The holidays, are all about time together.

Not the things…just being in the same space, slowing down, and sharing the everyday rituals that make a family feel like a family. Playing games. Hanging out. Watching sports or a movie. Cooking. Throwing a ball in the yard. All the small moments that rarely get documented but matter most.

Melissa reached out hoping to capture that exact feeling in her Denver home. She wanted a more documentary approach rather than trying to manufacture everything. She also mentioned, a little cautiously, that sometimes the teenagers could possibly check out during family photos. Fair enough. Teenagers are teenagers.

I told her we’d keep things relaxed and make it as painless and hopefully as fun as possible.

I met the family on Christmas Eve, and we spent about an hour and a half together, moving between indoors and the backyard, mostly just hanging out. We did a handful of gently guided, more traditional photos, but for the most part I tried to create space for them to be themselves. I also encouraged everyone to throw out ideas.

The best suggestion came from 21-year-old Megan, who was clearly more up-to-date on current trends than I am: “head stacking.” I hadn’t done it before, but I was immediately on board. One by one, everyone piled into the living room, stacking their heads on top of each other. It was ridiculous in the best way. I felt a little bad for the grandfather at the bottom of the stack with all that weight, but he laughed through it… or maybe he was slowly passing out. Hard to say.

They were such good sports. At one point I told them I wished I had grandparents like theirs when mine were still around. They had such a vivaciousness to them and a say '“yes” attitude.

With the boys, I let them be boys. We grabbed a wheelbarrow, ran around the backyard, tipped over a few times, and leaned fully into some good-natured chaos. There’s an art to that kind of energy, and despite being an adult, I’ll always take an excuse to be a silly kid again. We also tossed the football, played Sudoku, and spent time just doing normal family things.

That’s the kind of photography I love most. It feels real. Not staged. It gives me the space to notice small, seemingly ordinary moments—and hopefully translate them into images that become meaningful family memories and future heirlooms.

In-home sessions have quickly become one of my favorite ways to document families. Everyone is more comfortable in their own space, and I’m always aware of what a privilege it is to be invited into these homes—the places where memories are made and relationships are shaped.

If you’re drawn to a more documentary-style approach, your home is an incredible place for a session. Book Your In Home Family Photo Session Here.

Here’s what Susie and Melissa shared afterward:

“Ryan made our family photo shoot such a memorable time! I’m so thankful he was willing to fit us in during the hectic holiday week. Ryan encouraged us to be ourselves. We laughed and played and enjoyed one another. Most family photo shoots have been stressful and we couldn’t wait to be done — but the time we spent getting these pictures taken was one of the highlights of our few days together. The photos are great! I’m thankful to have high-resolution images for prints and smaller files to share with family and friends online. I’d highly recommend Ryan to anyone wanting to capture their family!”