09/02/2026
There is a big difference between a parent sharing a photo of their child on their own personal Instagram and a photographer sharing that same photo publicly on their business page.
And I want to say this right away: this is not a bandwagon post, and it is not meant to shame anyone. I don’t think parents who choose to share their children online are doing something wrong. I’ve always believed parents should have a say in what happens with photographs of their own children, and I’ve always respected the choices my clients have made with me. But I’ve come to realize that my responsibility as a photographer is different.
When I share a photograph publicly as part of my business, I’m putting that image into a much larger space. It’s being shared with people the family may not know, where it can be seen, saved, copied, and shared beyond the original audience. I’ve been wrestling with that distinction for more than a year.
Honestly, it’s a big part of why I’ve been so quiet on social media. Every time I went to post a photograph, there was a little voice in the back of my head asking, Is this what I want to do?
So I’ve made a decision.
Starting now, I won’t be sharing identifiable images of minors on my website or social media.
This isn’t because of one recent news story or court ruling. It isn’t because I suddenly became afraid of the internet. I’ve been thinking, praying, questioning, and wrestling with this for a long time, and this is the decision that feels right for me and for the way I want to care for my clients’ photographs.
And your experience with me isn’t changing.
Your session isn’t changing. Your gallery isn’t changing. The way I photograph your family isn’t changing. I’m simply choosing to be more intentional about what happens to your photographs once they leave my camera.
I’ve written a longer post about why I’ve made this decision, why I’ve been so quiet online, and what this means for the families who trust me with their memories.
You can read the full update on my blog. 🤍
