Every quarter, one of my favorite things is getting to celebrate the photographers inside our ESB Education community.
Photography can sometimes feel like a lonely job. We spend hours behind the camera, editing behind our computers, and pouring our hearts into serving our clients. That’s why I love creating opportunities for our community to come together, share their work, and celebrate one another’s growth.
This summer’s theme, Connection in Motion, challenged photographers to share family photographs that go beyond beautiful smiles and perfectly posed portraits. Instead, we asked for images that captured authentic connection through movement. The moments where children are running into their parents’ arms. The laughter that happens while spinning in circles. The sway of a family walking hand in hand.
These are the moments that transform a photograph into a memory.
Thank you to everyone who submitted an image, encouraged fellow photographers, and voted for the work that resonated with you. Your support for one another is one of the things that makes this community so special.
Congratulations to Our Summer Cover Winner Tiffany Alia Daraiseh!
Congratulations to Tiffany Alia Daraiseh for receiving the most community votes! Your image beautifully captured the heart of this quarter’s theme, and we’re thrilled to feature it as the ESB Education Facebook Group cover photo for the summer quarter.
Website: https://www.photographybytiffany.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/photography.by.tiffanyd
The rest of Our Top 5 Images
While one image earned this season’s cover, these four photographs received the remaining highest votes from the education community and all demonstrate what connection-based family photography is about. Each photographer approached the theme differently, yet every image invites the viewer into a genuine moment between the people being photographed.
As you scroll through these images, don’t just admire them. Study them.
Ask yourself:
- What kind of movement was the photographer encouraging?
- How does the movement strengthen the emotion in the image?
- Where is your eye drawn first?
- How did the photographer use light, composition, and timing to tell the story?
- What could you incorporate into your own family sessions?
Growing as a photographer often begins with intentionally studying great work. Looking beyond what you like and asking why it works will make you a stronger artist.
Devin Desjarlais
Connection doesn’t always require big movement. This image reminds us that quiet, everyday interactions can be just as powerful. The relaxed embrace and natural body language create an intimate moment that feels genuine, inviting us into the family’s story.
Sarah Downey
This image captures a family simply being together. The movement of walking along the shoreline, combined with the open space and gentle waves, creates a sense of freedom and connection that feels timeless and authentic.
Aubrey Bonetto
This image beautifully captures movement as a way to create authentic family connection. Rather than everyone standing still for the camera, each family member is interacting naturally, creating layers of energy, emotion, and storytelling that draw the viewer into the moment.
Emily Truong
This photograph perfectly demonstrates how movement can simplify posing. As the family walks together, their attention naturally shifts toward one another instead of the camera, creating connection while the surrounding landscape beautifully complements the story.
Why Movement Creates Better Family Photographs
When families have something to do, they stop thinking about the camera.
Children become curious instead of resistant.
Parents naturally interact with one another.
Expressions become genuine instead of forced.
Movement creates opportunities for real emotion because people are engaged with each other rather than trying to perform for the camera.
Sometimes that movement is big and playful, like running across a field or dancing together. Other times it’s incredibly subtle. A parent brushing hair away from a child’s face. A toddler reaching for a hand. Siblings leaning into one another as they walk.
Those little moments often become the photographs families treasure most.
What We Can Learn From These Images
Every photograph featured in this contest demonstrates an important lesson for photographers.
Connection comes before perfection.
None of these images rely on elaborate props or complicated posing. Instead, the photographers focused on creating an environment where families felt comfortable enough to interact naturally.
As photographers, our job isn’t simply to direct people.
Our job is to notice.
To anticipate.
To create space for genuine moments to unfold.
When we approach sessions this way, we create photographs that clients feel connected to for years to come.
Growing Together as Photographers
One of the reasons I started ESB Education was because I believe photographers grow faster inside a supportive community than they ever could alone.
Every contest, every image shared, every encouraging comment, and every piece of constructive feedback helps all of us become stronger photographers.
Whether this was your first time entering or you’ve been photographing families for years, thank you for contributing to a community that values community over competition.
Congratulations again to our cover winner and our Top 5 featured photographers. I hope these images inspire you to keep creating meaningful photographs that celebrate authentic connection.
I can’t wait to see what you create for next quarter’s theme.
Inspired by These Images?
One thing every image in this Top 5 has in common is that the photographer created an experience rather than simply directing poses. Whether it’s a family walking together, children running into a parent’s arms, or siblings cuddling on the couch, movement creates the opportunity for genuine connection.
If you’re ready to bring more of these moments into your own sessions, I have two resources to help:
Start with my Free Family Posing Guide, where you’ll learn the foundations of creating natural, connection-filled family portraits.
Looking for even more ideas? My 90 Family Posing Prompts course gives you 90 ready-to-use prompts for just $27, so you’ll never run out of ways to create authentic moments during your sessions.
The best family photographs aren’t about perfect poses. They’re about giving families permission to simply be together. These resources will help you do exactly that.
