New Jersey Photographer's Unusual Portraits Zoom-In On 'Real Picture' Of Family Life
HOBOKEN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A New Jersey photographer turned her hobby into a business creating unusual family portraits that show the 'real' picture of family life.
It's laundry day in the Loria household and photographer Danielle Guenther is capturing the chaos with 4-year-old Frankie, 2-year-old Lucie, and their mom Caitlin.
For Guenther, the messier the better. Her photos offer an honest snapshot of parenting from a mad rush out the door, to a less than peaceful family dinner, to utter exhaustion.
The collection is called 'Best Case Scenario.'
"Really it's just making light of a situation, You have that moment when the stroller falls over because it's too packed full of things and in that split second your husband checks the score of the game," she told CBS2's Elaine Quijano, "Or a mom has to take her three kids to a grocery store, you're thinking, 'oh this is gonna be great,' and then just absolute mayhem."
Guenther, herself the mother of a 5-year-old, came up with the idea when a photo session with a client was wrapping up.
"In the end she sort of laid down and said she was exhausted and when I looked at that it was just so funny to see her laying down on the couch. So, we both agreed, let's do a funny image," she said.
The project has allowed Guenther's subjects to feel normal.
"People love feeling normal. They'd say to me, 'thank you for making me feel normal, thank you for putting an image out there that's not perfect,'" she explained.
A 2014 survey by Current Lifestyle Marketing found more than 60 percent of mothers, ages 18 to 34, feel pressure to create an image of a perfect life on social media.
Freelance writer Jennifer Wallace, who covers parenting trends, said unlike the days of leave it to beaver, parents now are more willing to accept they can't do it all.
"No one can be perfect all the time and I think she's given us permission to sort of show our warts and all. her photos are real family photos," Wallace said.
Real photos that Guenther's client Caitlin is now excited to add to her album.
"I didn't worry. I mean if they were acting naughty the pictures are only going to be better," Caitlin said.
Guenther said the photos allow her clients to look back and laugh.
"Just to think back. I know it's crazy right now in this instance, we have a lot going on, but someday you'll go back and you'll miss it and just to have that memory of it," she said.
Those clients are comfortable putting the photos in a frame for the world to see.
"I think so because it's so different. It's so unique. It's gonna be a conversation photo. I think we'll definitely frame it. Maybe in the laundry room," Caitlin said.
The collection is nowhere near finished. She still has plenty of ideas, including traveling with children on an airplane and potty training.
