Just a couple months ago I was contacted by Lynsey who was looking for a photographer who could document the moments at a family reunion she had arranged at the cutest Airbnb in Grapevine. Seriously, it was adorable! She immediately thought of me, having heard about me from her best friend Leaha, who I happily call one of my best-friends and my mentor. It was pretty cool that she thought of me, and remembered that I was located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. With Lynsey, and most of her family traveling in from other states, and even out of the country, a rented house was the perfect choice!

During our phone conversation prior to officially meeting face-to-face, we had discussed the importance of family and how everyone was coming together at the same time for this reunion. We also talked about honoring her grandparents, and how important they were in her life. Lynsey mentioned she was wanting a more candid approach to the day. While we started off with group family portraits, the majority of the day involved me being a fly on the wall, or getting close with her family and making them comfortable with my camera. Photographing moments in a more candid way brings life and story to the image.

While this might be the first candid family session you’ve seen on my website, it won’t be the last. I feel so incredibly thankful to have been allowed into the lives of this family, even for just a day. They welcomed me in with open arms, thanked me for being there and gave me some of the best hugs I’ve ever received. These are genuine people, living life together, and who haven’t forgotten where they come from.

Lynsey, thank you for thinking of me and having me out to document the life and love your family has to offer.

Jessica