Franklin TN Family Photographer | The Hartsfield's {Day in the life}
I have been photographing this family since their oldest was in momma's belly. It's been so fun to capture them as they have grown as a family. Im so blessed with clients who were with me with my old style of photography and have stayed with me into the family film transition.
Hartsfield | September 2021 from Jennie Pyfferoen on Vimeo.
We have done 3 films for this family (one was extended family as well) and Momma just loves the memories they provide. After posting her film to social media, she shared it with the words "photographs only capture so much" - which is so true. I do take photographs during the film sessions too, but film is the primary target.
we had so much fun riding on the golf cart (it would have been fun to have behind the scenes video of me hanging off the side of a golf cart, trying to live and take stable video footage), making stores, and watching this family connect with one another for a few hours. Their bedtime routine was full of giggles and their dinner time had so much fun conversation.
This is the review Lauren (momma) left me on my google page: "
I don’t have enough good things to say about Jennie and her work. I found and fell in love with her work in 2016 when I was pregnant with our first child. She photographed my maternity thru our daughter’s first birthday. At that point she was dabbling in some film so we would be a very short highlight film from our sessions-which I loved! So when she announced she was doing family films in 2018, I knew we had to book one. Our first film was that year when our daughter was a little over a year and a half. Watching that film for the first time was so heartwarming. We were able to do an extended family film in 2020. It is so special to have, and I’m so thankful to have such a beautiful video to share with our children when they are older. We decided to do another family film this year (2021) cause we had added a second child to our family since our first film. To say I was touched is an understatement. I didn’t know if was possible, but Jennie has outdone herself with this film. The dedication and love she puts into her work is something special. She had such an amazing gift to share, and I’m so thankful for her passion. If you have ever had a thought of using Jennie for a film, actually even if you haven’t, just book one. You won’t regret having that season of your life captured, even if it’s messy or chaotic. When you watch it back, you will have tears of joy and mourning (oh how the time flies) and be filled with smiles and thankfulness that such beauty was captured. My heart is so grateful"
While I was filming this family, it felt like a dream. The kids swinging on the swings - the giggles - the joy and love.
When I see a family interacting, I see the moments as memories, as precious snippets of time. The time we were on the golf cart was as amazing as it looks in the film (I was able to fully create that moment well) to show you how precious that time was. Mac, little brother, was obsessed with geese and repeated the word GEESE GEESE throughout the ride. Big sister - I just loved watching her enjoy catching the wind in her hair and she was just pure joy on that golf cart. These children don't even know they are living moments they will hold dear in their hearts forever, and now those moments are in the film. For them to later see and recall. It's too precious for words.
They're going to remember their daddy spinning them in blankets before bed, they will remember their momma's voice reading them a book by the fire. It makes me cry - and Im not in their family.
xoxo
Jennie
Franklin Family Photographer | The Lush Family Day in the life
Lush Family Film:
Your professional photo and or film sessions shouldn’t be based off of what your peers are doing or what social media tells you is cute.
It should be rooted in your own family’s story. Your own memories. I’m hearing that this new social media generation is getting to the season of life where their children are teens etc and wish they had more photos capturing their everyday.
They didn’t realize social media was influencing their decisions about their photo sessions. My generation chose to be bodily conscious and sought after what we saw on the gram. Things like Santa photos and sunflower fields. When none of that told the story of our family. None of this captured our Saturday’s snuggling, baking, fishing, or reading.
We don’t get this time back.
Throughout life we have a handful of absolutely life changing exhilarating moments. Those should 100% be on videos / photos.
There is nothing better than being able to relive those moments over and over.
Life isn’t guaranteed. We just don’t know when our last moments when our loved ones will be.
Unfortunately, I tend to see the value of video take place after a death. I’ll see someone say “I wish had more videos of him or her” or “I’m so glad I have these videos. I can hear their voice or see their facial expressions taking place”
Is there any way we can appreciate this before things happen? Can we realize the value and live intentionally enough to make sure the photos and videos are captured for the future.
Nashville, Tennessee Family Photographer | Surprise + Reaction
Mid September, Jessica reached out to me. She had had a long journey of getting pregnant and she and her husband were finally expecting a new baby due in the spring! She wanted to surprise her in-laws and sister in-law with gifts and photograph their reactions. of course, I couldn't wait, because this was new and fun and totally jam!
We disguised the shoot as a photo shoot ? - we did some fun posed and some candid photos of the family. They were so easy to work with! Her mother in-law is originally from Costa Rica and is just bursting with life and happiness. I wanted to take her home with me, she was the sweetest. She and her husband were so gorgeous together and I love how natural their photos turned out.
Jessica is due in the spring with her new baby and they're building a new house, so a lot is going on! But the shock factor was achieved, for sure.
Here are the images of them opening the gift and the gift tells them they're going to be an aunt, grandmother or grandfather....
My job is to anticipate moments. I have thought about the emotional embraces since she booked me. They were far better than I imagined.
Onto my next challenge!
xoxo
Jennie
Franklin TN Family Photographer | What is Meaningful Photography?
Over the 11.5 years I have been a photographer, I have witnessed and been apart of the industry and how it anchored to the social media world. Social Media led the industry down its path and it still continues - the path towards being trendy rather than meaningful and purposeful.
If you think about what would happen to photography, if you couldn't see other photographer's work online.... every photographer would be unique and the images created would come from their own mind. They would capture what they uniquely saw within their session. We would also have a lot less photographers ?
Photos of your family should not be random. What I want for my motherhood friends is that they can reach the end of raising children and not have regrets because they can't remember so many little moments. They cant go back and revisit those parts of their life that matter most.
What is the definition of "meaningful"? To me, its capturing the essence of life and of your story as a family, your love for one another, the legacy you're leaving for your children, and capturing your love for them. The moments captured are not just for mom and dad, but they are for the children, so they can see how much you loved them. Not just remember it, but to be able to revisit it, is extremely important.
The only way to know what is meaningful to children, is to ask them. But we cant always know what our children feel is meaningful right now in their lives, but also what will be meaningful later.
The reality is our life as families, is never going to be perfect. But our photographs and videos of real life, show that yes, our life wasn't perfect, but there was ALWAYS LOVE.
In this article, a father expresses his regrets of how he lived his life before his son died suddenly at age 8. Even though you don't want to feel the pain of reading that article, read it anyway. Try to think ahead of how to live now so we dont have regrets one day. As best as we can.
When moms decide they want photographs done (or video hopefully) I want them to stop making the decision revolve around trends and Christmas Cards. I want them to decided to get them done and to choose a photographer that will make meaningful memories out of their session. I want them to be vulnerable enough to be captured in the most honest way. Because as I have said before and will say forever, our time here is limited. and someday, we might not have our lives as they are now. Don't they deserve to be captured in an honest way?
Franklin Family Photographer | What is the purpose behind photography?
What is the purpose behind photography? When I googled this, here is what I found:"Essentially, the purpose of photography is to communicate and document moments in time. When you take a photograph and share it with others, you're showing a moment that was frozen through a picture. This moment can tell someone many things, from the environment to what people are doing." Credit: Portraits Refined.I also found Why do we need photography? "Images can keep the memory of a loved one alive, hold a moment in history for future generations, be a witness to tragedy or joy." Via Time.com
(Two sisters from a recent family session)I asked this question to my followers on IG and here are some of the replies I received:"To preserve memories""capture moments""To document""To take you back to another time, place and feeling""To Remember""To freeze a moment in time""To Capture the essence of today and preserve the memories for tomorrow""To tell a story" (thats a favorite!)"To remember the little things that fade in our memories"So we need to ask ourselves, as parents who hire photographers, and as photographers who's job it is to serve our clients best, are we doing this?I have made it my job to best serve my clients by mentoring them through this, helping them to see their future and what is going to come - and what they will miss. While I am VERY happy to capture clients in the fall on a quilt in the field for Christmas photos, that type of session is not accomplishing the above statements.
Spring Hill TN Family Photographer | Summer Fun
I spent a few hours with this crew to capture their summer. It was already hot, even in early May. But it was so fun. They connect so easily with their children. When I am photographing a family, I try to capture each parent with each kiddo, to isolate that specific connection within a family unit. My favorite images were one on one - because they had such a deep intimacy to them.
If you have ever studied artists, such as Picasso and Van Gogh, you know that they went through phases in their work. I find that this happens to photographers too. When my babies were little, I LOVED baby photography (still do) but as they grew, my work found its way into family photography, motherhood photography, and capturing childhood. My favorite images right now are truly candid family moments and mothers with their children. They speak to me and through me and I love it. Its such a special gift, to give mothers the moments they see, and even moments they may not see.
I want to capture your life not for you for right now, but more for the you in 20, 40, 60 years. And not just for you, but for your children. I want to freeze your family’s journey right now and let you have it forever. I’m not just the photographer. I’m the memory mentor in your family.
Nashville Family Photographer | Why Video Matters
How and Why I began making filmsIt's funny to me because my why was discovered in hindsight. Like my soul always knew and when I look back, the evidence was there. First, lets talk about my childhood proof that I would become a photographer.... I ALWAYS had a disposable camera. and was always the one taking photos and couldn't wait to have them developed. That part isn't too special, but it is part of my journey.Then at the age of 25, my mother died. No only that, but I last saw her on my wedding day. Everyone says we should live today as if it is our last, but I actually LIVED that. and the sad part is that this was before wedding videography was a thing - by only a few years. Someone, ironically last minute took some footage with their camcorder. I saved the CD for years and left it tucked in its sleeve. But it got damaged still and doesn't work.Am I glad I have the photos? Absolutely. But I would probably trade those in a heartbeat for video. I mean photos just DONT compare to her movements, her expressions, her laughter.... her live smile.
How my world shifted from Newborn Posing to FilmsWhen I started in the photography world, I didn't know myself. Not my true self, my genuine self. I fell in love with newborn posing, because I have always loved babies. It was easy because ALL I had to do was follow a list of instructions, copy other's work and create my own from that. There wasn't much art in it at all. Not true creativity that comes from within.As my children grew, something began to shift in me. I didn't know what it was at the time, I only understand it in hindsight. I was changing. I was evolving as a person. Discovering the real me. I stopped posing newborns and shifted into lifestyle photography, but even that was leaving me restless. I eventually took a big hiatus. I needed to take a break and step away and find myself again - as a person, a mother, and as an artist.Come to find out, I was a creative my entire life. and never knew it. I was the child who stood out in School. I never fit in and had an eclectic group of friends. I was a creative being shoved into a box and never quite fitting. I attended a photography workshop in 2014, where she told me I was a creative - and I recall being shocked - my jaw dropped! It took a few years to figure this out. But this workshop was pivotal in my discovery.Then in 2017, I saw the first family film created by Courtney Holmes in AU. I haven't been the same since. She was coming to Nashville to teach a filming life workshop and I hired her to film my family. All films come with photos as well. I received the photos and sobbed. I have NEVER sobbed over my family's photos. But I realized the image of my Greyson putting his shoes on in the silliest way, would be what I would miss if he died, or when he grows into a man and I look back on his childhood.What I would not miss, is him in a polished outfit from H&M intentionally purchased for a sunset field family photo shoot. Not even a little bit.I would miss his normal silly self that I see every day. The boy who cant resist being goofy and funny.Anyway, back to what I was saying :)The film came a few weeks later and I literally have no been the same since. I will never return to my former self. No matter how hard it is to attempt to grow a business that does not exist in 99% of people's minds (or google searches for that matter) I will never give up on this. Its too important. And I think 2020 solidified that.
The Photography Industry has changedThe photography industry has changed in several ways. Everyone can see that. Between phones that gloriously capture anything we want at any moment and photographers on every corner... its become a way of life and a convenience. The issue is that its also become something we take for granted, something on our to-do list, akin to our pile of dirty dishes. We have lost sight of the real intention behind using photography and video to capture our memories. We have lost the intention of what we want to capture, to hold on to, for someday....When I am filming a family. I am thinking about them when they are 60 years old and able to watch their films and look at their photos and remember as much as possible about their parenting journey, their children and their personalities. Their bonds as families, their laughter, their time spent together. The goal here goes far beyond checking off the to-do list and is aiming to literally freeze time and create a time capsule for the future. Talk to anyone who has lost their child or spouse, they will back me up on this. Talk to anyone over the age of 60 who has lived a lot of life. and they will tell you this is the most important investment.
Here are a few films to check out.Roberts Family Film:Roberts Family | Franklin, Tennessee | 2020 from Jennie Pyfferoen on Vimeo.2021 Show Reel2021 Show Reel final.mp4 from Jennie Pyfferoen on Vimeo.Warmly,Jennie
Nashville Newborn Photographer | Baby Emmett
I have been a photographer since 2010. I initially fell in love with newborn posing and quickly mastered it. For years I posed newborns, but after a while, something shifted for me.I realized I was just copying other’s work. I wasn’t actually becoming me - Jennie Pyfferoen the creative artist. I didn’t know I was creative. People would look at my work and say I Was creative and I would reply “no I just copy work”It wasn’t until the fall of 2014 when I went to a Jinky Art Workshop where she told me I was creative and an artist. I dont know how she saw that. Thats when my perspective began to shift.I stopped posing newborns and began transitioning to lifestyle - but that was just a middle place, on my journey. In the summer of 2017, I found @Courtney and haven’t been the same since. I had this realization of “What am I doing? Im not even truly serving my clients well” Because I wasn’t giving them what I knew they needed 30, 50, 80 years from now - what their children and grandchildren would need decades from now. Family films are simply the modern version of home movies. Ironically, in 2021 when everyone has a camera on them constantly, we have lost sight of the real purpose of memory making.Here is a black and white sneak peek of a recent Newborn Baby Documentary Film + Photos Session.... 
