Why On Film, With Love is back for round 2

I was in the middle of photographing the sample images for On Film, With Love, when I felt myself truly fall in love with it. Up until then, it had just been a concept, a list of supplies I needed to buy, a painter's canvas I needed to iron.

The family in front of my lens — my friend Jodi and her four beautiful kids — had spent the year going through the unimaginable, and yet here they were, laughing, loving, connecting.

When the film scans came back, I knew this little idea was something good. When Jodi sent me a text saying that it was such a gift to see the glimmers of joy in everyone's eyes, and that the photos were a reminder that they were still doing this — this hard, unfair life — together, I knew my little idea was maybe not so little after all.

Connection Over Perfection: What film teaches us about family photos

I didn't decide to make OFWL a film-only event just for the fun of it (and I definitely didn't do it because film's cheap. Spoiler alert: it's not). I wanted this to be film-only, because I believe with a passion that film is the beating heart of sincere family imagery.

Film requires certain things from me as an artist: patience, intention, trust. Film beckons me to slow down, to feel, to be more present. When I slow down, my clients slow down, too — and that's when the magic happens.

Perhaps OFWL is not so much an event as a response to a deep-down feeling that family imagery shouldn't be so complicated.

When my clients look at their images, I hope they'll not only see warmth and tenderness, but also a true version of themselves — not perfect, but deeply loved.

And then there's the unmatchable look of film. Film renders light, skin tones, and emotion in a way. It's softer, more honest, and more tangible. Film has an inherent physical nature, too: negatives, paper, texture, grain — film images were made for things we can hold and pass down, like albums, prints, folios, and heirloom wall art.

Looking ahead: How OFWL fits into the bigger picture + how to book

This limited edition event really reflects my broader approach to family photography going forward. Film is the medium, and my nostalgic heart is the guide.

OFWL is an invitation to slow down, to hold one another close, and to remember the beauty of this season as it is.

See everything your session includes and book now for Saturday, March 28 — there are fewer slots than last time, to allow for a longer session + more images.

Reserve now for 3/28