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I grew up in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. Our house was in one of the oldest neighborhoods of that desert city and even though I knew that there were farms on the periphery of the city, I can’t remember ever visiting one. Fast forward 30-odd years and I now live in a place full of small family farms. I’ve met people in all different parts of my life here in Wisconsin who live, or have lived, on a farm. I’d venture to guess that the excitement that I felt at the prospect of photographing this particular family at their home and dairy farm would seem odd to the people whose daily lives have been spent in such a setting. For me, though, this session felt like a visit to a new and fascinating world. I loved running around in the fields with mom, dad, kids and pets and was by fascinated visiting the barns to see the family’s cows.

My own interest aside, I have to say that it is always a wonderful experience to be able to photograph families in the places where they spend their everyday lives. Documenting families where they pass their days highlights the beauty of those everyday surroundings and gives me the distinct honor of helping them remember the special spots and meaningful moments that accent and punctuate those days. In this particular instance, I got to capture this beautiful family on the path they stroll in the evenings, in front of a favorite tree, playing in the fields surrounding their home and tending to the animals that they care for day-in and day-out. Every family’s story is unique and has its own specific and particular beauty. All of the emotion I see here makes that perfectly clear to me, as I hope does for you too.