“This is the BEST representation of our family. The perfect time capsule. The perfect way to cherish each of their personalities. The best gift we could receive. Especially in a time where I’m terrified for time to move too quickly, Thank you 🥹🥹🥹🥹. I wish I could accurately tell you how much it means!”
–Athena Hays

When it comes to growing children, time always goes too quickly.

Capturing this video during a photo session with Emily meant the Hays family got beautiful photos plus a film that holds onto the giggles, squeezes and in-between moments that happen outside the shutter clicks.

Because those are the moments that disappear first.

Starting at Lyndale Park Rose Garden

We began the session at the Lyndale Park Rose Garden in Minneapolis — one of the most peaceful corners of the city. The garden gave us space to wander, explore and let the kids be themselves instead of asking them to “perform.”

That’s the sweet spot for family videography. Real reactions. Real curiosity. Real personality.

The kids ran in the grass, stopped to smell flowers and circled back for hugs. Nothing forced. Just a family moving through an afternoon together.

A quiet stop at the Peace Garden

From there, we walked over to the nearby Peace Garden. Everyone worked together to build paper cranes, which was a fun activity that brought out lots of giggles.

Everyone settled into the rhythm of just being together. Video captures those subtle dynamics in a way photos simply can’t — the way a child leans into a parent, the sound of laughter, the quick exchanges that define this season of life.

Ending the evening at Bread & Pickle on Lake Harriet

We finished the evening at Bread & Pickle on Lake Harriet, which felt like the perfect closing chapter.

Dinner by the water, kids unwinding, parents relaxing — it had that simple, summery Minneapolis feeling that families remember years later but rarely think to document.

Some of the best clips came from this part of the day. Messy faces. Comparing fry lengths. Gazing at the water. The kind of ordinary moments that quietly become the most meaningful.

Why add video to a family photo session?

Photos freeze a moment. Video preserves a season. The Hays family now has both — images for the wall and a film that lets them hear the laughter, see the movement and remember how this chapter felt.

Family films aren’t about perfection. They’re about memory. About holding onto the little things before they change. Because they always do.