Real life with the McGowan Family | Nashville TN Family Photographer + Filmmaker
I spent a few hours capturing The McGowan Family back in August. It was truly special. Capturing their nighttime routine of playing in the street, dinner and prayers, reading and their silly bedtime routine! I have never seen a bedtime routine like this before 😂I loved watching them parent two littles. One, just walking and a sweet toddler boy who loves trains. I loved capturing dad wrangling two dogs and two kids, while one melted down... is it mean if I laughed and photographed it simultaneously? 😂 As a parent of older kids, I find this much more amusing now 😂I adored watching dad skate board down the road in front of their house ... Dads are amusing to capture with their kids... they typically act like gigantic big kids 😂I felt so honored to capture these memories for mom. The memories she knows she will miss one day as they grow older. The toddler was about to get a big boy room, she wanted their family captured right before that big change. 🥺Enjoy their film and some photos from their session! If you are interested in films, reach out to me and we can chat more!
The McGowan Family | August 2023 from Jennie Pyfferoen on Vimeo.
Family photography sessions with BIG KIDS | with Nashville, Tennessee Family Filmmaker + Photographer Jennie Pyfferoen
It seems somewhere in the middle of elementary school, families stop getting photos done. I think it's because the culture of family photos is to bribe kids once a year to cooperate for family photos in clothes that are uncomfortable and at a location where they would rather play and get dirty, rather than sit and play smiley happy family.
It doesn't have to be this way.
That's what I love about in-home family sessions. They can be SO much more relaxed and fun. No one has to be forced to do anything! There is another way!
Jax, age 10, and his father chop wood during their Day in the Life Family Photography session.
Jax and one of his many chickens.
Big kids still play like little kids. Let their joy be captured.
Jax went into his chicken coop and loved on his favorite chickens.
Jax and his dad look at rocks and crawdads in the creek. and skip rocks together often. I wanted to capture their favorite memories together as father and son.
If you would love your real life documented, reach out to me here!
Is an In-Home Session Right for me? | with Nashville, Tennessee Family Videographer + Photographer Jennie Pyfferoen
With documentary photography becoming increasingly popular, clients may wonder if an in-home day in the life session or outdoor sunset session is right for their family.
#1 You won't have to worry about a crowded park.
Often times, during peak photography season, local parks and nature parks are packed with photographers. Having your session at home allows for that worry to go away. You can rest assured that the environment will be sacred to you and you will have a wide variety of spaces to engage with your family during your film or photo shoot.
#2 Your children will be relaxed.
Because you are doing the session in your home, your children will be in their comfortable home environment. Which allows for them to relax rather than feel "on" which leads to easier candid moments of just being together. My goal is to capture your connection to each other and that happens more easily in your own home!
#3 You love your home.
Yes, the outdoors and beautiful fall leaves can be beautiful. But none of that beats the place you had your babies, built a life, and raised a family. Your home holds so many wonderful memories of your life. It deserves to be apart of your story.
#4 You don't have the stress of getting everyone to a location.
Bringing kids to a location (filled with grass and dirt) can be stressful. You have to pack bags and make sure you bring plenty of snacks and bug spray. You have to get them there and keep them clean. (for in home shoots, we welcome the mess). It can be extra stressful doing all of this between naps and feeding schedules. Being in your own home allows for more flexibility.
#5 You live out in the country.
Let me come to you! I travel for sessions frequently, so I am happy to travel to you. If it's over 90 mins of a drive, I do charge a travel fee. But it's worth it to be able to stay home in your cozy environment and just be with your family. There is nothing more peaceful or enjoyable. Plus, the results in your film and or photos will be evident!
If you are considering an in-home photography session or a family film, I would LOVE to chat with you!
How to feel comfortable during your in-home family film + photography session | with Nashville Family Photographer Jennie Pyfferoen
Are you hesitant to book your family’s film and photography session because it sounds uncomfortable and vulnerable? Are you waiting for the “right time”?
I know that little voice… The one that says:
“I need to lose 10 pounds.”
“My house isn’t good enough.”
“My family is pure chaos.”
“Maybe next year…”
Here are my 5 tips to enjoy your family session. Shocker... it's going to be WAY easier than you expect.
#1 The best sessions feel like you're doing
nothing special.
They feel like you're a boring family with nothing special to film. But that couldn't be further from the truth. The BEST family films are with families who just hang out together for a few hours. Many people can overthink it. Or they compare themselves to another one of my films and say something like "we don't bake together" ... I'm here to tell you, if your family doesn't bake, I sure hope you don't for the session! Because that's NOT your family's story! I want to know what YOU do as a family. Maybe all you do is hang out on the floor. There is magic in EVERY moment. and I'm your girl to capture it!
#2 If you feel awkward, you can always move with your family!
Maybe for you, it's dance parties. For some, it's wrestling on the ground! Whatever it is, do that! It takes your mind off of the camera and gives you something you usually do together that is fun and easy to capture candid moments.
#3 Don't over think.
I know it can be hard for some, but really let go of any vision or ideas that lead to over thinking. Just be together, it's TRULY that simple.
#4 If there is an imperfect moment...
as there are in most sessions!... Just expect that. I will either put my camera down and let everyone rebalance. Or if the moment is right, I might capture it. Because real life involves ALL emotions. I have a degree in early childhood education and one in developmental psychology. Im VERY aware of kids' emotions and have zero judgment. I come to you with an open heart and a camera.
#5 Your kids do not care
Your kids do not care about your weight or if the house gets a million reshares on pinterest. Do this for them and not for social media. In 15 years, they will treasure this immensely. Just yesterday, I had a moment alone in the car to sit with my emotions. My mother will be in heaven now for nearly 17 years and I was thinking about how I would give anything to have video + audio of her laugh, her voice. If I could just feel her boney hug. I miss her like crazy. That's what your kids will feel in 30 years. Give them that. Contact me and let's talk about what memories you cherish in this season!
4 Memories every family wants to remember
I film a lot of families in MANY seasons of life. But at the end of it all, what are the 4 MOST important memories families want to remember?
1. Those first few weeks with your newborn.
This time is the MOST fleeting. Mom and Dad are tired and the job of having a newborn is heavy. Lots of diapers and feedings and trying to figure out how to soothe this new little person. It's a blur and a whirlwind. Trying to remember those first weeks is really hard. You mainly remember the exhaustion and diaper explosions. So, how can we do what we can to remember? We can film it. We can slow down and do as little as possible and try to soak it up. We can take a lot of photos, too.
2. Baking Together.
SO many of my clients bake with their children. If you don't do this as a family, please don't think you need to! But for the families who do, its a favorite memory! They love the messes and giggles and the mishaps. But what they love most, is the time spent together, making food together. It's their heritage and part of their family culture.
3. Dance Parties
Living in Nashville, I see so many music oriented families. So, naturally dance parties are apart of many family cultures here! and they make amazing photos and video. They love wanting to relive their dance parties together, seeing the joys and uninhibited forms of themselves. I LOVE capturing families singing and dancing together. It's the most candid joy I see in my client sessions.
4. The Sound of their laugh.
This is the most meaningful of all. My mother passed away in 2007 and I have zero video or audio of her. What I would not GIVE to relive her laugh. Mimicking her laugh does not do it justice and I would be SO happy to see my boys experience her loud cackle. At every family film, I aim to capture as much audio and laughter as possible.
Nashville Family Photographer | Full Circle: Maternity, Birth, Newborn Photography + Videography For The Lush Family
Any time a client hires me to photograph their family or create a video of their family, I am BEYOND honored. I know that's cliche, but its also HONEST. But when a family hires me more than once a year (I have several who do!) its just a compounded emotion. I bond with my clients, its the perk of my job. We become friends. We chat parenting and exchange wisdom. Anytime Malary has had a baby, she has hired me for maternity, newborn, baby and family photography. Once I added film, she began to get films too... for newborn/family sessions... But now I offer birth videography and photography, so she added that 😂😂😂 Which was AMAZING.
When I'm with The Lush Family, I feel their bond - these boys are SO closely bonded. I feel their love and passion for raising a close knit family. I feel the power of a mother who is determined to have the best damn life together. I feel her sentimental nature and love for things meaningful.
I think I did a great job of creating films that brought them back to this very moment in time. What it was like during her labor and delivery (film will not be posted) and what it was like to have a newborn baby boy, baby #5. I think the boys will rewatch it and remember what it was like, too. Im starting to get emotional when Im with them, because her oldest is starting to morph into a teenager and I can see it is around the corner. I tell her to hold on to him, he is changing. Little Wyatt is almost gone, and in his place will be a man looking child 😂 Its a sad and beautiful transition.
Let's walk through The Lush Family sessions from this year.
Here is a sneak peek from Malary's Birth:
Newborn Film:
The Lush Family | June 2023 | Short Version from Jennie Pyfferoen on Vimeo.
Photos from their Newborn Family Photography and Film Session:
Nashville Birth Photographer + Videographer | The Birth of Josiah Shepherd
On Sunday, May 21st, I had the honor of filming and photographing the most gorgeous nighttime birth.
Malary was slightly passed due - which is her normal - She had gone to her son's baseball games that afternoon and contracted all the way through. That evening, her husband called me that things were moving fast. Given it's her fifth boy, I thought it could go very fast. I headed out around 8 pm and slightly sped the whole way. Her midwives - The Sara's - Sarah Fuqua and Sara Rosser - were there and ready.
When we got there, Malary was her usual self between contractions. Grabbing her kids for one last photo and managing everyone ?
After a bit, things got more and more intense. Between her husband and assisting midwife, she was managing pain well. Sarah rolled some oils on her back and helped her rock her hips which seemed to help a lot with her contractions. She got into the tub!
From there, things were frustrating for Malary. Baby wasn't coming out as quickly as we would expect. She had a lot of pain and was really expressing her frustration. They moved her to the bed and she was pushing VERY hard. Baby had shoulder dystocia and was kind of stuck, but thanks to amazing midwives, baby came out well! It was a hard delivery for Malary, but everything turned out beautifully.
Her Homebirth team rallied around her and helped her get comfortable and nursing right away. We all commented on this baby and how big he was. Malary said "ha! Michael's mom said he would be 10 lbs" and I said "we might wanna weigh him first!"
Sure enough, he was TEN POUNDS! her biggest baby yet!!!
You just never know how birth will go, even if you have had many babies!
Her birth film is remaining private, but is the BEST one I have ever created.
Here are a few images Malary was okay sharing.
I would LOVE to capture your home birth! Let's connect!
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The Birth of Beckham Ryan
I received Joy's call around 5 AM that it was time to head her way. She lives about 1 hour and 15 mins away from me. Im on the west side of Nashville and she lives east of nashville, so I had worried about traffic... but she went into labor at the most perfect time. No traffic at all. I drove during sunrise to meet her and her birth team at her home. This would be her 2nd home birth and 2nd newborn baby boy. Her country home is truly way out of town. Her beautiful farm house was so peaceful when I arrived, that I decided to include it in her birth film. The sun was coming up and the birds were chirping. It was such a peaceful morning - which ended up being a predictor of exactly how her birth atmosphere would be.Joy was laboring and her doula, Chelsey Fischer, was at her side when I arrived. Occasionally, her husband would swap places. Joy made little noise during this part of her laboring. She just has a quiet nature. You could feel the trust and knowing in the room. That things would be good and beautiful. The word I have used to describe Joy's birth has been PEACE. and I knew I had to find a song that really reflected that and helped you - the reader or viewer - feel that sense of peace we all felt in that room.Her midwives, Nova Birth Services, were there but giving her plenty of space to labor peacefully. They would check the baby's heart rate occasionally but mainly watched from a distance. I love midwives that just let birth do its thing. This was my first birth with Nova, and I really loved their vibe!During Joy's home birth, her older son was being fed and entertained by a sweet neighbor. But he did come into the room a few times and once to get a shower. I love capturing the entirety of the story. Capturing where he was during that time, him coming in to hug his momma between contractions. As well as him coming out of the shower. And then of course, we filmed him meeting his baby brother! He had the sweetest reaction.Joy began making some small noises and I knew something shifted. She delivered her new baby boy in just a few pushes and she had the most peaceful reaction to his birth. (I'm telling you - the word peace was there the entire time!)Afterwards, the midwives let her and baby just be for a while. Another beautiful part of home birth. They sat in the warm birth tub together and had their first nursing session while letting his cord pulse for a while. A first for me with this birth was the "floating placenta" where the placenta is placed in a little device and just floats in the tub with mom and baby.After some time, they cut the cord and daddy was able to hold Beckham for the first time. I love capturing this moment. He has been patiently watching and waiting and now he gets his moment of REALLY meeting his son for the first time! Such a magical moment.Then they transitioned Joy to the bed and she ate. They all hung out there for a while. And the midwives communicated that she could do that as long as she wanted. and then whenever she was ready, they would weigh baby and do the newborn exam. We all just kind of hung out together for a long time talking and laughing. I love home birth so much.If you are thinking about having your birth filmed and photographed, I would love to chat with you!
The Birth of Beckham Ryan | June 9, 2023 from Jennie Pyfferoen on Vimeo.
