Nashville Family Photographer | 5 Reasons to get a family film

Deciding to have a film of your family is not as easy for some as it is others. I have some clients who find out about these amazing modern day home movies and jump at the chance to have these precious memories. But in our modern day society, where anxiety and comparison run high, the decision is not always that easy. But I promise you... NO ONE ever regrets having one done. They actually have a lot of beautiful realizations afterwards. You can learn more about family films here.

Here are some of the reason to have a family film...

1. To remember your children in the season they are in now. But it is not just about remembering your children, it’s also about your children’s memories as they grow.

2. You deserve to be in the frame too. Someone has to be behind the camera, and as a result, someone is missing from the family album and family movies. I’m giving you the ability to slow down and connect as a family. To unplug and reset. I will show you the moments that you didn’t even know you needed to see.3. Your film becomes the thing that you treasure most.4. Your film feels like stepping into a memory of your family's story as you are right now. A time capsule for you to treasure forever.5. You never know what tomorrow holds. We are not promised forever. and at the end of our lives, we will not wish for more money or things, we will wish for more time. When our loved ones pass, we hold on to them through photos and videos.

Franklin TN Documentary Film and Photos | Real is the new perfect

If I asked you to think of your favorite people and the memories you most treasure with them, would you say it was when you were posed on a quilt in a field for your annual check list family session?

No. you wouldn't.

So why are we investing in just this type of photography? Im not saying no to posed or lifestyle sessions, but I am saying we need to say yes more to real life memories. Meaningful sessions with the purpose behind them to preserve our memories.

Day in the life of the Brown Family

I have been a photographer for almost 10 years. Its been trend after trend after trend. and at some point around year 7-8, I subconsciously became sick of it. I didn't know why. I didn't know what happened exactly, other than my own family had our own documentary shoot.

I had hired a photographer from Australia, who was visiting the area, to film my family. She said the session came with photos, but initially, I didn't care much about those.

But then, I received the images before the film. and the images had me breaking down in tears. This moment changed my heart forever. I entered into a transition of finding my own authentic self as an artist. and never looked back.

A moment in time.

It all makes sense in hindsight. My degree is Psychology. Im excellent at reading people and moments. at Feeling what people are feeling. I just allowed trendy photography to deter me from my true inner self for far too long. I still love capturing families outside in lifestyle sessions, but it doesn't feed my soul like documentary.

Mushroom hunting. A frequent activity in the Brown Family

My theory is, is that inside all of us, particularly mothers.... there is this part of us that wants raw real photographs and videos of our everyday. As mothers, we can see that the boo-boos, the sick days, the stories that are being told to our children, the quick hugs, the long snuggles, and the giggles, are the real moments that make our hearts go pitter patter. I just think we are too afraid of something way off in left field, to fully invest and jump into it.

I hear it all the time .... "Our lives are not that interesting" and Im here to tell you, thats a lie you're telling yourself. Your life is interesting. Because it is your family's story. and that is the most interesting life that there is. Photos and film of your family - that goes above and beyond any staged session that there is.

That way he looked at his son....

I met with a momma the other day, as she is hiring me to capture her life with a 3 year and 1 year old twins. I asked her why she wanted a film. I wish I could have videoed her long answer. I will try to paraphrase what she said. It made my heart soar.

"I look back at photos of my 3 year old as a baby and I already find that I forgot things that I didn't realize I would forget. I have always wanted a big family and I feel so blessed to already have 3 kids. Its absolute chaos, but I love our chaos and I want that story to be told"

Y'all, I nearly cried listening to this mommas heart!

I captured this, thinking to myself, that I want this child to see how his mommas hands held him as a baby.

One final thing. Preserving these memories, isn't just about what momma wants to remember. It is also about documenting the childhood of her children. Capturing life as it happened - so that your children can look back and remember their LIVES and how they LIVED in YOUR family.

So lets get back to the heart of photography. Preserving our real raw memories, so we can look back and truly remember.

If you want your family captured, contact me here! 

Warmly,

Jennie

Nashville Family Photographer | Documentary Day in the Life {The Chu Family}

Once you shoot documentary, you want nothing else. Gone is the facade and in comes the REAL and RAW. I am completely obsessed, and my client is in LOVE too. Remembering her early years of coloring, daddy putting pig tails in her hair, eating raisins, and running about. Those are the moments that we cant get back. Her sassy smirks and love of all things pink. Her spunk and giggles, those  - are the memories worth keeping. In 2018, I will be doing MORE of this. and less of the directed, posed, even lifestyle (still directed to some degree) work. More films, more REAL moments. xoxo

Warmly,