As time goes by on my photography journey, I feel increasingly overwhelmed by how much I still have to learn.  And there are times when I realize that I haven’t picked up my camera in a couple of weeks to take pictures of my own family, as I’m busy editing photos I’ve done for clients.  I absolutely LOVE getting to take photos for other families, meeting all those personalities and then the challenge of capturing real moments during our time together.  That said, lately the images that are grabbing my attention when I scroll through pinterest, flip through magazines and browse blogs are the documentary ones.  The ones that are messy and real and seem to scream at me, “You’re missing these ones!”  As a lifestyle photographer, I adore real emotion and quirks, and it brings so much joy to frame those with glowing light and clean backgrounds.  What I’ve ended up missing are the personal moments that happen in disgusting light with my endlessly tornado-stricken surfaces surrounding them.  It was too heavy for me to try and pick up my camera in those times (which, let’s be honest, was most of the time).  I wanted to clean up first.  I wanted the kids in cuter outfits first.  I wanted to move the action to our best light first.

So, to kick myself right out of that safe place, I signed up for a class.  That’s what I do.  When life is super busy, I’m co-leading a moms’ group at church, buying a house, preparing to move, raising four very needy kids (every child in the world would fit into that category, by definition of being a dependent),  doing my photography business…. well, that’s when I sign up to take a class.  In actuality, there is never a good time.  Life is always busy.  And this is important.

The title of the class is “The Documentary Approach,”, taught by Jessica Thomason (http://jessicathomason.com/) through Click Photo School.  We’re just finishing up week three of our four week class, and this week’s assignment was to do a DITL (Day in the Life).  This meant sleeping with my camera beside my bed so that from the very first moment, I wasn’t missing a thing.  Except lunch, naptime, and pretty much meal times in general.  I missed those. But here is what I did capture.  Our typical Friday.

This past weekend, my husband and I traveled down to Southern California, Dana Point to be exact, to celebrate my in-laws 50th wedding anniversary.  First off, let’s process the fact that I just wrote the words “50th.  Wedding.  Anniversary.”  In a day and age when marriage is endangered, I feel as if Hyatt and I have earned some elite status by conquering/surviving 12 years of marriage.  Now let’s add another 38 years to that.  My own parents achieved 40 years in August.  Hyatt’s grandparents were married for 74 years.  We’re following in some strong marriage footsteps and learning from some committed and loving people and I’m feeling blessed.  Second, I said that my husband and I traveled down.  To be completely accurate, we traveled along with our 4.5 year old son, Hyatt V, which means that we did NOT travel with our other three children.  Which means that we had a whole team of amazing friends back at home loving on our kids while we were away.  I’m feeling blessed.  Third, I said that we celebrated.  What that means is that we gave some assistance in a big party that Mom and Dad Moore threw at their own home with friends they have collected in their 50 years.  We had the chance to visit, listen to stories, look at photos, eat food and bask in the wonder of 50 years, 5 children, and 16 grandchildren.  I’m feeling blessed to get to be part of this incredible family.  Here are a few photos from the celebration, ending with a couple of tired little boys who survived a very full day.