Why I Photograph Families the Way I Do | New Orleans Family Photography

When I think about the kind of photographs I want to leave behind — the kind I want you to have — they’re not the ones where everyone is perfectly posed and smiling just so. They’re not the ones where everything is polished and planned.

As a Family Photographer in New Orleans, the images I chase are quieter, deeper. The ones that stop time for just a moment and let you breathe it all in — the way your little one reaches for your hand without thinking, the way they lean into you like they’ve always known you’re their safest place.

I photograph families the way I do because I believe the most beautiful moments are the real ones — the unrepeatable ones that pass so quickly we don’t even realize how much they mattered until they’re gone.

As a mama myself, I know how fast it goes. The days can feel long, but the years — they slip by. One moment you’re rocking a sleepy newborn, and the next, you’re tying shoes and packing snacks and wondering where the time went.

And in the middle of all of it, it’s easy to forget to pause. To see yourself in the story. To realize you are the story.

That’s why I do this.

I want you to see yourself the way your babies see you — soft, strong, safe. I want you to look back years from now and remember the way they fit in your arms, the scrunch of their nose when they laughed, the weight of their head on your shoulder at the end of a long day.

You don’t need to perform for the camera. You don’t need to fit into anyone’s idea of what a family photo "should" be. You already belong in the frame — just as you are. Lived-in love, all of it.

This kind of work isn’t about capturing perfection. It’s about presence. It's about letting you feel the fullness of your family, exactly as they are right now.

And when your children are grown, when these days are memories — these photos will remain. Little windows back to the rhythm of your everyday love.

That’s why I photograph families the way I do.

Because there is nothing more beautiful than real life, lived with love.

If this kind of storytelling speaks to you — if you're longing to bottle up the beauty of your right now — I’d be honored to photograph your family.

Whenever you're ready, I’m here.

Even in the midst of the toddler years, there’s space for that too. I recently published a blog on how to prepare for your session with toddlers.

Inquire about your family session in New Orleans today.

Ashley, with Payne & Co., is a wife, mom, former pediatric nurse & New Orleans family photographer specializing in family & newborn portraits. You can view more of my portfolio here.

Intentional Family Photography New Orleans