I love a styled and curated shoot as much as the next photographer, but these types of sessions are my absolute heart and something I have a passion for doing. It is my hope to explain why through writing this blog. I also want to give a peek into my thought process before and during sessions like this.


This session was a gift to the Vellenga's from their daughter in law. George and Henrietta own a dairy farm and are starting to scale back. I was commissioned to document milking and anything else that caught my eye while I was on their farm. I know how important it is to have detail filled photos of your loved ones, no matter what their age is. The magic is when these photos can be of your loved ones in an environment they are completely comfortable- and especially when they are doing what they love and have a passion for. I love seeing people doing what they love or being where they are most comfortable- it truly fascinates me as I get to witness someone with an expertise or passion for something.


In general, I look at photoshoots as creating a time capsule. When you look at the photos, especially ones from a story telling session, your memory is jogged and you remember little things that turn out to be the most important things. You find comfort and joy looking back at a certain time in your life- seeing your home and the way it was decorated, seeing the chair your Dad always used to sit in, seeing how small your grandkids still were. And when you see the photographs and hold them in your hand, you recall stories and memories that would have been forgotten otherwise. That, in my opinion, is a priceless gift.

Two people engage in conversation while sitting on white porch chairs.
Friends chatting on a white farmhouse porch with hanging plants and classic architecture.
Couple walking together along a white colonial-style covered porch with hanging plants.
Group gathering outside a traditional white farmhouse with wraparound porch.
Two people walking beneath a large shade tree on a sunny summer day.
Close-up of hands clasped together showing intimate connection.
Two people sitting on stone wall having conversation near white barn and flowers.
A couple in casual attire sits together smiling, with the person wearing a black t-shirt with a company logo.


I encouraged Henri & George to think of the things they do on a daily basis- no matter how inconsequential those activities might seem. They had a couple things planned, but upon further prodding and getting to know them, we discovered more things to incorporate. I asked questions like, "can you take me through your daily routine?", "what do you like to do together?, "when you're not working on the farm, where can your family find you?", "what do you love doing when you spend time with your grand kids"- through those questions we made our way through and around their home and incorporated the answers.


It was not an interrogation on my part- it was a natural conversation, BUT I did have an agenda and goal in mind. My conversation with them was a strategic one with the goal of finding out what matters to them. Nothing in this session was about how it looked- it was all about what was most important to them.


My other goal is always to make my clients comfortable and to reinforce that I am here to document all the things that make them "them" and make their home "theirs" and enable them to be themselves in front of my lens. Photoshoots can feel intimidating and can make even the most confident person a little self conscious- I hope a lot of that falls away during my sessions- that's how I get the photos I am really after.

We started the session with photos of them in their favorite places in their home.

A person sits at an upright piano in a cozy living room with decorative wall art.
Close-up view of hands playing keys on a wooden piano keyboard.
A silhouette stands in a doorway with natural light streaming in and indoor plants visible.
A woman sits on a piano bench beneath inspirational wall art and decorative stars.
People gather around a piano in a living room with stone fireplace and rustic decor.
A person sits in a patterned armchair reading a green hardcover book.
A dimly lit room with chandelier and stone fireplace features someone sitting in a floral armchair.
View through doorway of someone standing on a sunny patio with red flowers visible.
A person relaxes in a patterned armchair near a window and stone fireplace.


We made our way around the farm and decided to incorporate George's favorite tractor. It was great having the grandkids around during the session because they helped put Henri & George at ease. It's easy to get a little uncomfortable in front of the camera- part of my job is easing that and helping my clients to *almost* forget it's there.

Person in black t-shirt standing in front of red barn buildings and silo on a sunny summer day.
Person climbing onto a vintage green John Deere tractor on a bright sunny day.
Multiple people enjoying a ride on a classic green John Deere tractor.
People helping children climb onto a large green tractor during a sunny afternoon.
Person sitting in driver's seat of green John Deere tractor wearing black shirt and jeans.
Person operating a John Deere tractor against blue summer sky.
Person in black shirt climbing onto large green John Deere tractor in sunny field.
Artistic black and white silhouette of person climbing on farm equipment.
Children climbing on metal farm gate near rustic barn.
People leaning on farm fence overlooking pastoral field with cattle.
Red barn buildings on a rural farm with people gathered outside under a blue summer sky.
Close-up view of people wearing casual clothing with blue jeans on a sunny day.
View through farm equipment of a pastoral scene with cattle grazing in a green field.

Next it was time for milking

My advice to anyone doing a session on a farm- prepare to get dirty, wear your muck boots, and prepare to walk fast (farmers have a lot to do in a short amount of time).

Inside view of a dairy barn milking parlor with equipment and machinery.
Historic black and white photograph showing cattle in a wooden barn structure.
Dark interior view of a wooden barn with sunlight filtering through.
Dairy farmer checking on black and white Holstein cows inside a wooden barn structure.
Close-up of a black and white Holstein dairy cow resting in a barn stall.
Interior of a modern dairy barn with metal gates and Holstein cows in stalls.
Dairy worker walking through a barn aisle lined with black and white Holstein cows.
Dairy cows stand in rows inside a covered barn while workers tend to daily operations.
Close-up black and white photo of a Holstein cow's face between dairy barn stanchions.
Inside view of a dairy barn showing cows lined up in stalls during milking time.
Interior of a large dairy barn with rows of cattle stalls and wooden beam ceiling.
Walking through a narrow passageway between wooden walls in a farm building.
Black and white image of dairy operations inside a milking parlor.
Working together in the dairy barn during morning milking operations.
Worker in dark clothing performing maintenance tasks in dairy barn milking area.

Once I finished documenting the milking, I went back to the house to say my goodbyes. I was told that Henri had an idea- she always gets out her tin of candy to give to her grandkids and wanted to have it documented. My heart burst inside- she got what I was doing here. These are exactly the moments I want to capture. I had to barter with her to get her sunglasses off, but she did it. I like the photos with the sunglasses and the ones without- both are "her".

Person in navy shirt interacting with group of children on front porch of white house.
Group gathered on porch of white house having animated conversation.
Cheerful gathering of people engaged in conversation on sunny porch.
Person holding decorated dessert while others gather around on front porch.
Black and white photo of group gathered on porch of traditional white house.
Group enjoying social interaction on front porch of white house with black door.
Person in navy shirt laughing while holding colorful container outdoors in summer.
People gathering outside a house with colorful flowers while looking at contents of a striped container.
Woman in navy top smiling while holding red and yellow striped container outdoors.
Close-up view of colorful candy pieces in a decorative container.
People interacting on a covered porch with a striped umbrella visible in background.
Hands reaching for candy from a decorative container outdoors.

I found myself touched and inspired by the hard work and love I got to witness that day. I was amazed as I walked in and around a home and farm that Henrietta and George have spent their lives building together.

Two people embrace while looking at cornfield and cloudy sky.
Couple standing together overlooking rural cornfield on sunny day.
Large white farmhouse with wraparound porch under blue summer sky.