FAMILY LIFE · EUGENE + SPRINGFIELD

We Finally Took Family Photos… and I'm So Glad We Did!

The little moments, the big feelings, and a photographer who made everyone feel like themselves.

A personal experience with Gwendolyn Courtney Photography · Sponsored collaboration: Our family session was provided in exchange for promotional coverage. All opinions are my own.

I'll admit something: We're not really a family that gets professional photos taken.

It's not that I don't love family pictures. I do! But between school, activities, work, and everything else that comes with raising two little girls, scheduling a family photo session just never seems to make it to the top of our list.

And honestly? Sometimes the thought of getting everyone dressed, looking at the camera, and smiling at the same time sounds like a whole lot of work.

But recently, we had the opportunity to have family photos taken with local photographer Gwendolyn Courtney, and I can confidently say I'm SO glad we did.

Not just because the pictures turned out absolutely gorgeous (because they did!), but because the entire experience was genuinely wonderful.

It Started Before We Even Picked Up a Camera

One thing that immediately stood out to me about Gwendolyn was how much she cared about making the session feel personal.

Before our photo shoot, we actually met to talk about what we were envisioning, the things our family enjoys, and the direction we wanted to go with our pictures.

It wasn't just a matter of picking a date and showing up. She wanted to get to know us.

And as a mom, I really appreciated that. It made the whole experience feel less like another appointment on the calendar and more like something special we were doing together as a family.

She Just Gets Kids

Now, if you've ever tried to take pictures with young children, you know that things don't always go exactly as planned.

We have two little girls, and our youngest, Amelia, is four. Four is a wonderful age. It's also an age where sitting still and cooperating for photos can lose its appeal pretty quickly. 😂

But from the moment we arrived, Gwendolyn was absolutely wonderful with both girls. She was sweet, caring, silly, and just so natural with them. Within minutes, our entire family felt comfortable.

There wasn't that awkward feeling of trying to figure out how to pose or worrying whether the kids were behaving. We were just… us.

Toward the end of the session, Amelia started getting a little antsy. Because, well, she's four!

And this is where I really appreciated Gwendolyn. Instead of getting frustrated or trying to force another smile, she got goofy with her. She made Amelia laugh, helped her feel comfortable again, and somehow drew her right back into the moment.

She wasn't just trying to get a good picture. She cared about making sure everyone was having a good experience. And that matters.

And Then We Got the Pictures Back…

Oh. My. Goodness.

I knew we'd had a wonderful time, but when I saw our finished gallery, I was absolutely blown away. The pictures were GORGEOUS.

Not just the lighting or the beautiful composition, but the way she captured our family. Our girls' personalities. Their expressions. Those little moments that feel so ordinary when you're living them, but suddenly become incredibly special when you see them frozen in a photograph.

And then there was one picture of Steven and me.

I stopped and looked at it, and all I could think was, Oh my gosh. That's us.

Not just how we look, but who we are together. You could actually see the love and care between us.

And I don't know quite how to explain it, but there's something really special about seeing that captured in a photograph.

As parents, so many of our pictures are of the kids. Or one of us with the kids. We're usually the ones behind the camera, trying to capture all the little moments before they're gone.

But here was this beautiful picture of the two of us. Not just Mom and Dad. Us.

And I think that's one of the things I'll treasure most about this experience.

I love that when I look at our pictures, I don't just see four people smiling at a camera. I see our family, at this exact stage of life.

Maybe We Should Have Done This Sooner

Like I said, professional family photos haven't really been our thing. There was always something else going on, something else to schedule, something else that needed our attention.

But this experience reminded me that sometimes the things we keep putting off are the things we're happiest we finally made time for.

Our session with Gwendolyn wasn't stressful or complicated. It was fun. It was comfortable. And it gave us pictures that I genuinely love—pictures I'll be looking at for years to come.

So if you're like me and professional family photos are one of those things you've been meaning to do but just haven't gotten around to, consider this your little nudge.

The kids don't have to be perfectly behaved. Everyone doesn't have to know how to pose. And you certainly don't have to be a family that does professional pictures every year.

You just have to show up and be yourselves. Having someone like Gwendolyn behind the camera makes all the difference.

I'm so glad we finally did this. And I seriously, seriously love our photos. 💕

Photography courtesy of Gwendolyn Courtney Photography. This article is part of a promotional barter collaboration; opinions are my own.