Family was SO much fun. I laughed so hard several times. Between the goats, the dog, the chickens, the 2 younger wild children and their feisty youngest, I have never been more entertained!Brittany really wanted to capture what life was like right now, so she hired me to photograph a typical evening for them. Documentary family photography is such a beautiful genre of capturing REAL life right now. If you can think back to the 80 and 90s and other decades of course, you will remember random photos from a disposable camera. In the age of disposable cameras, we didn't curate the environment or the photo. We just took the photo. So it captured old couches, random stuff on coffee tables, it did not think about composition and light. It just TOOK THE PHOTO. It was RAW and REAL and I pray that we are finally moving back to that. I do see some progress that direction.I am the only photographer in Nashville, that I know of, capturing REAL life. True documentary. True day in the life, doesn't stage set ups. The photographer is JUST a fly on the wall, while the family does what they do. Brittany rocked this session by wearing what they normally wear, and not overly cleaning her home. The mess is apart of the REAL.What I love about documentary is that all the family has to do is spend time together. They don't have to look at the camera. They don't have to wear specific clothing. They get to just BE. Be themselves, be together. and Do their favorite things. and it doesn't have to be without incident. While there were few incidents in this session, I have seen full on tantrums. and that is OKAY! That is real life. I will probably try to capture it, as it is who that child is, it shows their entire personality and not just the cooperative side. Toddler tantrums can be funny later.The better I know a family, the better the session. I try to spend more time the first time I am with a family, because it takes a little bit to know the personalities and to be comfortable with one another. It's new and different. But once I know them, I know that their youngest will probably have a point where he gets really mad, because thats his personality. I know the older one might try to boss the younger ones. I know they might do something random in nature, like catching a frog. I wait for those moments to happen. I anticipate them.To have your family documented, holler at me! 
Nashville Family Photographer | Are professional family photos worth it?
Let’s talk about family photos! I feel like family photos have turned into something to check off the list for the year. Check! Family photos for the Christmas card! Social media has driven family photos from being something that told a story to something we just do out of social obligation.
The beautiful thing about documentary family photography (ahem, what I do!) is that you don't have to get a wardrobe together and then get everyone dressed up and drive somewhere and fake a bunch of shots for the camera for an hour. Documentary family sessions are the easiest session of your life. Not only that, but they will leave you with a heart of gratitude because you actually captured your real life.
Life is filled with tiny moments that happen between the time we wake up and fall asleep that we are often too tired and busy to fully appreciate. We completely toss these memories aside when we ask for a formal posed and or lifestyle family session for Christmas Cards.
Your life changes every minute of everyday.... month to month. Six months from now your son might actually outgrow LEGOS. I know, it's hard to imagine. But trust me, it does happen. At times you feel eager for that moment so you can stop stepping on Legos, but I promise you... You will miss this version of him.
None of my clients EVER regrets having photos or family films... They are often SO incredibly grateful for the unique experience and opportunity to have their family life truly captured.
My approach to capturing families is very relaxed and observational as opposed to traditional and directed.
It's not about getting the perfect photos, or everything being just right. It's not about everyone looking happy all the time, or wearing incredible outfits. Plenty of other photographers offer those things.
Documentary Family Photos are worth every penny. They are also worth being vulnerable enough to have them done. It won't matter if your house was midway through a remodel, or you haven't hit your goal weight. Your children just want to connect with you. When they see photos, they want to see their childhood memories, their mother and father and siblings. Just as they were.
In my ten + years in photography, I have learned 3 things: your kids don't care if you haven't lost the baby weight, you deserve to be seen for the amazing parent you are, and you have to make time for the things that matter most in life.
My work consists of real moments. Real life. Real stories. It celebrates both the joys, and the struggles of parenthood.
This session will be relaxed and unforced. You don't even have to look at the camera!
To learn more about a documentary photography experience, start here! I look forward to working with you!
You can also contact me here.
Nashville Family Photographer | The Howard Family Film
The Howard Family, My Annual Tampa Bay, Florida client... I love Sadiee and her family immensely! We always book her shoot in early October, aiming to miss hurricanes. This year, we were not so lucky. The FIRST hurricane arrived the weekend of our shoot, or actually shortly before. This really made all of October a doozy. I have to move clients from another weekend so I could head down to Florida... lesson learned, from now on we will have 2 weekends booked in case of hurricanes. Between last year and this year, Sadiee had a NEW baby! She now has 3 children, 1 girl and 2 boys. She has home birthed her children and was dreading having another 8 lb baby... but instead gave birth to a WHOPPING 12 LB baby boy! She says he's basically a toddler. Her film last year can be seen here!It was truly special spending time filming and photographing her family this year. It is fun to escape Nashville for a bit and hit up some beaches while we are down there. A few weeks before her film, her son scraped up his face really badly and 2 nights before their film, their daughter had a fever. So it goes without saying, we were SO grateful this film went off without a hitch, given how many things tried to stop it from happening!Sadiee sell BEAUTIFUL breastmilk jewelry. They are SO amazing and just so lovely!!! She is super talented. See her work on her instagram and her website.
Howard Family | October 2022 from Jennie Pyfferoen on Vimeo.
Franklin, Tennessee Family Photographer | The Hartsfield's Family Film
Sometimes, when I write about families, I feel like a broken record. and I Think to myself, How can I say this differently? However, its almost impossible. But every word I write, is more than words to type into a blog or instagram post. The words come straight from my heart. I mean them immensely.
I have been this family's photographer for 5 years. I photographed Lauren and Miles when they were pregnant with their first, Kennedy. I took a hiatus for a small time while figuring out who I was as an artist when I was moving into films. I wrestled with the change and how to go about the change. It was an odd shift emotionally and mentally for me. But when I came back, Lauren was right there ready for more. So many amazing clients rolled with me from doing very posed lifestyle work right into documentary and family films. I think the credit goes to God, but regardless, I am SO grateful. I remember so many moments, wanting to quit and wondering how I would ever book clients when no one even knew to google about family films. (Thus, a miracle from God!) and now, in 2022, I was FULLY booked for 2022 by July 1.
Okay, enough of the rambles. I was HONORED and completely humbled to film this sweet family for the 4th time. I directed Lauren a little on this one. I looked back and saw there weren't films with many giggles, or intimate moments. I asked her to keep it SUPER simple and just focus on connection and sweet moments with her babies. The result was AMAZING.
2023 Family film bookings open October 10th, 2022! contact me now so you don't miss out!
Hartsfield Family | August 2022 from Jennie Pyfferoen on Vimeo.
