Desert Family Session by Tina Chiou | Joshua Tree Film Photographer

Hi Friends. I swooned so hard seeing our entire gallery from Tina Chiou. I can never ever get enough of the westside golden sunset. I am so over the moon with these photos y’all. Full disclaimer, during the shoot I seriously had to take several deep breathes cause our kids did not want to cooperate the majority of the time. I know very well, exactly how kids can be but even on my very own family photoshoot, the frustration crept in. It happens, even to a family photographer lol. There were some tears on both Brayden and Nova’s part but it didn’t last long. However, I still had some doubts whether or not my kids smiled enough. Tina did such an amazing job capturing our family in all of our real and raw moments. I was laughing to myself seeing how Brayden had tight lips sealed in a good bit of the photos but that was our shoot. That was how the kids felt cause all they wanted to really do was play. From frowns to smiles and warm hugs, to playing in the desert sand, climbing walls, searching for snakes and even tossing shoes, those were the moments that made up our family session. I am smitten friends. I love our photos so much.

I read this quote on Pinterest and it’s literally what I say to myself almost everyday. “The most beautiful part of my life is the little family I created.” I love my little family. I love being together. The way we travel together, creating memories wherever we go, whether we’re at home making breakfast, on the road to the grocery store, hanging out with friends or staying in on an evening playing Pictureka. I L O V E us.

With 7 years of trying to conceive and being much older now that it has happened, I want to soak it all in. I have always been so fortunate with the support of my husband to solely focus on my kids that I made the long drawn out decision to close NOI TRAN PHOTOGRAPHY as a business. I know with Jordan, I juggled homeschool along with work from home and it was hard. No matter how much I tried to find work-life balance, I had this gnawing feeling that God didn’t design me to be that kind of mom who desires to want it all, or rather, wants to do it all. I just want to be there for my kids and for me the way that looks is being home and happily taking on the role of full time homemaker. I say happily because I know what it is to be resentful. I know what it’s like to go back and forth between thoughts that ‘maybe…maybe I can do both.” I may have paused and taken breaks from the business but God has really put it on my heart to completely closed this chapter, finally. I’ll still use my talents for my family and friends when needed but NTP is officially closed. I have learned so much about myself during the years as a business owner. I have learned so much starting over as a ‘new’ mom. Being a mom at 22 verses 36 is really an entire different world. Never in a million years did I think I’d have this experience to be mom to two beautiful little humans. I hope you’ll join us on the blog as continue to share tidbits on our family adventures!