I got to meet the Stahl family recently, and wow, it was such a fun and meaningful session.

We met up in the Tendoy area, just outside of Salmon, Idaho, and I followed them down a little road and through a field to one of the most charming spots near their home. I say this often, but I’ll say it again: I love when clients are open to using locations that are special to them, even if it’s just a short drive from their back porch. You don’t need a grand overlook or a perfectly curated park. We live in such a stunning area that sometimes the best photo spots are the ones you already pass by every day.

The sun was out, the wind had died down, and we had this peaceful little pocket of land all to ourselves. It was the perfect setting for the Stahl family quiet enough to let the little ones explore, but full of space and light and everything that makes a session feel natural.

Now, let’s talk about photographing families with little kids.

People sometimes worry their session is going to be too chaotic or too unstructured. But that’s exactly the kind of energy I love working with. I don’t expect kids to stand still and smile on cue, and honestly, I don’t want them to. The best moments happen in the wildness. The real magic is in the unexpected: the giggles, the snack breaks, the hugs that turn into tackles, and the quiet cuddles that happen when no one is looking.

Can you imagine a session where everyone just stands stiffly, smiling in silence? That’s not your family. And that’s not what you’ll get with me.

If you’re anything like the families I usually photograph, your session might include a little pre-shoot anxiety, a husband who’s not totally sure what’s going on, and kids who might be running in opposite directions the entire time. But here’s the truth: it’s okay. It's more than okay, it’s perfect.

That’s what family looks like.

Garrett and Abigail are raising two of the cutest little boys. And if you’ve ever tried to take photos with small children, you know it’s never fully predictable. But that’s what makes it real. With the Stahls, we had a little bit of everything, tears, giggles, snack breaks, running, cuddles, and more giggles.

And through all of it, what we captured was them. The love between brothers, the way mom instinctively knows how to calm her baby, the way dad can make them laugh with a single word. We found a quiet little corner of their world, and let them just be. And in that space, we documented their real story. The story that doesn’t need posing or perfection, just presence.

One of the biggest joys of being a photographer is getting to witness these in-between moments that often get overlooked. You think you’re coming to a session for a few smiling pictures to hang on your wall, and you’ll get those too, but what you walk away with is something more. It’s the story of your family, frozen in this exact chapter of life, just as it is.

To the Stahls, thank you. Thank you for welcoming me, for letting your boys be wild and wonderful, and for trusting me with your memories. Your session was everything I love about family photography: honest, joyful, chaotic, and completely beautiful.