Hi there,

Summer doesn't sit still. That's kind of the whole thing about it.

The kids are out of routine, out of shoes half the time, out of patience by 4pm most days. Nobody's hair is brushed in the photos that actually matter. And somehow those are the ones you'll want in five years — not the posed ones, the real ones. The popsicle-drip, sunburned-nose, "get in the frame before the light's gone" ones.

I say this every year and I'll keep saying it: you don't need perfect light or a coordinated outfit to document a summer. You need to actually take the picture.

What's Happening at the Studio This Month:

Two things going on right now that I wanted you to know about.

Film classes are underway. They're open to anyone — not just people who already think of themselves as "photographers" — who wants to slow down and actually learn how to see and hold a moment, instead of just pointing and shooting. No pricing details here, just letting you know they exist and they're happening now.

Alongside that, I'm also doing one-on-one sessions for parents and kids together, either in person or online, whichever fits your life better. If you've ever wanted someone to just sit with you and your camera (or your phone) and actually teach you how to look at your own kids differently, this is that.

Both of these came out of the same idea, honestly: documentation is a skill. It's not a mood you either have or don't have on a given day. It can be taught. And teaching it has meant saying the quiet part out loud — the same thing I'm doing for your family in the room, just narrated this time.

What I Actually Do in That Room

People assume the job is "take a nice picture." Most of it is actually watching. Waiting for the second before or after the posed one — the one where someone's really there instead of performing "smile." The classes are just that same instinct, taught out loud instead of done quietly behind a lens.

A Tip for Your Own Summer Photos

Shoot through something.

Let an object sit between your phone and your kid — the edge of a beach towel, a spray of sprinkler water, tall grass, a screen door, someone's shoulder in the foreground. Don't clear it out of the way. It sounds counterintuitive, but it does two things: it makes the photo feel like a moment you happened to catch rather than one you staged, and it gives your eye somewhere to travel instead of landing flat on a centered kid mugging for the camera. Some of the photos you'll actually love from this summer will have a blurry elbow or a leaf in the corner — and that's the one that'll feel like a memory instead of a snapshot.

Looking Ahead to Fall

The light's already starting to turn, even though it doesn't feel like it yet. It happens every year around now — usually without anyone noticing until it's mid-August and the fall calendar's already filling in. If you've been thinking about a fall session, this is usually about when I'd gently say: now's the moment to start looking at dates, before they're gone. Simply reply to this newsletter or email me at [email protected] or give me a call at 651-273-0905 to talk details.

Staying Connected

If you're not already following along on Instagram or Facebook, that's where I post the day-to-day — real sessions, real families, the actual studio work in between the big updates like this one. It's the best way to see what a session with me actually looks and feels like before you book one.

And if you ever have questions — about a session, about the classes, about anything — just reply to this email. I read every one.

Here's to a summer worth actually documenting.

Giliane