Every so often, I’ve had to say goodbye to clients moving out of state, and in those cases, I’ve tried to put them in the hands of creatives in their area that I know and trust. What a treat when the same was done for me, and the crazy talented Carmen Dunham Photography referred this sweet family moving to the Boston area. Carmen and I have never met in person, but we have been friends for years since meeting at Filming Life Academy and share a heart for family films.

The morning of this family’s session was particularly bright and windy. As I drove to their idyllic farm, I questioned how much outdoor footage we’d be able to get and how it might impact my audio. The audio piece I managed with a few tricks, so, with that concern eliminated, I could revel in the light and love the rest of the session. Everywhere I looked in their lovely home, the light was dancing because of the wind blowing trees outside. When light dances, so does my heart.

There was a moment during our session when I asked mom to place her baby across the nursery and have her crawl toward her. I wanted to capture this milestone for them. When she came to a pool of dancing light, baby sat still and watched it for the longest time. It may be one of my favorite clips of 2025. The room became hushed as we watched her, and the moment was so beautiful I held my breath, afraid to break her attention.

A photo doesn’t capture dancing light.
A photo doesn’t capture how she crawls.
A photo doesn’t capture the sound of a hushed room and the wind blowing past the panes.
A photo doesn’t transport you to that literal moment in time as video does.

I’m so grateful for this new-to-me family and a mama’s heart that embraces video to capture her moments and memories.