The Beginning

I started my documentary family photography business in Taipei last March without having any idea if anyone even wanted these kinds of photos; I only knew that these were the photos I wanted to make. Typically, when a family in Taiwan wants professional photos, they go to a studio or hire a photographer to come and direct a session in a nice location or sometimes their home (what’s known as lifestyle photography). I completely understand wanting this kind of direction and appreciating the beautiful photos that come as a result, but these aren’t the kinds of photos that I personally want for my own family and my heart just isn’t in it. I can only make good work if my heart is in it, so I told people that if they were interested in the photos I made—unposed, authentic, storytelling photos—I’d come over and capture moments for them.

Since putting my heart out there (and this is what this announcement really was for me; inviting people to see what it was that I loved about photography and asking them if they might love it too), I’ve had the privilege of photographing 16 families (with more on the horizon). These families have opened up the doors of their homes and allowed me to come in and see them when they’re in the trenches of the daily grind and raising children. I get to document both the laughter and the tears; it’s a vulnerable position for them to be in but they want to remember this time in their lives because they know that it’ll never come again.

I put my heart out into the world, not knowing if anyone else would see the value in documentary family photography; not knowing if anyone really wanted to remember the mess and the tantrums alongside the hugs and the smiles. What happened was that people shared their hearts with me in return by lowering the drawbridge and letting me come and see them as they truly are. It’s been one of the greatest privileges of my life and the most fulfilling creative endeavor I’ve ever embarked on.

I have learned something from every single family I’ve spent time with—this isn’t an exageration! I can’t believe how lucky I am to not only improve my craft by documenting different families, but to be touched by them and learn from them as well. The possibilities for making a life together and loving one another are endless; seeing it never gets old. I can’t keep these experiences to myself any longer. I’ll be sharing my experience as a documentary family photographer in Taipei on this blog about 2-3 times a month. I hope you’ll follow along!