This sweet girl is getting cuter and cuter. Her family lives in Atlanta and I get the blessing of photographing her every three months (as part of the baby plan) when she’s down here to visit grandparents. We met at my favorite local park, Dorothy B. Oven Park, and spent some time under the beautiful oak trees taking pictures of her newest milestones. She’s a doll. Also, her mama is dear to my heart. When my own girls were babies, she was a blessing for a few hours each Monday morning so I could get out of the house and run errands, go sneak off somewhere and edit photos, or just take a breather. A wise woman once told me that one of the ways you successfully make it though the early years of parenting your sweet babies it by taking a lot of breaks. That advice has proven to be one of the many keys to making those earliest years most enjoyable. I love my babies hard, but that doesn’t mean I don’t need mommy-time too. Zoe’s mama was the vessel that provided those moments of respite for me early on and I am forever thankful for her.
Happy 6 months, Zoe!
I almost didn`t post this.
Our country turns 250 this year. I was in the middle of editing a gallery when that number actually stopped me.
I have four kids — 6, 11, 15, and 17. I`ve spent years telling other families that childhood is fleeting, that these seasons pass before you`re ready, that photographs are one of the most meaningful ways you hold onto them.
I`ve said it hundreds of times.
And then I sat there and realized I needed to take my own advice.
So this summer, I`m photographing all four of my kids in what I`m calling Heirloom Portraits. Not elaborate. Not trendy. Just simple, timeless portraits that show exactly who they are right now — in the year America turned 250.
Because someday I want them to show these to their own kids and say, "This is who I was that year."
That thought made the decision easy.
I`ve opened a small number of spots for other families who`ve been quietly wanting the same thing. Details are linked in my bio.
The trip is already planned.
The people you love are already going to be there.
The cousins will be running in the sand. Someone will be wrangling the toddler. Your mother-in-law will have the snacks. And somewhere in the middle of all that beautiful chaos, you`ll think — we should really get some photos while everyone is together.
That thought? Trust it.
You don`t need a perfectly orchestrated session to get images worth keeping. You just need someone there to capture what`s already happening — the real stuff, the in-between stuff, the stuff that disappears faster than you expect.
That`s exactly what a vacation session is. Nothing manufactured. Nothing forced. Just your people, in a place that already means something, photographed with real care.
If your family has a trip to the Forgotten Coast coming up and that thought has crossed your mind — I`d love to chat. Inquiries are open in my bio.
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Mom post here:
I am teary eyed as I type this. Today was the last Elementary Chapel for this 5th grade class (my son’s class). During this “Legacy Chapel” they passed the leadership plaque down to the 4th graders as they prepare to be next year’s lower school leaders.
I am so proud of our current 5th graders. This class has navigated more than anyone would have ever imagined and they have a unique bond amongst each other on this side of those collective pains. They started Kindergarten the year of the pandemic and have seen firsthand the hurt of sickness and death in this fallen world.
Still, they are joyful, playful, hard working, and compassionate in a way that constantly surprises me. No doubt that God has great things in store for them; and our school community is beyond blessed to have each and every one of them and their families as a part of it.
Class of 2033, let’s go!
When was the last time you looked at an old family photo and thought, `I wish fewer people were in this`?
Probably never.
That is exactly why I always say yes when families ask whether they should include the grandparents, the cousins, the aunt and uncle who are only in town for a few days.
When you are not sure, say yes anyway. We will find a way to make it work.
Memberships and Affiliations
Sarah Gray creates timeless and joyful images that are designed for living room walls and photo albums. A tallahassee photographer, Sarah Gray also serves Thomasville, Crawfordville, St. Marks, Gainesville and throughout the panhandle of north Florida and south Georgia.
email us | sarah@sarahgray.com
telephone (850) 321-0208
located in tallahassee, florida
