As I dive into more Vermont family photography, I’m quickly learning that documenting families as they grow is one of my very favorite things to do (read about the Higgins’ other sessions here!).

Saying, “It is an honor that a family trusts me to capture their memories,” sounds beyond cheesy, and I cringe as I type it… but it is so true; as a mom, I am intimately familiar with what a big deal it is to capture fleeting moments exactly as they are. Building relationships is what photography is all about, and I will never, ever take for granted that I can be with the same two people from engagement through their wedding, maternity, newborn, and growing their family.

One of my favorite things about my photography journey so far is also one of the least expected: It has brought so many people back into my life! Mattea and I lived together for a few years in college, and after graduation, she moved out of Vermont with her husband, who is in the Air Force. She reached out, and we reconnected before their trip home to visit her parents.

We met up at The Ferry Watch Inn, which is right across from her parent’s house here in Vermont. This is a special place for them (and it is a great intimate wedding venue as well!).

We started the session at her parent’s house (hi pup!!) and then used our walk over to the barn to get comfy, catch up, and get their little guy used to a clicking camera. Luckily, Mattea also does some photography, so he was already somewhat used to it! It only took a few seconds to get him smiling and saying, “take a picture of this!”

Pro photographer tip: if you want a family session to go well, get the kiddos happy and excited about the camera!

View the full gallery here and learn more about Vermont family photography sessions here.