There’s an old saying, “the days are long but the years are short.” Nothing exemplifies it this statement more than parents raising a beautiful young child. When a couple decides to start a family – any couple – there are so many wonderful and special moments that will come along during the many years that they all will hopefully have together. This is especially true during the early years, when a child begins to grow into the personality they are developing as well as their physical transformation as years go by. The following Lafayette Hill Studio Family Photograph session captures the very essence of a family as they introduce their lovely child and work to capture some special moments to treasure as those years begin to go forward.

Family photography dates back to the early 19th century when photography was first invented. During that time, photographs were primarily taken for documentation purposes and were expensive, so only the wealthy could afford them. Daguerreotypes, one of the earliest forms of photography, took anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes to create a single image. This meant that families would have to sit completely still for an extended period, making it difficult for children to pose without moving or fidgeting. It also explains why people didn’t smile in early photographs.

As technology advanced, it became easier and quicker to take photographs. The introduction of the Brownie camera by Kodak in 1900 made photography more accessible to the masses. It was a basic cardboard box camera with a simple convex-concave lens that took square pictures on roll film. It was also rather cheap, being introduced at the equivalent to $50 in today’s money. By the 1980s, families were taking their photos using compact 35mm cameras. Rolls of film came with 12, 24, or 36 exposures, which needed to be all used before they are taken to a processing lab to develop the images. This process often took days or even weeks, which meant that families had to wait patiently to see the final results of their photos. Sometimes accidents happened, and you wouldn’t know that a shot was too dark or bright, or maybe someone was blinking, until the moment was long gone. Despite the inconvenience of film development, families still cherished their photographs and would often display them in slip in photo albums in their homes. Not everyone had access to a camera or the skills to take good photos. People would still go to a professional photography studio once a year, in their Sunday best, and take a formal portrait. These would be taken with a plain background or a pre-designed set, and serve as a formal documentation of your family over the years. Today, digital cameras have again changed the way we take and share family photos and allows folks the ability to take and retake to their heart’s content and readily share them easily. People now can document their children’s growth daily or monthly.

While the it’s true taking pictures on from a phone camera has grown in popularity, there is still a need and desire to seek out a professional for many special events. It takes the talents of a professional who can work with a family in this case to capture some touching special moments of this loving family. The family were wise to seek out the talents of photographer John Ryan of J&J Studios of Philadelphia. John is an award winning photographer and is the perfect professional to capture the wonderful photographs below. Every element of his arsenal of skills is applied – helping the family select the backdrops, what to wear, how to pose, the lighting – all the aspects that come into consideration to produce the desired finished product. You can see from the ensuing photographs that John has captured the heart of this family and the tenderness and beauty of their lovely daughter. Her innocence and sweetness exudes through these photographs and will be a treasure for her Mom and Dad for many many years to come.

All of the photographs above of the Lafayette Hill Studio Family Photograph session here display the talents of John Ryan of J&J Studios of Philadelphia John is a gifted photographer and is well known for his incredible wedding photography not only in the Philadelphia area, but throughout Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and points beyond. And John is not only known for his memorable wedding photos. John also captures special moments tied to Engagements, Birthdays, Anniversaries, LGBTQ+ events, Corporate and Sporting happenings, Christenings, as well as Professional and Family portraits and headshots. John has been honored by multiple Diamond Awards for his Engagement Portraits, Awards for his Documentary Wedding Photography, and recognized by the Artistic Guild of Wedding Photojournalists. Such a list of acknowledgements and accomplishments would lead someone to think that John would limit the many many requests and engagements he receives to just a chosen group or clientele. However, that is not what John is about. He has brought his arsenal of talents to many other individuals and couples who otherwise would not normally be able to utilize a photographer of his caliber to capture their very special moments. John takes the time to get to know his clients so they can work as a team to memorialize the precious event at hand. If you are looking for a gifted photographer for your special event, look no further than John Ryan to provide you with a stunning memorialization to last you for a lifetime.