Photography is a tricky hobby. You can love it, but be so terribly critical of yourself and be so discouraged you want to hide your camera and pretend you never owned one to begin with. That’s kind of how I felt after my first family shoot.
I have known Matt and Kara for almost 10 years. Co-workers turned friends that have been through quite a lot together. In fact, Kara is probably one of the closest friends that I have. She is one amazing woman. One of the happiest people I know and so fiercely protective and supportive of her loved ones. When I told her I was wanting to do more photography, she jumped at the opportunity to meet up at a local park so I could take some family pictures for her.
While taking them I was sure I was getting some great shots, but once I got home and uploaded them I was so discouraged. The lighting was off, the sun was harsh, and some of them were not as clear as I would have wanted. I know that I need a better lens and I need to learn more about my manual settings, but I was still upset.
The next morning, with a clear head and fresh eyes I took another look. Much better than I had remembered. Not perfect by any means, but better. Here are a few of my favorites.
Laughter in Love 
[ Smiles ] Those are very beautiful family photos!