Winter Wonderland

There’s something about winter that makes kids forget everything except the moment. On this particular day, that moment was a snow-covered hill, a pair of sleds, and my three kids laughing so hard they could barely stay upright.

Photographing your own children is always a strange mix of instinct and restraint. I know their faces better than anyone, which means I can anticipate the grin right before the sled tips over, or the dramatic wipeout that ends in giggles instead of tears. But it also means I’m torn between being behind the camera and right there in the snow with them. On this day, I tried to do both.

The light was doing that perfect winter thing—soft, bright, and forgiving—so I kept my settings simple and stayed mobile. I shot from the bottom of the hill, then the side, then flat on my stomach while they flew past me like tiny, puffy astronauts. I wasn’t chasing technically perfect frames. I was chasing their energy: red cheeks, snow-dusted eyelashes, and the way siblings look at each other when they’re sharing a secret joke.

Some of my favorite images came between the action—boots being kicked free of packed snow, processing the thrill at the end of a run, a quiet pause at the top of the hill before the next run. Those in-between moments are where the story lives.

By the time we packed up, our gloves were soaked, legs frozen, and hearts buzzing with new core memories. Totally worth it. These are the photos I know I’ll come back to—not because they’re flawless, but because they feel exactly like being there.