3 Reasons I Love Photographing Families Before the Sun Comes Up
I love the rich golden hour glow as much as the next person, but when I say that early morning in-home photography sessions hold an absolute, undiluted magic, I say it with all my heart.
Here are the top three reasons why I love arriving at a family session before even the sun is awake:
1. Morning Snuggles
There's something about a child stumbling out of bed and somehow managing, through the eye rubs, to find a parent's lap and curl up inside it. It's more than dead weight in your lap--it's like their bodies have a gravitational pull to yours. Through the chit-chat conversations, whispered songs, and snuggle kisses, they sink deeper and deeper into you as they slowly wake back up into the world. For a few moments, it's as if you were one being. These moments are sacred for both parent and child, and that depth reads through powerfully in photographs.
2. Start-of-the-Day Routines
The gentle pace of the morning combined with the natural series of events creates an interesting variety of photos. In a short period of time, we get to document morning snuggles, making and eating breakfast, getting dressed and ready for the day, playing scattered throughout, and a sendoff to those who leave for work or school. As we capture your family's start-of-the-day routines, we capture the story of your togetherness and the love you infuse into each other in preparation for the hours apart.
3. Undiluted Relationships
The longer you're awake, the more hustle and bustle sneaks in. You're fielding phone calls, shuttling kids around, and getting lost in the various to-do's of the day. But for those first few moments of the day, you share sleepy-eyed smiles without the influence of anything else. The space between the walls of your homes are filled with uninterrupted love. And that's where the real magic comes in, because we are capturing your family in its purest form.
Bonus: Less Fuss
Okay, I had to include just one bonus reason I love early morning family sessions: there is quite literally no fuss to them.
It's first thing in the morning! Bed head is to be expected. Pajamas are always wrinkled. There is no crazed rush of getting everyone dressed and ready and out the door before we lose all daylight. I will handle the role of getting there on time, and the only thing you and your family are responsible for is just being your full and complete selves. With that pressure of perfection relieved, the natural smiles, interactions, and love follows. And I promise you, it shows in the photos every time.
Check out these photos below and see for yourself!
