The Pittenger Family | Natural, editorial family photography in Raleigh, North Carolina

One of the greatest privileges of being a family photographer is getting invited back.

I first photographed the Pittenger family in 2021, and five years later, we were together again on a beautiful summer evening in Raleigh. Same wonderful family, a whole lot of growing up, and another chapter of their story to preserve.

In fact, their oldest son had gotten his very first cell phone that very day. A pretty significant milestone in the life of a child (and his parents!). It made me smile to think about how much can change between family photographs. The little boy I photographed five years ago is now old enough for a phone of his own.

And that, really, is why I love this work so much.

A summer creek session in Raleigh, North Carolina

When Erin and I started planning their family photographs, we considered a few locations around Raleigh and Apex, including their own home and a wooded bridge near their neighborhood.

Ultimately, I suggested one of my favorite little spots along a Raleigh creek, with an enormous old rock bed, beautiful natural textures, and plenty of room for the children to explore.

It was July in North Carolina, which meant we had to consider the heat. I even offered to reschedule if the temperatures felt like too much for the family.

But the Pittengers spend much of their summer at their children’s baseball games. They’re no strangers to a hot North Carolina evening, and they were happy to embrace it.

And goodness, I think summer rewarded us.

The light, the greens, the warmth, the beautiful old rocks. All the things I love about photographing families outside in the summertime were there waiting for us.

The photographs that matter aren’t always the ones we plan

One of the things I remember most about the Pittengers is how genuinely kind they were to one another.

Their boys were so sweet with their little sister, who seemed to be the undisputed queen of the family. There was such a lovely tenderness in the way they interacted.

As a photographer, I pay close attention to those relationships. Of course, I’m thinking about composition and light and all the things that make a beautiful photograph. But I’m also watching for the little interactions that tell me something about the people in front of my camera.

Who reaches for whom. The way siblings play together. The expressions that only seem to appear around the people we love most.

Those are the things I want families to remember.

If your child wants to do cartwheels, we’re photographing the cartwheels

I have a pretty firm philosophy when it comes to photographing children: I’m not interested in crushing their joy for the sake of a photograph.

If a child has an idea for a picture, I want to hear it.

And if that idea involves doing cartwheels? Well, we’re going to photograph the cartwheels.

Because the things that matter to children are worth taking seriously.

Someday, those photographs might remind a family of the summer their daughter did cartwheels absolutely everywhere. Or the year their son was obsessed with baseball. Or the day their oldest got his first cell phone.

These things might seem small to us as adults, but they’re the wonderfully specific details that make up a childhood.

I don’t think every photograph needs to be perfectly posed, and I certainly don’t think children need to perform for my camera.

Sometimes the best thing I can do is pay attention, make room for their ideas, and let them show me what’s important to them.

Editorial family portraits with a documentary heart

My background is in photojournalism, and that experience continues to shape how I photograph families today.

I love beautiful light, thoughtful composition, and the kind of timeless editorial imagery that feels just as lovely framed in your home as it does in a magazine.

But I also care deeply about honesty.

About making photographs that feel like the people in them.

I want you to have the beautiful portrait of everyone together, of course. But I also want the laughter, the movement, the curiosity, and the unexpected little moments you couldn’t possibly have planned.

As a mother of four, I know that children aren’t always interested in the same things adults are. I also know that when we give them a little room, they can surprise us with something far more wonderful than whatever we had in mind.

My approach to family photography is a blend of editorial portraiture and documentary storytelling, with a great deal of attention to making children feel comfortable, understood, and genuinely part of the experience.

The beautiful business of growing up

I keep coming back to that first cell phone.

It’s such an ordinary, modern milestone, but also such a perfect little marker of time.

Five years ago, the Pittengers were in a different chapter of family life. Five years from now, they will be somewhere entirely new.

The baseball games, the cartwheels, the little sister adored by her brothers, and all the countless ordinary things that make up their days will continue to change.

And that’s exactly why I think it’s worth making the photographs now.

Not once everything is perfectly coordinated. Not when the children are a little older or a little easier to photograph.

Now, while this particular version of your family is right here.

Erin and family, thank you for inviting me back. It was such a pleasure spending another evening with you, and I hope these photographs become even more precious with every passing year.

Family photography in Raleigh, Apex, Cary, and the Triangle

I’m Jillian Knight, a Raleigh family photographer specializing in natural, editorial and documentary-inspired family portraits.

Since 2008, I’ve photographed families, weddings, and meaningful moments with an approach rooted in storytelling, beautiful light, and genuine human connection.

Whether we’re exploring a creek, wandering through a field, or spending a morning together at home, my goal is always the same: to create photographs that are beautiful to look at and even more meaningful to live with.

If you’re looking for a Raleigh family photographer who welcomes your children’s personalities, embraces a little adventure, and cares as much about your family’s experience as the finished photographs, I’d love to meet you.

Explore family photography and reserve your session with Jillian Knight Photography.