Beignets After the Session
When I’m behind the lens, I often think to myself—these are the kind of photos I’d want of my own children 20 years from now.
The real moments that happen in the blink of an eye. The ones we’ll ache for when they’re grown and off on their way. And sometimes, those moments happen over beignets after the session.
The Beauty in the “After”
Every session has a rhythm—the laughter, the quiet in-betweens, the way a family naturally falls into each other’s pace once the pressure of “photos” fades away. I’ve come to realize that the moments after we officially wrap are often my favorite. When everyone exhales. When connection feels effortless. t’s the walk back to the car, the giggles that spill out when shoes come off, the shared glance that says, we did it — and it felt like us.
That’s where the story really lingers.
A Morning in New Orleans
There’s something about this city that invites you to slow down and savor. Whether it’s a walk through Longue Vue Gardens, a lazy Sunday in City Park, or a quiet moment tucked away in a French Quarter café, New Orleans has a way of turning everyday life into poetry. It’s one of the many reasons I love photographing here—the mix of history, warmth, and that subtle magic you can’t quite name but always feel.
Why I Photograph This Way
I don’t aim to capture perfection. I aim to capture presence. The way your child’s hand fits in yours. The in-between laughter that never makes it to posed portraits. The simple gestures that will mean everything years from now. That’s the heartbeat of Payne & Co. —intentional, connection-filled, storytelling photographs that feel like real life. Photographing the quiet, beautiful moments you didn’t know you’d remember.
The Sweetness of It All
So, yes—sometimes the session ends, but the story doesn’t. It continues with powdered sugar on your hands, shared laughter, and the kind of joy that lingers long after the flash fades. Here’s to the beignets after the session and to every fleeting, beautiful moment in between.
Payne & Co.—An intentional family and couples photographer based in New Orleans, capturing emotive, storytelling sessions throughout the city and surrounding parishes.
