“Goes by in a blur” doesn’t begin to cover it.

As a (very real + imperfect) mom of four, I serve meals on the run, and often from the drive-through on the way to or from practice.

I never expect to find a child in the same bed I put him or her to sleep in, and often find them in a giant pigpile together - and am happy to leave them there.

I encourage sarcasm and humor, and die laughing at a perfectly executed one-liner from my seven year old.

And within these (perhaps) ill-advised decisions are the moments that make up the story of who we are as a family.

And that’s what I seek out with my camera.

When you’re in the middle of a well-connected moment, you might not recognize it. But I will.

capturing your family’s real-life love story is one of the things I care about most.

Because classic never goes out of style. Like Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

I’m Emily Jackson, and I do this job because it’s important that you have pictures that speak to your heart + soul today and in 10, 20, or 50 years. And I photograph the way I do because it’s important that the images you love are classic and timeless, so that they never feel dated by the trends of the day. I want you to have the photographs you can’t stop looking at, and I have the experience to create those for you.

Every session is fun, laid-back, and relaxed, ensuring that your photographs are infused with the personality + character that make your family your family.

The secret to the photos you love is all about being primed to recognize those little behaviors, details, interactions, expressions, and connections that you’ll always want to remember. This is my specialty. This is what I do for you.

See your family in a brand-new light.

session details

In my years as a professional photographer, I’ve learned three things:

— ONE —

Authentic portraits don’t try to be something they’re not

— TWO—

Part of my job is helping you love the beauty of who you are the moment the shutter clicks

— THREE —

A child being themselves is key to what makes the photos you love

Your session is all about you and the details that capture the essence of your family. The quiet and the comfortable, the crazy and the silly.

To be invited into your circle to create photographs that make you say, “Wow! This is so us!” is an honor and a privilege. I’m invested in your experience as much as you are.

For you, portraits freeze the fleeting moments of babyhood and childhood; for your children, they provide intentional time to just be together in their early years, when you’re so busy parenting that you’re missing from the photographic frames of their lives. It happened to me; I have a bazillion snapshots of my kids, and I’m not in a single one of them. I realized how important it was for them to have pictures of us all of us together. I want you and your children to have that so they can see what your real life feels like—and so you can see the beauty you bring to your every day.

“Emily is very professional, but warm and fun to be around at the same time. I am constantly complimented on her gorgeous work.”

—H., Washington, DC—

I capture what your authentic motherhood looks like.

Not social media motherhood, not “your mama’s heart” motherhood, not what you think motherhood should look like. I capture what’s real for you.

One of the saddest, most painful things I’ve ever experienced was losing my father-in-law. My greatest solace was in two large totes full of photographs that showcased his entire life. They inspired conversation, stories, tears, laughter, and healing. It was real. And that’s when it hit me: when I die, my kids won’t have that. I’m just as guilty as everyone else in that the majority of my photos live on my hard drive or my phone. An entire generation can’t lose out this experience because we’re so addicted to our computers, smart phones, and social media.

Quick snaps have their place, but so does longevity.

“My favorite part of our session was watching the way Emily worked to make sure my preschooler was engaged and didn’t feel overshadowed by her newborn brother.”

—T., Columbia, Maryland—

MY STORY, IN A SERIES OF RANDOM FACTS:

Random Facts

Cat and the Fiddle Photography was named after my favorite nursery rhyme. I’m drawn to the musical connotations of the name, as I grew up with bluegrass and fiddle music. My dad and children are talented musicians—but it definitely skipped my generation.

I LOVE to travel; sand between my toes, city streets beneath my feet, uncharted waters—all of it. I’ve filled passports with stamps and had to get new ones. My grandmother worked for the UNDP and did stints in Laos, Namibia, and Mongolia, amongst other places. I want to be like her whenever I decide to be an adulty adult.

I’ve always been highly uncool—but motherhood, marriage, and adulthood have allowed me to appreciate the individual beauty in everyone and in their relationships. I find and reflect the authenticity of your family by connecting with you on a deeper level. I often find we are kindred spirits, which allows me to capture your true selves so you can avoid trying to fit into a certain mold of beauty or “coolness.”

Motherhood didn’t come easy for me, at least not on the second try. After my uneventful first pregnancy, we experienced three painful losses, and it about broke me. We welcomed our miracle baby two years later—our only girl! We were overjoyed with two more surprise pregnancies after that, but all those months of heartbreak and uncertainty left a mark on my soul. When I think about parenthood and family, I’m never without a grateful heart.

I’ve been called the Dad Whisperer; I’ve got some mad skills when it comes to working with husbands and partners (especially the reluctant ones), which is exactly why I make sure to pay extra attention to them in every session. I make jokes, connect with their kids, sing the theme songs to their kids’ favorite TV shows, talk about video games they like, laugh at everyone’s silly behavior, give them props for being a good husband, and praise them for raising such great kids. The results are portraits they love.

On any given weeknight, I play chauffeur for my kids to dance class, where I pretend that I’m stressed by the driving back and forth, but really, I appreciate the time shooting the shit with my dance mom friends. Alternatively, I cook two dinners at home (one for kids, one for adults: yes, we’re that family, and I don’t even apologize for it). I then watch Real Housewives while defending my crappy TV choices to my husband.

One of the things I’m most proud of are the numbers of families who come back to me year and year to create a photographic time capsule. Sitting with a client and looking at her series of annual photos, I was struck with a deep feeling of envy; I wanted what I had given her! As a mom, a woman, a friend, and a peer, I felt sad and jealous and happy and fulfilled all at the same time; as a professional, it was one of my proudest achievements.

“Good enough for Instagram” isn’t good enough for a lifetime.

Your family deserves more.

Carving out the time for a portrait session and printing your photos allows you and your children to hold onto the tangible, so your memories won’t ever be lost to the march of technology.

Because let’s be honest: nobody’s going to gather ‘round your outdated smart phone years from now (assuming it still works) and ooh and aah over your photo roll.

Get in the picture with your kids (without the awkward selfies).