Sometimes there are tears in photography | Priscilla Baierlein Photography {Lexington KY Photographer}

Let’s talk about this session…that whole weekend…my job in general. As I was photographing this family (who, by the way, I’ve photographed and loved since they were a family of three), watching them simply be…be themselves…be calm, snuggly, funny, thoughtful, intelligent, silly…and I start getting teary. Yes…tears on a photo session…from the photographer. Don’t worry…no one knew and it didn’t disrupt the session…no blubbering photographer at the shoot.
The thing is, something that many people simply see as taking pictures….no big deal…is so much more to me. It is truly an honor to stand in front of a family, with a camera in their face, and for them to completely trust me so much so that they just completely let down any guard they may have. I get to watch them just be. I get to watch them interact with each other. I get to watch the way they get each other to laugh and the way they snuggle in and the way their hands fit perfectly together. The way a child’s head fits perfectly under their mommas chin and into her arms. The way a Daddy can simply threaten a tickle and evoke a multitude of laughs. The way siblings can “get” each other in a way no one else can…the way they can make each other giggle and the way they can make each other scream. The way families just seem to fit. Even on their worse days…even when they’re stressed, running late, uncomfortable in front of the camera…they still fit. I can’t help but see God here. And I…I get to witness this and, hopefully, remind each of these amazing people that even on their worse days, they have this. They fit. No. They belong. They. Belong. Is there any greater gift in the world than that? This is why I love photographing families. God chose me to do this. I…I get to be a witness to THIS. Goodness…it kinda takes my breath away.

I found myself thinking about all of this as I watched them walk over the rolling hills of Central KY, in the spot my husband and I had our wedding reception, at a time in my life that I am truly in love with my job, and tears welled up in my eyes. I stopped. Took a deep breath to soak it all in. Whispered a thanks to God. And continued photographing this family that I love. What a beautiful day/weekend it was.