Family photos might be one of my all-time favorite gifts to receive. Ever since my children were born, I have appreciated the talents of professional photographers more than ever. Rebecca Love is one of the most talented, easy-going, authentic, and kindest people I have met~ and she happens to be an incredible photographer! Rebecca Love Photography is one of my absolute favorite suggestions when asked for my Nantucket Travel Guide– I highly recommend capturing the memories of your trip through Rebecca’s lens! Here are some of our family photos that she took for us this summer on Nantucket. We also used the photos for our Christmas cards this year! (Also, Rebecca and I did a photoshoot with the clothing that Draper James sent me- she was incredible!! Click to also see the Draper James clothing shoot)

Photography is one of my favorite forms of art- and there is nothing more special to me than capturing a moment in time- or, in this case, a phase of life as a family. Photographs are like songs- they evoke more than just one sense. They bring with them a feeling and a set of emotions that identify that place in time.

Even though you see a family of four with their 2 dogs, I see the full summer that represented the first time we took our pups to Nantucket~ which also meant the first time we had ever driven to Nantucket as a family (we have always flown until the pups came along). Driving from Georgia to Massachusetts and putting everyone on the ferry was a first for us and definitely helped make memories! 🙂

My daughter is 15 in these photos, and I am so happy to have the photos to remember this age. We often let the teen years slip by without professional family photos because teens aren’t the most enthusiastic participants sometimes. Photos with friends? Absolutely. Photos with parents? Not quite as exciting. 🙂 Knowing the phases of teenage life, it makes me even happier to know we have these beautiful photos (and it makes me want to schedule them each year!).

We chose to take family photos at Brant Point Lighthouse because this is actually where Ron proposed. We were also celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary this summer, and it just seemed like the right place to be! 20+ years ago, Brant Point was a much quieter place. I used to walk down to the lighthouse all of the time when I lived there (it was about a 5 minute walk) and I had always loved the peacefulness of it. It is busy with fishermen and tourists these days, but it was still fun to have the photos taken where he proposed!

My son is 13 in these photos and I love capturing his age. He has always begged for a dog to bring to the beach. Getting to watch him have fun with our two pups was a treat for me and just another fun part of this summer trip.

I laugh as I see the photo above because it was so windy and my daughter was a little worried about the wind and her dress. I see the concern in her body language and totally get it! Photography speaks without words.

Beach dunes, kids, and puppies remind me of the days I would see families on the beaches and look forward to having my own one day. I’m so grateful to have my family and grateful to Rebecca for documenting memories of this summer for us.

Another of our favorite parts of this trip was seeing our pup, Blue, relax and enjoy the calm of the beach. He was having hip problems and was a little nervous about everything because of his discomfort. Just getting him ready to travel took a lot of effort- the kids and I spent a month with a dog trainer learning how to help him feel less afraid of noises and even the wind! He ended up loving the wind on the beach and is actually in his “relax” command pose in this photo below. 🙂 It made us so happy to see him overcome his worried ways and enjoy himself!

Tuck wasn’t worried about much except chasing birds and bunnies. He would get excited every time he could sense we were heading to the beach for the day. One of his best days on Nantucket was going for a walk and finding a slice of pizza that had been thrown in a bush. Not exactly what we were expecting but something we will always look back on and laugh about! Needless to say, it was an excellent summer for Tuck and Blue. Rebecca captured them perfectly in the photos- and that is not always easy with 2 one-year-old pups!

Honestly, it was an excellent summer for us all! As I look back with so much appreciation for this trip, I also have so much appreciation for Rebecca and her photos! I can’t brag on her enough- for her natural way of capturing photos and her approach to bringing out the best in her subjects. Rebecca made our family photos stress-free and so much fun. I am thrilled that we made a friend in the process- I look forward to seeing Rebecca again and again!

It was so wonderful to work with Rebecca- from the minute she sent her information and tips on having a successful shoot, I knew she was so thoughtful and professional. When you plan your trip to Nantucket, be sure to book a session with Rebecca- she is one of a kind and will deliver the most beautiful images. Rebecca Love is as authentic as you will find- and her images reflect her relaxed nature and show just how special she is!