Around Our Clocks: 9AM | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

Sometimes I have the luxury of an extended moment to shoot a scene. While telling a story in a single image is wonderful in its own way, I also love the variety that comes with a series. I can find different angles/perspectives and choose different elements of the story to focus on.

Here is a typical morning at 9am in our house (no surprise, we're still in our pajamas). My son enjoys feeding our hamster by hand (despite being bitten a couple of times!) And I wanted to capture this part of our routine.

This post is part of a collaborative documentary photography blog circle called Around Our Clocks. We're documenting a day in our life over the course of one year.  Continue the circle by visiting Fort Collins Family Photographer Betty Berg.

Want to learn how to document your own family's day-to-day?  Check out 4 Steps to Stop Time and Savor the Moment with Your Family.  It's a simple and fun plan for documenting your family's life with beautiful photographs.

Around Our Clocks: 8am | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

Mornings have been fun, if a little chaotic, around here lately. Without the pressure (yet) of needing to be at work on time, I'm able to indulge a bit in the fun of trying to capture the messy, sometimes harried business of getting a three year old out of bed, with clean teeth and a somewhat balanced breakfast, to school on time. Pair that with a baby who doesn't have a predictable schedule yet and who's still not sure if he likes car rides all that much and you've got a mama who's ready to pull her hair out by 8am some mornings.  And that's saying nothing of remembering to feed the cats and let the dog outside.

In the midst of the chaos and sometimes constant urging to hurry, though, I'll get the sweetest nuggets of life. A glimpse into my older son's budding personality in the form of an observation that seems beyond his three years. Or in an unexpected, unconditional grin from my two month old, who doesn't hold a grudge even when I leave him fussing to tend to his brother. 

I don't know how I'll keep my sanity when maternity leave is over, though I know it will work out somehow. For now, I'll just keep trying to preserve these little moments of childhood and parenthood for as long as I can.

This post is the first of the "Around Our Clocks" documentary blog circle, which features a group of photographers documenting an entire day over the course of one year. Please continue the circle by visiting Petra Silie's blog to view her "8am" post.

These are real-life moments. Ones that I want to remember and ones that i love preserving for other families too. Learn more about my family documentary sessions here. And sign up for my newsletter below to receive tips for documenting your own family.