Family Videography
Photography is my first love, but you can't compare anything to the power of hearing your little one's giggle all those years later. Videography, and Home Movies, give families that ability. There is a magic to family films that is priceless.
What is a Family Film?
Family films, or family videography, is a totally real home movie of curated video clips set to licensed music. Real life is the best, and family films allow you to see and hear the memories you're creating.
"A family film is a nonfictional motion picture intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of preserving a personal historical record or memory for the family."
I offer three types of Family Films for Atlanta families: Home Movies, which tell the whole family's story on a certain day, or Family Films that focus on one member of the family with either a Newborn or Birthday Portrait Film. Newborn films are made within a month of baby's birth, and Birthday Portrait Films tell the fleeting story of your child at this age.
What Can You Expect if You Book a Family Film?
Once you book family videography with me, we start with a phone call. We'll talk over what it is that you hope to capture, and we will come up with a loose plan for our session. This is a very loose plan, as family films are documentary, real life sessions. We will not be setting up shots, or doing anything staged or posed (unless you want to grab a quick family portrait while I'm there).
Some examples of a "plan" might be starting at home and walking to the neighborhood pool, or just hanging out at home and be sure to include the sun porch and story time. We'll talk about what it is about this moment in your family's life or your child at this age that you want to remember, and create an outline based on that.
When I arrive at our session location (or first location if you have multiple in mind), I will take a look around and meet everyone. Then I hope to be ignored as life unfolds in front of me. We will both have the loose plan in our minds to guide us, but sometimes the best moments happen spontaneously. I am so often reminded that real life is so much more interesting and beautiful than anything I could have choreographed.
Each family film session lasts about two hours, and it includes 10-15 photographs. I'll send you an on-line gallery to download your photos within a few days of our session. Your family film will be uploaded to the same on-line gallery within a few weeks.
A Home Movie for the Merrihew Family | Christmas 2022
A few weeks ago I got to make a family film with the Merrihew family, just a few days before Christmas. This was the third film I've made with this family, and they are never boring! The boys keep me on my toes, and as a family they have so much fun together. Which is super fun for me to document!
I love what we made. It is so cool that the boys have already watched the film a billion times, but it is completely thrilling to think of them showing this film to their kids. I can only imagine what that would be like.
This year was a big one for this family, as they moved out of their home to renovate. So we started our videography session at their temporary home, and ended it at their home that is under construction about a mile away. As a house geek I know how fun it will be to see this stage of renovation for them down the line once it is finished.
It also makes me very happy that they will always have these videos that not only include their grandparents, but also show off just how much fun they had with them. Not many grandparents would jump right into the chicken dance performance that was unfolding in front of them lol.
Are you interested in making a family film with me? Let's talk. Time is flying by and your kids are getting older every day. Document this moment before it's gone.
You will never regret getting in the frame with your kids, and it doesn't need to be hard. Nothing is better than real life!
Chanda Williams is a real life family photographer and videographer offering busy Atlanta families the chance to preserve the beautiful memories they are making. Serving intown Atlanta and Decatur, and available for travel.