Anna Nodolf | Documentary Family Photographer

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backyard summer mini sessions

Sometimes, when I hang out with my friends, I bring my camera.

Not all the time, because I love to soak in all the hangs without focusing on something else (and when I take pictures, I am fully in photographer mode, analyzing the scene and thinking real hard. Trying to tell the best story with the most interesting, artful composition takes FOCUS.

But on this day, in the summer of 2019, I went to my friend Jamie’s house with my camera in tow. Looking back at these pictures makes me so happy that I did, because I had no idea that for the next year plus, we wouldn’t be able to play in each other’s homes with such freedom and abandon as we did then.

There’s just something so powerful about summer that turns the most mundane things into a joyous occasion, like folding laundry or watering the lawn. Of course, the kids were watered more than the grass on this particular occasion.

I truly believe that every moment in life is worth documenting. I am still taking photos of our life even though it has looked much different in the past year. I do value those memories and images as well. But there is something soul rejuvenating about looking through photos of the before. It makes me think, whether quarantined or not, I want to squeeze out of this life every single drop of goodness I possibly can. These photos remind me that I have and I am doing just that.

This is what I want my photos of your family to do for you. To remind you when you look back on these years that you loved your life, that you gave your family and yourself everything you had and more.

Love your photographer,

Anna

see more backyard summer mini sessions

See this gallery in the original post

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