This family was part of my Year in the Life series I did in 2020. Ben was a NICU baby, and I photographed him and his parents every month through his first year. As he grew, something seemed different about him. Not obvious, just familiar, and since I’ve got a great-nephew with autism who I’m very close with, I’m aware of the signs. When Ben turned one, our sessions ended, and I gave them a Yearbook of all their images that wrapped up our time together.

Fast-forward four years, and I hadn’t seen the family since. They booked a mini-session with me, and when they arrived at my studio in Greensburg I was floored at how much Ben had grown, and that he had a little sister! I had seen a Facebook post about a new baby, and I’ll admit, I was a little sad they hadn’t called me for her newborn photos. But this happens all the time in this industry and you can’t let it get to you. As a business owner, I get it—they have every right to hire any photographer they choose and I respect that. But as a mom, it always stings a bit to think I didn’t do a good enough job for them. I found out later that Eliana had a few complications when she was born, and they never had the chance for newborn photos at all.

When they arrived I wasn’t too surprised to notice that Ben was on the autism spectrum. But he was as cute as ever, and his little sister? Instant love. Mom and Dad looked great but had that exhausted parent look on their faces that I know so well, so I made the session as easy as I could for them. With Ben, I knew we’d get maybe 20 minutes out of him tops, and that “perfect shot” everyone wants with smiles and eye contact? Probably not happening.  But, my style has always been about capturing moments as they happen, not forcing kids to sit still or fake a smile, so I wasn’t concerned.  Since I already knew the family and we only had a short window of time, we dove right in. I’m more of a “go with the flow” photographer anyway. I have a general idea of what I want to create, but no actual plan or posing is involved. I just let the kids lead, and we see what happens.

I’ll be honest; this session was a bit more challenging than most – especially since I didn’t have my sister/assistant to help that day – but it was nothing I wasn’t used to. I’ve been doing this long enough to know that some of my best images are often the ones that seem like throwaways the first time I look through them.

But as I looked through the photos later, I couldn’t believe it: there were exactly two shots of Ben not only smiling but looking right at the camera and laughing. One shot I knew was pure gold the minute I looked at it.  The other one, with his dad’s arms still in the frame from a quick tickle, was just too sweet to pass up. Moments like that can’t be planned, and they don’t happen often, especially with neurodivergent kids. But when they do? Absolute magic.

As I kept scrolling for a shot of Elliana, I found one that instantly felt like the perfect complement to the photo of Ben and his dad.

So, even though I didn’t get the classic “perfect” shot of both kids together, in the end I was able to create this:

Now, maybe most people wouldn’t consider these traditional family portraits, but I absolutely love them. They tell a little story about Ben and his family, one that’s real and unplanned. They’re exactly the kind of shots that just fall into place when you let things unfold naturally.

Looking back on my journey with Ben and his family reminds me why I do this work. Capturing each family’s unique story, quirks, and connections is why I love this job. These genuine, unplanned moments are what truly matter to me, and it’s the heart of what I offer. And as I continue growing, I’m excited to share something new that I’ve been working on to bring even more neurodivergent kids into the studio for sensory friendly photo sessions. Stay tuned—I’ll be sharing more very soon!

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