McPhilomy Family Spring Portraits at Pawnee Prairie | Wichita, Kansas Family Photographer
There are some family sessions that feel like more than just a photography session, and the McPhilomy family’s spring portraits at Pawnee Prairie were one of those for me.
When this sweet family moved to Wichita from Colorado, I was so honored that they chose me to document their family in this new season. As a fellow homeschool family, there was already a little something that connected us before we even started taking pictures. There is just something special about meeting another family who understands the beauty, challenges, flexibility, and sometimes craziness that comes with homeschooling.
And then there’s Colorado.
I grew up traveling to Colorado every winter with my brother and parents. We would stay at my granddad’s cabin, go skiing, and make the kind of family memories that stay with you long after you grow up. So hearing about their move from Colorado to Wichita brought back some really sweet memories for me. I love how photography can create those unexpected little connections between people.
A Family in a Beautiful Season of Change
One of the things I loved most about this session was seeing all the different stages represented in one family.
The McPhilomys have one son away at college, another son in high school, and a daughter in fifth grade. As a mom with older kids who are now out of the house and a fifth-grade daughter whom I homeschool, I could especially appreciate the beauty of this season.
There is something so bittersweet about watching your kids grow.
You blink, and the little ones aren't so little anymore. One is away at college. Another is navigating high school. And somehow you still have your youngest right there beside you, reminding you that you are still very much in the middle of the everyday motherhood years.
I know that tension personally, and I think that's part of why I loved photographing this family so much. Family photography gives us a reason to slow down and remember exactly where we are right now.
Not where we used to be.
Not where we're headed.
Right here.
And Then We Got a Bonus Couple Session!
One of my favorite surprises from this session was that their oldest son brought his beautiful girlfriend along!
Of course, I couldn't let that opportunity pass us by.
After photographing the whole family, we got to sneak away for a few couples portraits of the two of them. And let me tell you, they were adorable together.
I love when a family session naturally turns into something a little more. A few sweet photographs of a couple who are in their own new season, right alongside portraits of the entire family, makes the gallery feel even more personal.
Those are the kinds of images that tell a fuller story.
Why I Love Photographing Families in Wichita
One of my favorite things about being a Wichita family photographer is getting to meet families from so many different places and walks of life.
And I especially love connecting with other homeschool families.
There is an instant point of connection when you meet another mom who is walking through some of the same seasons you are. We may have different schedules, different stories, and kids in different stages, but there is something really special about recognizing a little piece of your own life in someone else's.
The McPhilomy family's session at Pawnee Prairie was filled with exactly that kind of connection.
It was relaxed, joyful, and full of the little interactions that make family photographs meaningful.
And honestly, that is what I want your family portraits to feel like.
Not stiff.
Not overly posed.
Not like you spent the entire session trying to make your children behave perfectly.
Just your family, together, enjoying one another and making memories in the middle of whatever season you're currently in.
Because one day, your fifth grader will be heading to college.
One day, you'll look back and realize how quickly those years went.
And you'll be so thankful you stopped long enough to document them.
McPhilomy family, thank you for trusting me with these memories and for welcoming me into your family story here in Wichita. It was such a joy to photograph you all, and I hope these images always bring you back to this sweet season.
And to all my fellow homeschool families here in Wichita—I'm cheering you on. What a privilege it is to get to walk through these years with our kids.
Looking for a Wichita family photographer to document your family in this season? I'd love to create something meaningful and genuine for you, too.
— Tisha
Tisha Megan Photography | Wichita, Kansas Family Photographer
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