Your Extra Ordinary Everyday | South Hills Family Photographer -

Your Life is Worth Documenting

A woman stands in a doorway holding a small child while another child runs towards them from behind in a brightly lit room.

I recently re-watched the 1940 film adaptation of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town after hearing two quotes on a podcast that deeply resonated with me:

“No! At least, choose an unimportant day. Choose the least important day in your life. It will be important enough.”
“Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it—every, every minute?”

The first quote is spoken by Mrs. Gibbs, a character who has passed away, to Emily, a young woman who also just died. Emily wants to relive a day from her life but is warned to pick an “unimportant” day because even ordinary moments are full of meaning. Emily returns to her 12th birthday, and what starts as a joyful memory soon becomes painful as she realizes how much of life she missed noticing.

Left: A child lies upside down on a couch. Center: An orange cat sits next to a window with its reflection visible. Right: A woman hugs a child who is looking up at her.

In one heartbreaking scene, she watches her family and says:

“Mama, just for a moment we’re happy. Let’s really look at one another! … It goes so fast. We don’t have time to look at one another. I didn’t realize. … Goodbye, Grover’s Corners … Mama and Papa. Goodbye to clocks ticking … and Mama’s sunflowers. … Oh, Earth, you are too wonderful for anybody to realize you.”

This scene reminds us that the ordinary, everyday moments we often overlook are the essence of life. But we rarely appreciate them until it’s too late.

A ginger cat sits on a windowsill on the left, and a woman holds and smiles at a small child in a brightly lit room on the right.

How Does This Relate to Photography?

You might be wondering: what does Our Town have to do with family photography?

Everything.

As a family photographer, I believe deeply in capturing the “unimportant” days. The messy, chaotic, quiet, and beautifully mundane moments. While there’s no denying that a perfectly posed photo at sunset, with everyone in their best outfits, is stunning, I find that true beauty lies elsewhere.

It’s in the chaos of breakfast and the laughter that erupts when your toddler does something silly. It’s in the way your child hugs your leg when they’re feeling shy or the way your daughter used to wrinkle her nose when she smiled or how she absentmindedly twirled your hair when you held her. It’s reading your son the same train book 27 times or helping him tie his shoes before a family walk.

Those are the moments that make up a life.

A young boy and a toddler girl sit together on a gray chair. The boy smiles while the girl yawns. A book is open on the girl's lap and a rainbow decoration is on a nearby table.

Your Everyday is Worth Documenting

When you look back years from now, it won’t just be the big events—the weddings, birthday parties, or family vacations—that fill your heart with nostalgia. It’ll be the little things. The usual Saturday routine with you making waffles with a baby on your hip and sitting on the porch sipping coffee while the kids run around the yard.

These are the moments that seem ordinary now but will one day feel priceless. Like Emily in Our Town, we often rush through life without really seeing it. Photography allows us to pause, capture, and preserve those moments forever.

A young child sits in a gray armchair reading a book in a well-lit room. Nearby, there's a crib and a shelf holding colorful children's books. The room has gray walls and a window with white blinds.

The Beauty in the Mundane

As a family photographer, I want to challenge the idea that only the big and staged moments are worthy of being documented. The everyday is extraordinary in its own way. There is deep beauty in the routine and the ordinary, in the little things that often go unnoticed.

The small, seemingly insignificant moments are your life. They are the details that weave together the fabric of your family’s story, and they deserve to be captured just as much as any posed family portrait.

A family of five, two adults and three children, sits on a bed with a ginger cat. Two children are touching the cat while the third child and the adults look on.

When you think about family photos, don’t just think about perfection. Think about the real, unplanned moments that make up your life now. After all, even the least important day is important enough.

A woman sits on a bed hugging a smiling young boy. They are both wearing casual clothes, with the woman in a white top and the boy in a patterned shirt. The scene takes place in a home setting.

In this post, I’ve included images from a wonderful family that I photographed back when their 1st and 2nd kiddos were just tiny newborns! I love that mom wanted to have a session where I photograph a regular Saturday afternoon with their family together!

A family of five sits on a bed in a well-lit bedroom. Two adults and three children, one of whom is crying, are looking at the camera and smiling.

A family of five sits on a bed. The parents hold two children on their laps while another child sits between them. The room has light-colored walls and bedding.

A family of five sits together on a bed. The parents are seated at the edges, with their three young children between them. Everyone is smiling and enjoying each other's company in a bright, cozy bedroom.

A family of three, consisting of a woman, a man, and a child, sit on a bed in a bright room, engaged in conversation.

A woman and two children play with a brown cat on a bed in a bright bedroom. The woman and the girl are sitting on the bed, while the boy stands nearby.

Two young children with long hair, wearing white tops, sit at a countertop in a kitchen. One child is hugging and smiling at the other.

A woman and two children, all wearing white tops, stand in a bright kitchen. The woman is smiling and holding hands with the younger child, while the older child looks at them. A can of La Croix is on the counter.

A woman helps a young girl draw while an older girl concentrates on her own activity at a table. Art supplies are scattered on the table in a well-lit room.

A family of four, including two children, engaged in arts and crafts at a kitchen island. The girl on the right is focused on painting a colorful object.

A man prepares food at a kitchen counter while a woman and three young children, two girls and one boy, stand nearby. One girl sits on a bar stool, and the other children and woman stand.

An adult watches as two children engage in drawing and playing with toys at a table. Art supplies and toys are spread out in front of them.

A family gathered around a kitchen counter. Two young girls are working on crafts while an adult woman watches and an adult man holds a cup. Craft supplies and paper are spread out on the counter.

A young girl in a white dress stands at a kitchen island, holding a teapot, with several small cups and containers on the counter. A stained glass window and white cabinet are in the background.

A man in a striped shirt holds a baby in a kitchen, while a toddler in a white dress stands nearby, reaching up to him.

A man holds a young girl in his arm while a boy stands beside him in a kitchen. A calendar with notes is visible on the refrigerator behind them.

Two children embrace in a kitchen while a woman crouches near another child in the left image. In the right image, a woman helps a toddler stand beside a kitchen island with white stools.

A woman holds a young child in a playful pose on the left, while the same child crouches underneath a chair on the right, indoors in a bright room.

Two children hug and smile in a living room. A woman kneels on the floor nearby, and a man stands in the background. The room has wooden floors, white chairs, and a counter with various items on it.

A young boy stands in a kitchen, wearing a patterned shirt. In the background, a girl is focused on her activity at a kitchen counter. A colorful drawing is attached to a nearby surface.

A woman holds a young child who is stretching out one arm and appears to be talking or yawning. They are in a home setting with toys visible in the background.

A woman holds a toddler in a white dress in a living room with light-colored walls and wooden furniture. A fireplace and toys are in the background.

A young boy with a surprised expression stands near a kitchen counter with a few items on it. Another person's arm is partially visible.

A woman sits on the floor playing with a boy while a toddler, dressed in white, interacts with a toy kitchen set in a well-lit room.

A woman sitting on the floor playfully interacts with a child lying down, while another child is playing with a toy in the foreground. The room has toys and light coming through the window.

A young child in a white dress plays with a toy kitchen, placing a red object on the countertop. Natural light streams in from the windows behind her.

A woman sits on the floor holding a young child on her lap in a living room. The child is looking at a circular object. There are toys and a small chair in the background.

A woman and a young child playfully interact on a carpeted floor with toys visible around them. Both are smiling and laughing, with the child in the woman's lap.

Two children sit in armchairs. On the left, a young girl in a white dress holds a toy to her mouth, while on the right, an older boy in a patterned shirt sits cross-legged, smiling.

A young girl in a white dress with a bow in her hair sits in a large armchair holding a green heart-shaped object in one hand and a small item in the other, looking directly at the camera.

A young girl with a ponytail sits in a large armchair while holding a green toy. In another scene, she stands smiling near a kitchen counter beside an adult in ripped jeans.

A woman helps a young girl with her shoes in the left image and plays with her in a room with a bed and toys in the right image.

A woman and three children play in a room filled with toys and colorful blocks. Two children are playing on the floor while the woman and another child engage with a toy. The room has wooden doors and shelves.

Two children stand behind glass doors, gazing outside. The child on the left is pressed against a window, holding onto the frame. The child on the right stands behind a wooden door with glass panels.

A family of four stands on the front steps of a brick house. Two children, one being held, stand between the two adults. The mother has her hand on the older child’s shoulder.

A family of five, including two adults and three children, stands on the front steps of a red brick house. The adults are holding a baby, while two children stand in front.

A man stands in front of a brick house, smiling, and holding two young children, each under an arm. One child wears a white dress and another wears a patterned top and blue shorts.

Three children sit on outdoor steps in front of a brick building. The older girl and boy hug the younger girl, all smiling, with flowerpots placed beside them.

A family of five, two adults and three children, sits together on the steps of a brick house. They are casually dressed and smiling at the camera. The address number "904" is visible above the door.

A family of five sits on the front steps of a brick house. The parents are at the ends, with three children between them, all smiling.

Two young children in matching white dresses stand on a tiled porch in front of a brick house. A third child can be seen inside through the doorway.

An adult holding a young child in front of a brick house. The adult is kissing the child's head while the child looks towards the camera. Both are dressed in white tops.

A woman sits on the steps of a brick house with two young girls, all wearing light-colored clothing. The woman has one girl on her lap and the other sitting beside her.

A young girl sits on a porch step, wearing a white dress, smiling at the camera. The porch has red tiles and a brick wall.

Young boy with short hair sits on steps outside, smiling at the camera. He is wearing a light-colored shirt with a blue pattern. In the background, there is a brick wall and a grassy area.

A young child wearing a white dress with buttons poses on a brick porch in two different positions: sitting with hands by sides and sitting with one hand raised.

A woman pulls a red wagon with two young children sitting inside, while a man walks beside them on a residential driveway. A house with a fenced yard is in the background.

A young girl plays in a small wooden playhouse. She is seen peeking out of a window, sitting near a toy stove, and interacting with an adult outside the playhouse.

A boy gathers cherry tomatoes from a garden bed, while a girl in a white dress watches in the background. The boy holds tomatoes in his hands and picks more from the plant.

Three images show a family of four gardening. In the first, they discuss plants. In the second, a boy stands on a bench to pick a flower as a girl watches. In the third, the parents trim the plants.

A woman sits on a white couch, hugging a young boy and girl closely. The children rest their heads on her, and they all appear content in a cozy, sunlit room.

In the end, it’s the seemingly insignificant moments that hold the most meaning. They tell the real story of your family’s life, filled with love, connection, and everyday beauty. By embracing and capturing these moments through photography, you preserve not just images, but the true essence of your family’s journey. Because, as Our Town reminds us, even the smallest, most ordinary days are important enough to remember.

If you’re looking for a family photographer in Pittsburgh, please get in touch to inquire about a session! I’d love to plan a photo a unique photo session for your family!

Here are some other blog posts that you might want to check out!

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All images by Mary Beth Miller Photography

Mary Beth Miller Photography specializes in family and newborn photography in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and many of the surrounding areas. Mary Beth has over thirteen years of experience photographing families, newborns and babies in Pittsburgh including Valencia, Mars, Wexford, Seven Fields, Warrendale, Bradford Woods and Adams Township Her style is very relaxed and natural and your family session will feel like a stress-free Sunday afternoon with your family!

2 comments

Renee
Yes, a families life is worth documenting and you do it so beautifully!ReplyCancel
Rya Duncklee
Wow, Mary Beth! All of your in-home sessions are amazing, but this one was over the top with emotive images! It should be titled, let’s see how many toddler expressions we can document in an hour! What a doll. Great family, great images!ReplyCancel

MARY BETH MILLER

photography

MARY BETH
MILLER

photography

Your Extra Ordinary Everyday | South Hills Family Photographer