I'm a sucker for some good candid moments. I love those sweet photos where the "real" breaks through the perfectly posed for that capture that pulls at your heartstrings!

When you look at your photos years from now, I suspect its the candids and the ones filled with personality and spontaneity that will make you smile - not that there's anything wrong with also getting that perfectly frameable traditional snap for your mantle or this year's Christmas card.

The Criswell's Kiawah Island family portrait offered so many beautiful opportunities for some adorable photos, and their three beautiful littles really brought their A-game in the candid photography department.

Can we take a moment for how precious these kids are? They were honestly just being themselves, and it was such an honor to capture their young personalities, just as they are. I honestly feel like I barely posed them at all for our shoot at the Sanctuary!

These sweet kids clearly have a special bond as siblings, which is always a fun element to document as a family photographer.

We started out in the front gardens of The Sanctuary, the hotel at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort. I love shooting at The Sanctuary because the grounds are always fabulously and meticulously maintained - it offers such a wealth of gorgeous backdrops in such close proximity. Then it was off to the beach!

If you don't have a dinner reservation scheduled for after your shoot, I highly recommend letting your kids just "have at it" on the sand. It gives them a chance to let loose, unwind, and you get the most genuine smiles and the deepest belly laughs, which are a joy to capture on camera.

Thank you to the Criswell family for entrusting me to capture these darling moments with your family! I hope you'll enjoy these photos for years to come.