2019 was a big year of growth for me as a photographer.  I participated in a six month mentorship program with some super talented/badass female photographers, started two photography projects that I’m currently shooting, placed in the “top ten” of two different cycles of the Documentary Family Awards, and January 10 marks the opening of a juried exhibition into which one of my photographs was accepted and awarded “Honorable Mention” (one of five awards out of the 44 photographs who were accepted to the exhibit).  But more than that, I’ve connected with people all over the world who share a similar love and passion for documentary family photography.  This was the first time I participated in a mentorship program and I learned so much from the incredible work of the women participating with me.  The connections/friendships made over the Internet makes up for all its negative parts, and every time I see their work flash across my screen, I can instantly see so much of them in their art.  They’ve made me a better photographer and a better human.

These 10 images, a mix of travel, my family, personal projects, and client work represent my year as a documentary family photographer. Each one speaks to my heart, capturing imperfect, beautiful, real life.

Berber Woman

While driving from Marrakech to the Sahara desert in Merzouga, Morocco, we had tea with a local Berber family.  In Marrakech, we met a guide who told us that we should ask to have tea with a Berber family, as there are some tourist attractions in the south where tourists can have tea with a nomadic family and learn their customs.  Something got lost in translation, and when we asked our guide, Ali, if we could have tea with a Berber family, we literally went to the house of a family, not a tourist attraction.  He went into a shop for a few minutes, spoke to the owner, and he led us to a driveway and the house of a multigenerational family who spoke no English and no Arabic, only Berber and French.  We went inside, took off our shoes, and sat on the floor.  Not knowing what we were looking for, the grandfather of the house began showing us his collection of tools and a silver belt.  It was honestly the highlight of the trip for me, a happy accident, and while we were there I took this photo of the eldest woman of the house.  Even in her old age and not understanding a word she was saying, I could see her beauty and her strength, and I can see it in her photo.

Head in the Sand

13-year-old Jackson plays in the sand, burying his head on the first weekend of summer.  The first visits to the beach are usually cold and windy.  But this gorgeous day in May was a gift to our thawing out hearts, having endured the painfully long winter.  You see, in New Jersey, the season of Spring is a myth.  We go from cold wet weather to a warm, hot, humid summer.  There is very little in between.  When that first beautiful day comes around, one can’t help himself but go a little wild.

Communion

In the Christian faith, Jesus teaches that “when one or more gather in my name, there I will be.”   A small group of church members gathers in a home to participate in a passover celebration, learn about Jesus’ last meal, and take communion together.  For them, this practice does not require a church building and fancy cups.  On the surface, it looks very simple.  But the symbolism and deep connection experienced during communion is far deeper than what appears.

Baptism

As part of my project exploring faith and Christianity in the modern day, I got in the water with dozens of adults and kids who had chosen to publicly display their faith through baptism.  Each one stood up in front of their others and shared their stories of faith, tragedy, triumph, and peace.  There were at least 100 people behind me on the beach, lined up cheering toward heaven to see this beautiful miracle in front of them.  There was a man on the beach skim boarding, asking what was happening.  When they told him they were doing ocean baptisms, he walked in the water and asked to be baptized.  The first man baptized on this day was not a church goer.  He didn’t share his testimony.  He didn’t take a class.  And after a few words exchanged between pastor and surfer, he heard the same words as the woman in this photo, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit” before the ceremonious dip into the water.

Annabel, the Wild One

On her third birthday (her “three-esta”), Annabel takes first swing at her piñata with her cousins eagerly waiting their turn to swing the bat.  She may be the little, but she attacks life with gusto, and her birthday celebration was no exception.  As the youngest of five grandchildren, she’s the only girl.  As my niece, she is the closest I will ever come to having a daughter.  It’s funny to me how people are born with their personalities, and from day one, this little girl was sweet and happy, but made her presence (and opinions) known.  In some ways, she is so much like her mother (my sister) that it makes me love her even more.

A Marriage

During a photo shoot for a press release prior to the album release for his band, Indian Run, Shane gets a minor adjustment to his shirt by his wife, Morgan.  We were getting set to shoot by a window and play with some light, when this authentic moment occurred, her gentle hand making a minor adjustment.  And that’s how marriage should be, someone looking out for you, the kind of person who quietly alerts you to the spinach stuck in your teeth, when your zipper is down, or when your shirt just isn’t quite proper for a photo.

The Northern Lights

Jackson, my oldest son, and I sat under a midnight sky in late September on a farm in Iceland, watching lights dance across the sky.  This was one of those moments that defined an era for me.  Next year, he will be in high school and things are changing quickly, just like the green, flickering, dancing lights across the dark night.  The northern lights appeared bright and beautiful, a spectacle I never imagined I could see with my own eyes, and so much more incredible than any photograph could capture.  And then the lights faded.  They were still there, showing up across the sky, but not nearly as close as the amazing show we got when we first arrived on the farm.  It’s how I feel about motherhood in this stage.  We’ve had this dazzling, close up dance for so long, but at 14, now it’s fading.  We’re still there, still close by.  But he’s getting ready to dance off into the unknown, into far away places . . . because that’s how it’s all supposed to work, isn’t it?

87 Candles

“Pops” (as he is known in our family) looks on as his five great-grandchildren get the first swipe at his birthday cake on his 87th birthday. Even though he is the patriarch of his family, Pops still has to share his candles with the little ones, sometimes relighting the candles multiple times so everyone gets a turn to blow them out.

Tye and Kayla

Tye looks up at his older sister, Kayla, as she shakes off nerves before the Homecoming game where she will be one of the lead cheerleaders and a member of the Homecoming court, vying for the position of queen.  I met Kayla when she was six years old.  I remember Tye’s mom sharing the news of her (very) unexpected pregnancy with her son over 10 years ago.  Seeing the way he looks up to her is such a representation of their relationship as siblings, and you can see in his eyes, he really does adore her.

Peter Pan

Backstage during the dress rehearsal of their play, Peter Pan, one of the lost boys sits waiting for his moment to be called on stage.  Peter Pan is a story so close to my heart.  It’s the first Disney movie my boys watched.  At age 3 on our first visit to Disney World as a family of 5, Jackson wore a Peter Pan costume everyday.  Carter obliged kindly to wear Captain Hook’s.  Little did I know back then, Carter’s path to finding his way through the world would take a few unexpected turns.  School was a struggle and we did our best to help him, which included homeschool for a two year period.  And starting a new school (one with a theater program) was a different struggle, but a good one.  Every year, his school mates and teachers work for six months on their school production, and in 2019, the play was Peter Pan.  It was so fitting for Carter to be a lost boy, some of his favorite characters in the story.  Except now, it’s fair to say he’s found.

This collection is a perfect representation of my year as a photographer.  I’m so grateful for the connections I made in 2019 and looking forward to the opportunities ahead in 2020!