Documentary vs Traditional Photography: Capturing Real Emotion in Family Sessions | Nashville Family Photographer
Documentary vs Traditional Photography: Capturing Real Emotion in Family Sessions
When it comes to choosing a photographer, families often find themselves deciding between documentary photographyand traditional photography. While both approaches are beautiful in their own way, they tell very different stories. One is focused on posed portraits and polished smiles, while the other embraces the raw, unfiltered beauty of everyday life.
As a Nashville family photographer, I’ve seen firsthand how meaningful it can be when families choose documentary day in the life sessions. Let’s explore the differences and the emotional impact that each style offers.
What is Traditional Photography?
Traditional photography is what most people think of when they imagine a family session. Think of carefully chosen outfits, everyone posed just right, and a perfect backdrop. These sessions are timeless for a reason: they create polished, frame-worthy portraits that look beautiful hanging on the wall.
There’s comfort in the structure of traditional sessions. You’ll have guidance on where to stand, how to smile, and what to wear. For families who want that classic “holiday card” look, traditional photography is a perfect choice.
What is Documentary Photography?
Documentary photography takes a different approach. Instead of directing your family into poses, I step back and capture life as it unfolds naturally. There are no forced smiles or stiff poses, just genuine interactions, belly laughs, messy kitchens, bedtime stories, and all the little moments that make up your real life.
In a documentary family session, the goal isn’t perfection. It’s truth. The focus is on emotion and connection, not perfection. Years from now, these images remind you not just of what your family looked like, but of what life felt like.
The Emotional Difference
Here’s where the two styles truly diverge:
Traditional Photography gives you curated portraits that represent how you want your family to be seen. They’re beautiful, but sometimes they can feel a little distant from the chaos and love of everyday life.
Documentary Photography, on the other hand, gives you an emotional time capsule. When you look back at these images, you remember how your child’s hair curled at the nape of their neck, the way they hugged you with sticky fingers, or how it felt to collapse into laughter together on the living room floor.
One style is about appearance; the other is about experience.
Why Families Are Choosing Documentary Photography in Nashville
More and more families are drawn to documentary photography in Nashville because it feels real. Life isn’t always tidy and staged, and parents are realizing that those “imperfect” moments are actually the ones they want to hold onto forever.
Documentary sessions allow kids to be themselves...wild, goofy, tender, messy. Parents can relax without the pressure of making everyone look perfect, and the result is a gallery of images that feel heartfelt, authentic, and deeply personal.
So, Which One is Right for You?
At the end of the day, the choice comes down to what you want your photos to reflect:
If you want classic portraits, traditional photography is wonderful.
If you want to preserve your family’s story, emotions, and everyday beauty, documentary photography might be the perfect fit.
Both styles have their place, but only documentary photography lets you revisit not just how life looked, but how it truly felt.
If you want to book your in-home day in the life session, just contact me here!
Nashville Family Photographer | Fall Family Photos - let's capture YOUR real FALL
As a Nashville family photographer who specializes in in-home documentary photography, I’ve noticed that many families are already booking their fall family sessions. The autumn season is beautiful in Tennessee—golden light, cozy sweaters, and colorful leaves make for gorgeous sun dripped family photos.
But here’s the thing: traditional fall family photos often focus on what we looked like. They highlight the location, the outfits, the posing, the light. And while these are beautiful, they sometimes miss the deeper story.
The Problem With Posed Fall Family Sessions
When you look back at those traditional portraits, what do you see?
The way your family dressed that year.
The way the leaves turned in the background.
Maybe the way your kids smiled (or didn’t).
But what those images often don’t capture is what your life really felt like in this season.
They don’t show the home you’ve lived in for years—the coffee table that’s been part of your family story, the worn-in couch where your children pile on top of you, or the markings on the wall that measure their growth.
They don’t reflect your family’s unique rhythms—the bedtime snuggles, pancake breakfasts, backyard adventures, and little routines that shape your days.
Why In-Home Documentary Photography Is Different
This is where documentary family photography in Nashville comes in. Instead of asking your family to pose in a picture-perfect setting, I come into your home and quietly capture your real life as it unfolds.
No forced smiles. No matching outfits. No pressure to tidy every corner of your house.
Because the truth is, your children won’t remember what outfits you wore in a field of leaves. But they will remember the feel of your arms wrapping around them on the couch. They’ll remember the kitchen where you baked cookies together, the games played on the living room floor, the laughter that filled your home.
Photos That Tell Your Real Story
Your family’s story is worth remembering—not just the polished, social-media-worthy version, but the beautifully ordinary one, too. By choosing an in-home family session in Nashville, you’re saying:
Our everyday life matters.
Our home, no matter how imperfect, is part of our story.
Our children deserve to see that we were present, together, and worthy of being photographed just as we were.
Let’s Shift the Culture Around Family Photos
This fall, instead of only booking a session in a park or a pumpkin patch, consider what it would mean to invest in documentary family photography. Let’s change the way we think about family photos.
Because at the end of the day, family photography isn’t about showing the world what we looked like—it’s about reminding ourselves what it felt like to live this life, right here, right now.
If you’re ready to book your Nashville in-home family photography session, I’d love to capture the honest, unposed story of your family this fall.
Why Hiring a Birth Videographer + Photographer in Nashville is the Best Gift You Can Give Yourself
When you picture the moment you meet your baby for the very first time, you probably imagine the joy, the tears, and the rush of love. But birth also moves quickly, and those memories can blur together in the haze of labor and postpartum recovery. That’s where birth photography and videography come in.
For families in Nashville, TN, hiring a birth photographer or videographer is one of the most meaningful ways to honor your story. These images and films don’t just document a day — they preserve the beginning of everything.
Why Birth Photography Matters
Birth photography isn’t about staged smiles or posed perfection. It’s about truth, strength, and connection. Here’s why so many Nashville families choose to have their births documented:
✨You see your own strength. In the middle of labor, it’s hard to step back and realize just how powerful you are. Later, your photos and film will show you exactly that.
✨Husbands are remembered, too. From the gentle touch of a hand to the tears of joy when baby arrives, birth photography highlights your husband’s love and support.
✨The little details don’t fade. Tiny toes, the first cries, the exact moment your baby is placed on your chest — those are memories worth reliving forever.
Why Nashville Families Choose Birth Videography + Photography
Nashville is a city full of storytellers, and birth is your family’s most important story. Whether you’re delivering at a Nashville birth center or at home with your midwife, having a professional there ensures those moments are captured beautifully and respectfully.
Unlike phone photos that often get forgotten, professional images and films allow you to revisit your baby’s birth story with clarity, emotion, and artistry.
The Best Gift You Can Give Yourself
Birth is the day your family changes forever. By choosing birth photography and videography, you give yourself the gift of remembering every detail with clarity and love. Years from now, your child will be able to see the story of their very first day in the world — and the overwhelming love that surrounded them.
If you’re expecting in Nashville, TN and want your birth story preserved, I’d be honored to document it for you.
✨ Let’s connect — reach out today to learn more about Nashville birth photography and videography.
Nashville, TN Family Photographer + Filmmaker | Why Documentary Photography Captures the Truth Your iPhone Can’t
We’ve all done it—reached for our phones to snap a photo of something sweet, silly, or ordinary. A toddler covered in spaghetti sauce. Siblings collapsed in a heap of giggles. A quiet moment between parent and child. These little snapshots matter. But if you’ve ever looked back through your phone and thought, “This doesn’t quite capture how it felt,” you’re not alone.
As a documentary family photographer and Day in the Life videographer in Nashville, TN, I’ve spent years preserving family stories exactly as they unfold—without posing, prompts, or Pinterest-perfect setups. And here’s the truth:
Your iPhone may get the picture, but it misses the story.
Your Phone Freezes a Moment. I Capture the Meaning Behind It.
The beauty of real life is in the layers. A still image from your phone might show a hug, but it can’t show the tension that softened, the emotion that lingered, or the chaos just out of frame. My job is to see those things.
Through years of experience, I’ve trained my eyes—and my heart—to find truth in the ordinary. I anticipate moments before they happen. I know how to frame a scene so it’s not just beautiful but emotionally honest. I don’t just capture what’s happening; I capture why it matters.
Real Life Doesn’t Pause—and That’s Where the Magic Is
With Day in the Life videography, the power multiplies. You hear your child’s voice. The way they mispronounce “spaghetti.” The sound of their feet on hardwood floors. The laughter, the music, the chaos of dinner time—none of it is staged, and all of it is priceless.
That’s something no filter or phone can recreate.
It’s Not About Perfect. It’s About Present.
You don’t have to dress up. You don’t have to clean your house. You just have to live your life, and trust that it’s already enough. That’s where I come in—quietly observing, gently guiding if needed, and documenting your family as you are.
Because 10 or 20 years from now, you won’t care that the laundry was on the couch.
You’ll care that your daughter still reached for your hand when she got tired.
That your son called you “Mama” in that sweet baby voice.
That your partner kissed you while making coffee.
Nashville Families, This Is Your Story
I work with families across Nashville and the surrounding areas who want more than just a highlight reel. They want the full story. The love, the mess, the routine, the joy—the truth.
And I’m here to capture it for you.
Interested in a session?
Let’s talk about what a documentary photo or video session could look like for your family.
Contact me here.
Nashville Family Photographer + Videographer | The Wilkins Family say goodbye to their Tennessee Home
Erin and her family moved to Tennessee during Covid from California. They bought some acreage in West TN and started homesteading. For several years, they truly enjoyed their time in TN and their life as homesteaders. But they began to miss their community. So they decided to sell off their animals but not the home and buy a home in California to see how they like being back there. They hired me to capture their last weeks in their home here in TN on their little homestead. I loved telling that story, of their land, their bond there with the animals and the home and most importantly, with one another. I aimed to showcase the homestead life but also the joy and laughter and connection they shared in that home. They love one another hard and in between the milking of the cow and feeding of the chickens, they share a solid bond with between all of them!If you want your story told, whether it's homesteading or you live in a simple home, please reach out to me. I would LOVE to chat!
Nashville Birth Videographer + Photographer | The Birth of Indi Kate
Man, I knew filming my close friend's birth would be a super big challenge but it was even bigger than I anticipated. I thought maybe I would struggle with camera shakiness and crying when she had her baby, but it was more that I was dissociating and came home and needed to talk with doula friends to feel connected to my body again. Birth is WILD and SO deeply emotional. Even the least emotional person is likely to be highly affected. Many times, Im depressed coming off of the birth high. It's such a high high that you just naturally hit a low. and then level out. But I love every second.This was Sarah's first birth and baby. We filmed their sweet announcement of expecting a baby last year. Sarah did CrossFit her whole pregnancy and as a student midwife, did as many things as possible to prepare for birth. Going into this birth, she had a lot of muscle. We will find out that that muscle was indeed super needed for this particular birth.Her maternity session was so fun, capturing how they lived during their first time expecting a baby. How they loved listening to baby's heartbeat with a stethoscope and just enjoyed the days of Sarah having a sweet bump. Okay, let's get to the birth part already...On the day she turned 40 weeks, she got a PR on her Deadlift and then the next morning her water broke 🤣 So, maybe there's a lesson in there somewhere.🤣 She let us all know her water broke because we had Saturday plans and we weren't sure how close she was to delivering. During the day she and I and her bff went on a walk to help labor move along and ate popsicles.I stayed home and nearby and was called to go over to her house (she lives 5 mins walking distance from me). She was indeed in labor but the midwives said probably around 5 cm. I got some footage between 7-10 PM and went home to sleep. I came back the next morning around 5 am and it was really picking up and she was at 8 cm. Perfect timing. I got footage of early labor and got to sleep all night! What a dream! Sarah was hoping she would have as sunrise baby 🤣 That's high hopes for a first time mom!By 8-9 am it was very apparent that this last cm and that pushing was not going to be easy at all. She had this one last cm that just kept HANGING ON. Once baby arrived, we learned why. She also felt SO frustrated because she was honest to God pushing SO hard when it came time and it was like pushing against a brick wall.She at one point, called us all delusional for thinking she could do this at home 🤣 But the two midwives, the doula and the rest of us were all VERY confident that baby was progressing, just slowly. She was so frustrated. One of her midwives, Shannon, tells her - as you can see in the video - if you aren't making progress in the next bit, I will take you in. This was a reverse psychology threat 🤣 as she knew Sarah would get more determined than ever. Around 11:15, baby was finally born MILITARY OP position, which is the hardest position to get out. Everything then made SO much sense. This position keeps baby from fully engaging which keeps that last cm from fully opening and makes it feel SO hard to get baby out. But SARAH did it and honestly, her muscles from all the lifting made a huge difference. If she had been in a hospital she likely would have been c-sectioned.
Nashville Family Filmmaker + Photographer | Why Presence Matters More Than Posing in Family Photography
When most people think about family photo sessions, they think about one word: connection.
And yes—connection is important. It’s beautiful, it’s what we ultimately want to capture. But here’s the thing: connection doesn’t happen without presence first.
And presence? It’s harder than it sounds.
When families arrive at a session, the first instinct is often to direct.
“Smile for the camera!”
“Listen to the photographer!”
“Stand still!”
You want everything to go smoothly, and of course, you want beautiful photos. But in that rush to get it "right," something gets lost.
That something is presence—the ability to be truly with your kids, even just for a moment.
To stop managing the moment and actually experience it.
To notice the way their hair blows across their face or the way they can’t help but grin when you whisper that silly story they love.
To remember what their laugh sounds like when they’re totally free.
That’s why, in every session I lead, my job is to take the pressure off you.
You don’t need to direct. You don’t need to perform. You don’t even need to worry about whether your kids are “cooperating.”
Because when we focus on presence—when you’re grounded in being with your family instead of performing for a photo—connection shows up naturally.
And when that happens, everything else falls beautifully into place.
Ready to experience a session that’s less about posing and more about presence?
Let’s create something real together. Contact me today to book your session—your only job is to show up and be with the people you love.
Nashville Family Photographer | Stop Waiting for Perfect: Why “Now” Is the Right Time to Document Your Life
I hear it all. the. time.
“We’ll get a film when our family is complete.”
“I’ve wanted to hire you for a few years now, but I wish I could lose weight first.”
“We’ll plan a documentary session once the kitchen’s remodeled.”
“Maybe after we move into the new house…”
There’s always a next thing—a milestone we feel we need to reach before our lives are somehow “worthy” of being documented. Before we feel ready. And I get it. Really, I do. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of waiting for the “right time,” the version of life that looks cleaner, leaner, more polished.
But here’s the thing: once you get to that next thing? There's going to be another next thing.
You’ll finally move into that new house... and then you’ll want to wait until it’s fully decorated. You’ll lose ten pounds... and then decide you’d rather wait until you feel even better. You’ll finish the renovation... and realize the backyard still needs work.
Life doesn’t come with a finish line where everything is finally camera-ready. And if we keep waiting for perfect, we miss out on the beautiful, messy, real moments happening right now.
The mismatched furniture. The fingerprints on the fridge. The belly laughs and bedtime chaos. The way your child climbs onto your lap like it’s still the safest place in the world. These are the things you’ll want to remember—not just what your house looked like or what size jeans you wore.
I do this too. I catch myself thinking, “Maybe later,” all the time. But here’s what I’ve learned—and what I remind my clients:
Just book the damn thing.
Schedule the session. Make the film. Hire the photographer. Take the photos.
Because there’s never a perfect time. But there is this time. Right here. Right now. And it’s more than enough.
Ready to stop waiting and start preserving your real-life moments?
Let’s make it happen. Book your session now. Future-you will be so glad you did.
