Lauren Colliver Photography, Blacksburg Va, Family Child Baby Maternity » Blog

Five sweet faces are my motivation: my husband, Ethan, sons Elijah, Gideon, and Jonah, and baby girl Seraphina.

From the moment I was born, my father shadowed me with his camera. He captured every emotion in black and white and color - the smiles, tears, frolics, and family adventures. He still has all those slides, periodically pulls out the projector (a project all its own), and treats his grandchildren to the joys of seeing Momma as a tiny ankle-nipper herself.

When my first was born, I wanted to give him the joys my father had given me. As my next two sons were born, I didn't want them to feel left out. (So often the second child and those thereafter have few photos of their childhood, if any. My younger brother complains of this often.)

My photographic interest and skills grew from taking countless pictures of my own children, starting with my firstborn in 2003. Compliments on those shots led to studying the art and science of grabbing micro-seconds of time, and acquiring more and more professional-level equipment.

As my "way of seeing" matured, three rambunctious boys learned to put up with the Mamma-razzi. And what started as a passion to document my own children grew into an expanding pursuit: taking largely unposed pictures by natural light - family portraits, really - for family and friends, friends of friends, and so on.