Favorites from 2023
Some of my favorite photos from a busy 2023 as a family and lifestyle photographer in Worcester.
Last year was a real hectic year here at Tom Godfrey Photography and for Tom Godfrey general life. My daughter, Eejin, was born in the last weeks of 2022 so 90 percent of 2024 was climbing the often sheer face of the first-time parents learning curve. I also entered into my last semester of graduate school which was great because they saved the most intense work for the end. In October, by far the busiest time of year for any family / lifestyle photographer in New England, I was also trying to conduct interviews, research, and write a 60 page paper on the connection and value of diaspora as seen by second generation Asian Americans. There was not much sleep involved but it’s done! My degree is currently sitting at the top of a pile of stuff in my office that I have yet to sort. Then my wife SiEun, Eejin, and I went to Seoul after the holidays.
This is all to explain why I am posting my favorite photos from 2023 in almost-March of 2024. Here are some of my favorite non-commercial photos from this past year.
2022: A Year in Review
2022 in Photographs
This has been a busy, busy year. In a lot of ways, my business has changed more this year than it has in any year before. This became apparent to me while grabbing photos for this post when I realized just how much of what I photograph is now commercial, real estate, or editorial. Families and family moments, like weddings, are still a huge part of what I do and I am proud of the photographs that I came away with this year. Here are some of my favorite shots. I let a few headshots and houses slide in there but for the most part there are a lot of families and a lot of genuine love. The last two are of my daughter, Eejin, who is one of the reasons why this year was so busy. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2023!
2021: Another Weird Year in Review
The best of 2021. My favorite shots from every non-commercial session in 2021.
I used to really love winter because it gave me a lot of free time to unwind from a chaotic fall and focus on growing my business without crazy deadlines every day. With grad school and a growing focus on commercial work, though, winter is a bit less free. Actually, I take that back. Grad school is the main issue. So many papers.
Still, winter is an important time for reflection and I always enjoy doing these year in review posts. They remind me that I have a good job and that my business is sustainable but they also remind me that my job is fun. I remember every single one of these sessions and they all involved at least one good laugh. If I get to laugh at least once during a day at work then it’s a win.
Here are my favorite shots from every non-commercial session of 2021.
2020: A Year in Photographic Review
2020 was a strange year but I took a lot of photos because life goes on. Check out my favorite photo from every session that I shot last year. From family sessions to a bride and groom jumping into the pool in full dress. It’s all here.
I always try to keep things pretty optimistic and cheerful on my site so forgive me when I say that 2020 was a big pile of garbage. I think that sentiment is pretty universal. It was a struggle to just stay afloat for a lot of us who were forced to close up shop for long periods of time. Businesses that were run by people smarter than me didn’t make it through because of things that were beyond their control. Lacking a ton of overhead and being married to my second photographer, I was able to survive by curling up into a fetal position with my camera popping up as regulations allowed. The efforts to support small businesses like mine were huge.
A few days ago I started going through all of my sessions during 2020 and I was reminded of why I do this. Life goes on. There was the pandemic, yes, but there were also marriages, adoptions, trips to the park, and engagements. Silver linings in the cloud are what you live for during hard times, right?
Very often my favorite photo from a session will not be the one that gets printed and framed. It will be a moment of tenderness when nobody knows that the camera is on them or it will be some hilarious moment when a kid crosses a line and is just done with the session. Photos without a story can be pretty but that’s not what I am into. If people wanted that anymore then we would still be loading into the car and going to Sears.
Below are my favorite photos from every session from the last year that was not a studio headshot or real estate shoot. I have a lot to be thankful for even during a year that went so so wrong for everyone. Thank you to all of my 2020 clients!
A Lifestyle Family Session in Shrewsbury
I love shooting lifestyle family sessions. These sessions allow a family to be photographed in the environment that makes them feel the most comfortable- their home. Lifestyle sessions bring out natural smiles and real laughs over heavy posing and that awkward “I’m being photographed” feeling shrinks. Check out this lifestyle family session that I shot in Shrewsbury, MA.
A couple months ago I photographed a family lifestyle session in Shrewsbury, MA. It was one of those sessions that just flowed naturally because we were in an environment that encouraged that.
One of the things that I enjoy about photographing lifestyle sessions in my clients homes is that there is a higher level of involvement. Communication is really important in any type of photo session (and really in any job- not just photography) but lifestyle sessions work best when there is some idea about what your client wants to get out of their experience. This goes double for when I get to photograph at their house. I have a good sense of what light works best but ultimately the family knows their own house like the back of their hand. And, anyway, great light is important but photographing in rooms that have meaning is more important.
“We really spend a lot of time in the livingroom.”
“Sorry, this laundry room has this great window…”
Jeff was really involved. He had a really good sense of the type of photos that he wanted because he knew what he didn’t want. He and his wife did not want posed photos. We came away with these really fun slice-of-life photos that I think really captured who they are as a family. Now, it didn’t hurt that their mid-century modern house was studio-level gorgeous but this could have also happened in a small apartment. Lifestyle sessions are all about capturing genuine interactions and love, and that happens more readily in a place that’s comfortable- especially when there is a child involved. Ok, enough reading.
Check out some of my favorites from this lifestyle family session in Shrewsbury, MA!
Tom’s Blog:
Pictures are worth a thousand words but check out what goes on behind the scenes during my sessions.