A HOT SUMMER
DAY FOR THE NALLYS

It was one of those sticky summer days in Raleigh where the sun hangs a little longer, and the pace naturally slows. As a Raleigh documentary family photographer, I love sessions like this that are unstructured, playful, and full of personality. The kind where your backyard becomes the setting for a story that’s entirely your own.

We played hide-and-seek between garden beds and tree trunks. Kingston, still in diapers, darted behind bushes with that unmistakable squeal of excitement only toddlers have. She wandered toward the herb garden, which she knows well. She picked sprigs of basil and thyme straight from the stems—no hesitation, just instinct. It’s her favorite snack, apparently, and there’s something delightful about watching a child eat rosemary like it's candy.

The hydrangeas were in peak bloom:  big, bold, and too tempting to ignore. At one point, she pressed her whole face into the petals to take in their scent, then plucked one carefully and carried it back inside like a souvenir from an adventure.