H Family | Kettle Cove | Cape Elizabeth, Maine | Maine Family Photographer | Stepheney Collins Photography

I have a confession to make. Lately I’ve been feeling a shift in my work. I find myself being drawn to more real and true to life images over ones that are posed or heavily directed by me. This is because my main goal at my family sessions is to create images that feel true to who you are as a family. I want you to be able to relax, let go, and have fun spending time with your family. I want you to be able to trust that I’ve got the photography part handled, and that even when it doesn’t seem like I’m getting anything good, I assure you I actually am. I’ll be right there with you, ready to capture all the moments that unfold as we spend some time adventuring and exploring. From sloppy kisses on the nose to kiddos running away down the beach to babies eating sand to toddler meltdowns, I am there to capture it all. All of those things tell your story of now, and they all deserve to be documented.  

The session I’m sharing on the blog today is a special one, not only because of the people, but also because these images feel real to me. Katy and Ryan and Miles always show up to their sessions ready to just be. And this is such a gift to me, the photographer, who is there to document them as they are in that moment. It’s hard to believe that 3 years ago (to the day almost!) I photographed Katy at Kettle Cove for her maternity session. I feel so incredibly lucky to have been photographing her and her family ever since. Here are a few of my faves from their session this year.