I don’t really want to say that anyone had a great pandemic, but Shannon and Jason came as close as it gets when they purchased their amazing downtown Raleigh condo and adopted their sweet pup Frasier. Their patio view is just incredible and they’re within walking distance to everything, but maybe the icing on the cake is that they can hear all of the Red Hat concerts and have the best seat for fireworks. BUT if they didn’t want to hang out on their own patio, they can also go up to their condo building’s patio, which is equally incredible. They enjoy everything that the city has to offer and love walking to restaurants and around the little neighborhoods downtown. And the best part is that Frasier enjoys every bit of this. Frasier is their tiny pup who is SO adorable and very smol and sweet. Frasier is obsessed with Shannon and Jason. He follows them everywhere. He gives them non-stop adoring stares. He panicked for the two seconds that they went into a room without him. He climbs on top of them and looks super pleased with himself. Frasier is living his absolute best life, and so are Shannon and Jason. I’m so happy for them and their newfound home in the city! Thank you guys for having me out to documenting your life and love.

Jen+Jon+Declan

If I ever tell you that I watched some weird horror movie recently but mostly talked about the themed food that accompanied it, chances are these were the other people involved. The best of those situations, in my opinion, was when we made assorted deviled eggs for the Easter horror movie about a giant killer bunny, and the worst was when we tried to put spaghetti in a plastic brain mold for Halloween Ends. They can’t all be winners. Jon makes amazing fried pickles, and Jen makes the best charcuterie boards. And there to pick up all the pieces that we drop on the floor, is SamSam, their… black… golden retriever? Long haired black lab? Fuzzy doggo butt? I don’t know what breed SamSam is but she is extremely cute and extremely fuzzy and likes to boop you on the leg with her nose when she doesn’t feel like she’s getting her fair share of snacks. SamSam LOVES it when Declan is around because Declan is a primary floor-snack source. I love it when Declan is around because he’s just plain funny and adorable. Usually he makes me food in his play kitchen, but during this photoshoot I was introduced to candle-sniffing Declan, which is apparently his favorite Target shopping activity. He takes a candle, opens it, sniffs it extremely dramatically with a scrunched-up nose face, and then runs over to you so that you can do the same thing. He’s precious. Then he smartly puts the candle in his Target shopping cart and off he goes. These folks are truly incredible people and friends, and I’m happy to photograph them again. Oh, and if you’re looking for a dose of Dad humor, Jon runs the best Dadstagram there is.

Kid sized Target shopping cart
Kid shopping with mini Target shopping cart toy
At home Target store setup for kids
At home Target store setup for kids
At home Target store setup for kids
In-home documentary lifestyle family photography in Raleigh
In-home documentary lifestyle family photography in Raleigh
Kid serving parents food at Target store in-home
Long haired black labrador dog
At home Target store setup for kids
In-home documentary lifestyle family photography in Raleigh
Kid smelling a candle
Kid smelling a candle
Kid holding a candle out for you to smell
Lifestyle photographers in Raleigh
Kid holding out a candle for a dog to smell
Child offering you a candle
Kid putting on his socks
Parents helping child put on his shoes
Family Christmas card on porch
Family Christmas card on porch
Family Christmas card on porch outtake
Family Christmas card on porch
Kid running through the grass
Parents throwing leaves with a child in the yard
Parents throwing leaves with a child in the yard
Parents throwing leaves with a child in the yard
Dad tossing son up in the air during family photos in Raleigh
Dad tossing son up in the air during family photos in Raleigh
Kid holding a stick during Raleigh family photographs
Dog chewing on a stick in the yard
Mother and son portraits
Mom spinning toddler son around
Mom kissing toddler on the cheek
Toddler with electricity hair
Toddler holding stick
Toddler walking with his dad holding his hand
Toddler holding his dad's hand and walking
Family neighborhood walk in Raleigh
Family neighborhood walk in Raleigh
Kid sitting on Dad's shoulders
Kid sitting on Dad's shoulders
Kid sitting on Dad's shoulders
Toddler going on walk with parents
Toddler going on walk with parents
Family portraits outside in autumn
Family portraits outside in autumn
Family portraits outside in autumn
Raleigh family photographer
Raleigh family photographer
Artsy family photographers in Raleigh
Artsy family photographers in Raleigh
Kid running through his yard during family portraits
Kid running through his yard during family portraits
Toddler hugging his dad
Toddler hugging his dad
Dad carrying toddler
Raleigh family portraits in the fall
Black long haired dog with tennis ball
Black long haired dog with tennis ball
Black long haired dog with tennis ball catches ball
Black long haired dog with tennis ball
Family portrait in Raleigh with dog
Woman kisses dog in portrait
Toddler laughing on the grass
Mom carrying her son across the yard
Couple laughing with fall leaves
Black and white couple laughing
Couple laughing with the fall leaves
Kid carrying pumpkin at family photos
Kid carrying pumpkin at family photos
Kid carrying pumpkin at family photos
Kid carrying pumpkin at family photos

Ohhh, I had SO much fun with this family! This is one of those cases where my client warns me repeatedly about how awkward and terrible they’ll be in front of the camera, but they end up being total naturals and the easiest people to work with. They were fantastic. Deidre, Eric and I clicked immediately – they have great senses of humor and appreciate the same great things in life like video games and Starbursts. Braelyn, however, took some convincing. Lucky for me, she adores her parents and they have zero qualms about turning her upside down, so we did get her to smile at them (before she remembered I was there). And she has THE cutest smile. Plus she’s like a baby savant. I knew she was only 1, so the chances of her walking were not great yet, but Eric set her down and she ran across the room like a little crazy person. Then she was shooting hoops with ease! And taking apart and putting back together my lens caps with incredible fine motor skills! She’s a smaaaart little baby. And so, so, so cute, just like her adorable parents. So happy to have done the first family photos for this great crew!