What an honor to have my photos featured for a company that’s near and dear to my heart

Recently, I started give back to families within our community through a company called Found Families. Found Families is an organization orchestrated by Sarah Mariel and Erika Roa, both of whom are photographers.

In their words: “A Found Families session is a complimentary photography session held during your homecoming or shortly after you have become an adoptive family. Adoption and fostering is hard. There is loss, separation, and trauma. However, there is also redemption, love, and joy. Adoptive and foster families live in this tension everyday. Our goal is provide families with that first family photo. This photo is so important to the parents and child alike. It’s a visual reminder that they are a family.”

As you all know, one of the reasons that I am so passionate about photography and the connections that are shown between those within the shot. In that same way, I am very passionate about helping people connect, grow, and expand. That’s exactly what Found Families is doing. It is providing these families with their first ever family photographs, documenting these important moments and allowing the child to be safe and loved. Even though they are just photos, they are a constant reminder that they are apart of something bigger.

It fills me with so much joy and gives me the biggest smile when these kids find a home, especially the older ones that maybe had a rough life. My heart literally melts and comes out as joyous tears. Although I wasn’t officially adopted (it’s a long story), I was unofficially adopted by the woman who I refer to as “Mom”. She was my dad’s girlfriend and took us both in when I was only 4 years old, and by 5 I was calling her Mom. Without her support, love, and guidance, who knows what chaos my life would have been. I am so grateful for her!

I can’t wait to continue working with Found Families and photographing many more beautiful, families. See Leah Ely’s story below, or find here published here.