Family

A Meaningful Fall Family Session at Menomonee Park in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin

As a Menomonee Falls family photographer, this fall mini session is one I’ll never forget. When this mom first reached out to me about booking a session last year, she shared that their family had gone through something incredibly difficult not long before their photos. They had recently lost their son, and this would be their first session with their daughter since his passing. She told me she was nervous about how the session might feel emotionally, but she still wanted to document this season of life and make sure he was included in a meaningful way.

Including Their Son in a Special Way

Before the session, I suggested bringing a photo of their son along so he could still be part of their family photos. When they arrived at Menomonee Park, they brought a framed photo of him, and we incorporated it naturally throughout the session. Some of the images include them holding the frame, while others simply focus on their time together as a family. The goal wasn’t to make the session feel heavy or overly posed—it was just about honoring him while still capturing genuine moments with their daughter. Even in a short 15-minute mini session, we were able to create images that felt meaningful and true to their family.
What meant even more to me was that after this session, she told me how comfortable the experience felt for them. Because of that, she later decided to hire me again to photograph her daughter’s one-year milestone session in studio near Cedarburg. Getting to continue photographing families after moments like this is one of the biggest honors of my job.

Why This Family Chose to Work With Me Again

After they received their gallery, she sent me the kindest review:

“If I could give Melissa more stars, I WOULD! I originally found her through a group on FB and did a mini shoot with our family in the fall. She incorporated our son who had just passed away shortly before with ideas and suggestions and without being weird about it. She made us feel so comfortable and we got SO MANY good pictures in 15 min!! I then started following her on the socials and decided to book her for our daughters first birthday—BEST decision ever!! She knew the words to her favorite songs, she was perky, she took so many good pictures that I ended up buying ALL OF THEM!!!!!!!!!”

Later on, I also had the chance to photograph their daughter’s first birthday milestone session in the studio, which was such a special full-circle moment for their family. You can see that session here:
Daughter’s First Birthday Studio Session in Cedarburg, Wisconsin

Being trusted to document families through meaningful seasons like this is something I’ll never take lightly as a family photographer serving Menomonee Falls, West Bend, and surrounding Wisconsin communities.