There’s something special about getting to photograph a family again and seeing just how much can change in a year.

The first time I met the Perlt family, I wasn’t even photographing them! I was at Lake Rebecca Park in Hastings for another family’s session when I spotted Dad fishing with the two boys while Mom wore their sweet baby girl. It was one of those little snapshots of family life that sticks with you, and I remember thinking how sweet it was. Then, Mom reached out shortly afterwards (found me through Google!) and asked for their own photos, which we took last summer.

Fast-forward a year, and there we were again at Lake Rebecca Park, this time capturing the Perlt family themselves on a beautiful fall evening!

The Fenske family holds such a special place in my heart. I’ve been taking their photos since before they were a family of three—starting with their wedding and then getting to photograph them as they welcomed their sweet little girl into the world. And now, somehow, that tiny newborn is a full-on big girl!

​One of my favorite things about watching families grow is seeing those little personalities develop along the way. She kept us laughing throughout their session, and more than once I heard, “Let me see!” as she wanted to check out the photos I was taking.

There are some senior sessions that feel like a portrait session from beginning to end—and then there are the ones that turn into a little bit of everything. Sydney’s session was definitely the latter, which I loved because it was so her!

Sydney is a senior at Park High School, and when we started planning her session, we knew we wanted to include some of the things that make her who she is right now. That meant her new motorcycle, her boyfriend, her brother and his Supra, and plenty of time for her own senior portraits, too.

And yes—her motorcycle is very new. She’s only had it for about two months! She actually got her permit before her boyfriend did, but he got his motorcycle first. Sydney got hers about a week after him, so naturally, a mini motorcycle couple session had to happen. (The two of them actually met while working at a haunted house, where they are both scare actors. ​)

There’s something really special about photographing a family for years and getting to watch their kids grow right in front of your camera.

This family has been in front of my lens for quite a while now, and every session feels a little different as their kids grow and their personalities come more and more to life.

Their daughter has grown into the sweetest little girl. She wanted to hold my hand as we walked, and more than once she proudly showed me how she could make a heart with her hands. ❤️ Those little moments are the ones I love catching.

And their son? He’s growing into such a great young man. You can see how closely he watches his dad—what he does and what he loves—and he has such a sweet instinct to look out for and protect his little sister. It was so fun to watch. He's also pretty proud of where he's at in his reading levels (way to go, teacher mama!).

There are some families you photograph, and then there are families you get to watch grow.
Josh and Erin are definitely the latter.

Their story with us actually started on our couch. Yep—their love story began right here in our home, and over the years, we’ve had the incredible privilege of photographing so many of their biggest moments. We photographed their proposal, then their engagement session, then their wedding day… and now, somehow, we’re here taking their family photos with little Jake!

And let me tell you: Jake is a huge hit around our house.

These three live super close to us, which means they can’t even walk by without getting a greeting yelled out the door at them. 😂 At this point, seeing Josh, Erin, and Jake around the neighborhood just feels like seeing family.