the Best of 2019 · My favorite photos from the year

Woah!! Where did 2019 go?? It’s been a wild ride, but I wouldn’t change anything!! This was the first full year that I have been in business and I’ve been so busy that I haven’t even gotten around to sharing much of my work. A very good thing to be so busy, but also a tad overwhelming as I’m still first and foremost a full-time SAHM until the fall, when all my ducks will be in school. So what have I been up to this past year?? And more importantly, why do I do what I do?? Read on to find out! I’m gonna start by giving you a glimpse into my personal life before sharing some of my professional work.

An authentic self portrait of me with my two youngest. One is climbing up the slide and the other is in the middle of the slide. I'm at the end behind a pile of leaves waiting to bury my son when he lets go and slides down. Our cat, who's always with us can be seen milling around behind the leaf pile.

Getting ready to cover my little man in leaves!! I was terrible about taking self-portraits with my family last year. As a result, I have very few photos of me hanging out with my children. So, one gorgeous fall day when I was playing in the leaves with the kids, I ran to grab my camera to take some self portraits — if you want something done, you have to do it yourself (or hire someone to do it)!!

This is one of my favorite photos from 2019. Me, my kids, and my cat just hanging out, loving life. These are the kinds of photos I make for my clients because these are the moments that I’m drawn to — the ones that give me insight about people and their relationships and their environment and their life. From this one picture I can remember that day perfectly; I can hear their giggles, smell the leaves, feel the crisp fall air… hear my husband trimming all the overgrowth just behind the swing set. And I made this one, as my youngest daughter would say, “my own self”!! Makes me so happy I’m able to make these photos not just for my clients, but also for myself. Curious how I did it? Check out my post ‘My initiative to get in the frame with my family, documentary style’.

An authentic portrait of my three children in the back of the minivan with all my oldest's stuff on the way to drop her off at college for her sophomore year. The youngest two, both still in carseats, are bored to tears while you can see the anticipation on my oldest's face.

Another personal one. My children at the end of summer. Driving my oldest to college for the start of her sophomore year. I love how her anticipation is palpable. As is the sheer & utter boredom of my littles.

My oldest started college before her siblings even entered elementary school. I try my best to document as much as I can of their time together as I worry that left to their own devices, my little ones won’t remember much from these days. I truly believe that pictures help strengthen memories.

A newlywed couple walks down the aisle of their outdoor wedding venue. Both are all smiles as the groom fist bumps a buddy on their way out.

Beyond excited to have found clients this year that trusted me to document their wedding. It was my very first and every little bit as amazing as I knew it would be! I love that I captured the groom fist-bumping a guest on their walk down the aisle as husband and wife. I seek out the little gestures like this that are so easily forgotten, but that define who we are.

Just as I suspected, weddings are like a day-in-the-life session on steroids — there’s just so much going on the ENTIRE day! A never-ending flurry of activity, excitement, love, and those beautiful little details that make life so sweet; it was a documentary photographer’s dream!

A grandfather, clutching a cane, hops on the dance floor to dance with his granddaughter, wearing a jean jacket over her wedding gown, toward the end of her wedding reception.

One more from the wedding, quite possible my favorite from the day. On his way out, Grandpa joined in on the dance floor. Up until this point I had only gotten a ‘stop & smile’ photo of the bride with her grandfather. I couldn’t be happier that he joined in on the dance floor and I was able to take an authentic portrait of the two of them sharing a moment together.
🎶 It might sound crazy but it ain’t no lie, baby bye bye bye! 🎶

A one year old boy hugs his mini blue monster cake at his first birthday party.

What’s a year without a birthday party?! This little cutie turned one this past year and I was there to photograph all the things. He was honestly more interested in hugging his sweet, blue monster cake than eating it.

Unfortunately, one set of grandparents were unable to make it for his special day. Even though they couldn’t be there, I worked hard to make sure they were still a part of this little guy’s birthday story. The portrait of him and his Grandpa is not traditional in any way, shape or form, but it’s oh-so-real in this day and age. And while everyone at the party took a million pictures with their camera phones throughout the day, I’m willing to bet that I’m the only one who got a portrait of him and his Grandpa.

A real family portrait during a family lake day. Out on the boat with a baby and 3 year old. Dad sits under a blanket with baby to shield her from the sun, while mom, in the water, catches their 3 year old as she jumps off the back of the boat.

Lazy lake day in Columbia, CT!! I was photographing a mini day in the life session when I made my favorite family photo to date. I absolutely love the realness/relatability of this and that all four family members are faceless (not sure why I even like this detail, but I do).

Dad kisses his infant daughter who has a towel over her to protect her from the sun and a life vest on. Capture sweet moments like this with a documentary family photographer.

And now for a glimpse behind that towel! As always, my main goal in documenting families is to capture the overwhelming love. This picture just melts my heart, totally and completely.

Fresh 48 Session at Hartford Hospital. Mom cradles both her children in her loving arms as she kisses big brother on the head. Proud big brother helps his mom hold his new baby sister while at the same time distracted with the TV in the hospital room.

Who doesn’t love a brand-new baby?? I’m always ecstatic when a mom hires me to document when family comes to visit for the first time so that they can relax, enjoy the moment, and be in the pictures without having to worry about taking all the photos.

A little boy in a Spiderman costume lays on the couch at a lakefront cottage with a pillow over his head. Being a kid is tough!

Live free or die… of boredom. Another gorgeous lake day, this time in NH. Only kids can [a] not find anything to do at a lakefront cottage and [b] be annoyed with not having anything to do. This picture just makes me laugh/shake my head. I love photographing little kids and their big personalities.

Mom hugs her baby as she goes to set him down for nap time. His head is nestled in the crook of her neck.

Another from the lake in NH. Going down for a nap. Little dude was exhausted after a fun-filled morning. How I wish I had photos of all my babies snuggled up in the crook of my neck like this. But by the time I’d discovered documentary family photography, two of my kids weren’t babies anymore. I’d never hired a photographer up to that point because I didn’t know there were photographers who would make these kinds of photos… intimate photos of the tiniest, but most treasured moments of our lives in our own private spaces.

Turtle rock, welcoming visitors to Marlborough CT

I started a personal project this year, ‘the Faces and Places of Marlborough, CT’ in which I’m attempting to photograph our little town for my children. I’ve noticed that it’s not only people that change so quickly, but also places. It makes me sad that I don’t have pictures of my hometown growing up, places that were such an integral part of my coming of age. So my goal is to make a book for my kids of their hometown as it was throughout their childhood.

Anyhow, I went to photograph this painted rock that welcomes you on one end of town, which I always thought was a snake, until I took this photo and realized it had claws/legs. After doing a bit of research, turns out it’s supposed to be a turtle!

The old, run-down Marlborough Commons

Here’s another photo from my personal project. This is, sadly, the Marlborough Commons. It’s been abandoned for longer than we’ve lived here. Only partially visible from the road, this was the first time I’ve walked all around and realized just how run down it is. I appreciated the irony here… the door reads, ‘Memory Lane.’

Two girls jump and throw fake snow all over their freshly cut Christmas tree as mom holds the almost empty bag of fake snow with an overwhelmed look on her face.
After decorating their freshly cut tree with fake snow, one sister lays on the carpet to make snow angels while the other does a headstand in the middle of the room.

It was hard to pick just a few favorites from this tree cutting & decorating session. And as gorgeous as the photos were of them cutting down the tree, I just couldn’t resist these two photos. The girls’ excitement is just through the roof. Can you feel it? There’s nothing more rewarding than capturing the true essence of childhood.

Timeless black and white portrait of a young girl, her mom, and her grandmother.
Black and white portrait of a young girl.

I tried my hand at some more formal portraiture this year, photographing three generations of beautiful ladies here. While I really love how these turned out, as did my clients, this experimentation only deepened my conviction to focus solely on documentary family photography or moment-driven pictures. Posing is just NOT my jam.

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I want to send out huge hugs and thank yous to all my clients who have trusted me with the task of recording their family’s memories, to those who let me share their family photos in order to promote my passion and business, to my cheerleaders on social media who like and share my work, and of course to my friends and family who inspire me and support me day in and day out.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to see what 2020 brings! Here’s to another year full of capturing the precious memories of new and returning clients 🥂

Are you thinking of having me document one of your days? Book your 2020 session by the end of January and get a free 20×20 print with your session!

xoxo Anna

#youreverydayisworthit

Link to blog post: Best of 2019, my favorite photos from the year