September Sunset + Swim

September 11, 2021 // Ocean City, NJ

As I sit here writing, my fingers feel like ice pops after walking the dog on this freezing morning, but my heart is warmed by the images from this day and the memory of the way the sun dazzled across the water during this one hour family session. September (aka locals’ summer) is hard to beat in Ocean City because the humidity and crowds die down and makes room for some of the most beautiful sunsets of the year. In the hours before this session, the wind picked up significantly and I was crossing my fingers that we’d still be able to have our session. But as luck would have it, the wind was blocked by the dunes at our chosen spot, and it turned out to be one of my favorite sessions of the entire summer.

My absolute favorite way to photograph families is by getting in the water with them. There is something that is so joyful and freeing that comes with floating along or playing or jumping in and out of the water, and I find that the most genuine moments happen when people are enjoying themselves so much, they forget I’m there. Photographic storytelling requires so much more than just clicking the shutter in front of something pretty. There is a lot of careful observation to details, relationships, and personalities that direct my eye to the most important elements of the story. It takes practice and a great deal of intention to photograph with your heart, to develop storytelling in a way that is authentic to the actual events taking place, and to make images of people that reflect the tiny details that make them one unique individual on a planet with billions of others.

Although this session took place just a few months ago, the weather is evidence that seasons change and time passes quickly when we’re busy and not paying attention. No matter what season, real life deserves to be documented and I’m so grateful this family chose me to document theirs.