Sweet little Henson didn’t even open his eyes to meet me, but he’s so dang cute I’ll forgive him. I love this family and I’m so grateful they keep having me back! It’s so fun to watch their little family grow. Henson’s older brother Gav is always trying to steal the show! Wherever I went he would find me and say “cheese!” He is already so sweet with his baby brother. He just kept cuddling him saying “cute”. It was the sweetest thing! Thanks Walker family, you have the most adorable babies!
Madison Johnson photographer
Favorite Session
The session I used to be the most terrified of is now my favorite! In the past, I wished all families that booked me only had one little baby that still slept all day and couldn’t run away from me yet haha. Or maybe even a senior girl that was a total natural in front of the camera and listened to everything I said. I would get so nervous before a family session with several young kids or heaven forbid, toddlers! How will I win them over? Will they listen to me? What if they cry the whole time? Will dad just roll his eyes when I give him directions? Once I figured out how to work with energetic kids instead of against them, it all changed! Of course kids don’t want to stand perfectly still and take a list of instructions from a stranger. And no kid gives a natural smile when you say, “look here and say cheese”. Instead we play games and run and cuddle and it’s magical. Family sessions are so fun and are now my favorite to shoot! Every session ends up going so differently, highlighting each family’s unique dynamic. I love how I can give families the same games to play and yet the photos end up being one of a kind. Capturing the love and joy within families can’t be beat!
Meet Madison
I don’t think I have ever fully introduced myself here, so I’m going to give you a little intro to where I came from and how I got to where I am today. My first name is Madison, but friends and family shorten it to Mad. I’m originally from Cleveland…. Utah. When I tell people I’m from Cleveland everyone assumes I mean the one in Ohio because very few people know there is one in Utah. Cleveland is a really small town in Eastern Utah. Small like 500 people small. I loved growing up in a tiny town and still go back all the time! We camped and fished and rode four wheelers around town. I will always be a small-town girl at heart!
Avett Rae + Lifestyle Newborn
Watching new parents with a fresh little babe never gets old! There is something so special about capturing their new love in the comfort of their own home. Especially when their home is so cute! Avett was the best newborn I have ever seen! She slept almost the entire time and was a perfect little angel. She’s the sweetest!
Trabert Family + In-Home Lifestyle Session
Man parenting is hard. So much of it happens inside our homes, with nobody around to encourage us or cheer us on. It goes unnoticed and at times, feels very under appreciated. (unrelated: does anyone have tips for getting two toddlers to go to bed? Asking for a friend). As hard as it can be, it also brings an insane amount of happiness, joy and fulfillment.
These are just a few reasons in-home sessions fulfill me. I want to help parents see the joy in the hard times and remember why they do what they do… day in and day out. I love documenting families in their space. Kids feel more relaxed and I love watching them just be. Parents can be carefree and just play with and love on their kids. It feels more real to me.
I had a great time at this session. Thanks for having me Trabert family!
[Read more…] about Trabert Family + In-Home Lifestyle Session
Personal Work
Taking photos of my girls makes me happy! I love trying new things and just letting them be. Ava has loved getting her photo taken lately… Tess, not so much. That’s why you see a lot less of her. She runs away pretty fast! I love Ava’s curls and I hope they never go away. Tess has the most hilarious personality and always has messy hair.
Staying home with kids so much can get monotonous, but finding the small beautiful moments in motherhood bring joy everyday.
Tess Jamie is 2!
We celebrated Tess’s birthday over the weekend! We are so grateful for this little girl. She is so fiery and hilarious. Ava was just watching her yesterday and looked over at me and said, “Mom, she’s so cute.” I have to agree. If you want to reminisce with me you can see her first birthday photos here and read her birth story here.
Halloween + Personal Post
Holidays are so much more fun with kids! We went to the pumpkin patch at Schmit’s Farm and the kids had a blast! They loved it so much, we went twice.
This was the first year Tess understood trick-or-treating and she was INTO it! It was so fun to watch her. She was not afraid to get right up there and take as much candy as they would let her (which was a lot)! She pretends to be a kitty all the time, so this was the perfect costume for her. She crawls around “meowing” until you pet her haha. It’s the cutest! Ava changed her mind a million times about what she wanted to be, but finally settled on “Fatman” (Batman haha). By the end of the night they were cold and exhausted, but had a great time!
Johnson Family
Bless my dear sister-in-law Nicci! She is the very first person who asked me to take their family photos. She has stuck with me, and I’m so grateful. I look forward to taking her sweet family’s photos every year. She is so laid back and just trusts me and goes with the flow. I love that about her! They are all just so photogenic and I always love how their photos turn out.
Minchey Family + Emery County Utah
I love getting to photograph friends and family when I visit Emery County! Except for when it’s a family I haven’t seen in a while and their kids are so grown up it makes me feel super old… haha. The Minchey family was wonderful, but I seriously remember their oldest being a little boy when I moved away. How does that happen?! This location is less than a mile away from my parents house and I had never used it before! I love how it turned out. Thanks for letting me capture your amazing family Mincheys!
