Home Rituals – Connection & Kindness

I remember reading a Henry Miller quote once that resonated with me. “I certainly do not hope to alter the world. Perhaps I can put it best by saying I hope to alter my own vision of the world. I want to be more & more myself. ” Connection starts at home. It starts at your core and then branches out. I find that the people who are most connected with themselves are the ones that form the deepest connections with others.

The older I get the more I am seeking connection within my own identity as well. I am fascinated with connection and how it plays out in our lives and it is a common thread in my photography. So, I decided to start doing in home sessions with people who are engaged with each other in their development as people in this big weird world we all inhabit. It looks different for everyone and I love that so much.

Molly & I have known each other for a few years. She has this beautiful home in the mountains of Boulder, Colorado that she shares with her fantastic partner, their active baby boy & their arctic weather loving dog. Their home is filled with these fascinating details that they’ve gained through their travels including some of the most beautiful hand carved wood pieces I’ve ever seen that Molly herself refinished. They invited me into their home on an overcast day and took me on a tour, mentioning little tid bits as we went along. Plants everywhere, little pieces of light finding their way into everything. I found their space to be so welcoming that it felt like home even to me.

I went in with zero intentions other than just wanting to photograph them connecting. Doing daily activities, sharing space, sharing love. And afterward we had a conversation where I asked them what core values they hope to instill in their family. Zach’s very first response was empathy. Kindness. Molly threw in that she hopes to instill a sense of self reliance & an independent confidence in self.

Both Zach & Molly grew up in ways that very directly fostered independence in their lives. They grew up chopping wood and learning to drive stick shifts and doing these things that modern technology kind of ensures we all don’t *NEED* to do for ourselves now but each of them see the value in knowing how to do it so that you aren’t stuck in a situation you can’t get yourself out of. Self reliance in general fosters a level of confidence.

And if you look at this family you really SEE that. They are already traveling the world with their child that is under the age of 1 and really wanting to ensure they bring new cultures into his life education. They are Burning Man adventurers and love taking road trips and truly value the fact that they have so many people from different backgrounds and religions and cultures to help them raise their child with a deeper sense of the world. I am sure that all of this will ensure a certain level of open mindedness & respect for others and their journeys as well.