Why Traditions Matter: The Power of Photographing Familiar Places • DC family documentary
I’ve been photographing this family for more than 10 years now so when they welcomed their new puppy, we made sure to capture that!
The Magic of Repetition: Creating a Family Time Capsule
Every summer, my family returns to France, revisiting almost the same people and places for a few weeks while roadtripping. Of course, we see grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins but also as much as our friends as possible (because spending all your vacation time with your family is not really a vacation!). The kids are happy to rediscover toys they had forgotten, or to explore the new park or restaurant that popped up.
At first glance, it might feel like nothing has changed, the same porch chairs, the same streets to walk, the same paths down to the water. But when you look closer, everything has changed, and that is the beauty of repetition. Returning to the same place year after year is more than a tradition, it is building a time capsule for your family.
Sisters on the front porch in 2024
Another in-home family session with 2 sisters in 2025
The rituals we repeat
As a documentary photographer in the DMV area, I often hear, “We have already done photos at home. Wouldn’t it be boring to do the same thing again?”
The answer is always no. Because the house does not stay the same. The kids do not stay the same. Even small details like the way the morning light spills through the kitchen window, the games they play in the backyard, or how they pile into your lap for a story, change in ways that make repetition magical.
I grew up with a family vacation house where a whole bunch of my cousins spent most of the summer playing together. Parents played cards, smoked cigarettes, and let us watch TV (hello, nineties!). The house itself became an anchor for childhood memories. I don’t know what memories are drawn directly from my souvenirs or through the photographs that helped me remember but I certainly have a feeling, a sense of belonging.
Repetition makes the differences over the years more visible. A doorway that framed my toddler walking years ago is now where my son leans with a soccer ball tucked under his arm.
The rituals we repeat become threads that weave the years together.
A Family Time Capsule
Photographing DC families at home year after year, often in the same favorite spots, is like creating a layered record of a life.
Your gallery becomes a time capsule. Looking back, you see not just moments in isolation, but life unfolding, captured through the places that stay familiar yet evolve around you.
Why Familiar Places Matter
Returning to the same places is not boring, it is sacred.
The small shifts and changes become visible, the memories richer, and the photographs infinitely more meaningful.
Whether it is a rented house, a favorite getaway, or simply your own home, photographing these spaces again and again builds a time capsule of love, growth, and memory. One day, you will hold these images and feel the same warmth and belonging you felt in the moment, even if the details have changed.
Start Your Family Time Capsule Today
You don’t have to wait to begin your family’s story. You can start a photo series now, capturing the everyday moments and traditions that matter most. Book your yearly session today, or join the Photo-fetti Club to make annual family photos effortless and fun, creating your own visual diary, on repeat.
Looking for family photography in DC, Maryland, or Northern Virginia?
If you love what you read and the images speak to you, let’s chat. We might create beautiful and weird things together.
I specialize in family photos that feel natural, connected, and genuinely you. We usually hang out at your house for an honest documentary-style sessions that reflect the heart of your everyday life—whether it’s weekend chaos, quiet routines, or the beautiful in-between.
Reach out through my contact page to get started.
