The question I’m going to start asking every parent…

One thing about me is I’m always learning and looking for ways to make the experience at Hope Davis Photography even better. Whether it’s improving how I photograph children, making sessions easier for parents, or simply asking better questions, I never want to stop growing.

Recently I came across a question that made me stop and think.

It’s a question I should be asking before we ever get into all the details, dates, wardrobe, and everything else that goes into planning a session.

When you look back at these photographs 10 or 20 years from now, what do you hope you’ll see? What do you never want to forget about this season of life?

Just thinking about that question changes everything.

Maybe it’s the way your little boy still reaches for your hand. The way she sucks in her bottom lip. The serious expression he makes when he’s concentrating. The front teeth poking through a smile. The way they insist on wearing rain boots with everything.

Those little things seem little while you’re living them.

Until one day they’re gone.

As a photographer, it’s easy to focus on creating beautiful portraits. Beautiful light. Beautiful expressions. Beautiful artwork.

But the older I get, the more I realize the photographs my own family treasures aren’t necessarily the most perfect ones.

They’re the ones that remind us exactly who someone was.

That’s why I’m going to start asking every parent this question before their session.

Because your answer tells me what matters most.

It helps me notice the little details that deserve to be remembered.

It reminds both of us that these portraits aren’t just about what your child looked like.

They’re about preserving what childhood felt like.

So let me ask you the same question.

When you look back at these photographs 10 or 20 years from now, what do you hope you’ll see? What do you never want to forget?

I’d love to hear your answer.

Because chances are, that’s exactly what we’ll make sure to photograph.

Hope Davis Photography is a children’s portrait studio located in Decatur, Mississippi, specializing in timeless children’s portraits, heirloom portraits, and Little Faces personality sessions. Families travel from Meridian, Jackson, Brandon, Madison, Starkville, Philadelphia, Laurel, and surrounding communities for a simple portrait experience focused on preserving childhood.