“Where we love is home – home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.” ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

I recently announced my Front Porch Sessions which will take place once the IL the shelter-in-place order is lifted for non-essential businesses. You might be wondering what a Front Porch Session is if you haven’t seen the article that has gone viral on social media or you might wonder why I’m choosing to offer them. You don’t need to wonder any longer because I’m sharing all about them today!

A Front Porch Session with DHP is an opportunity for you to capture your family in front of the place you call home. These sessions are designed to capture you and your family enjoying the place where you make memories on a daily basis. Also, heaven forbid you experience the unthinkable like a house fire (like I did!) or a natural disaster that causes you to rebuild or move, you’ll have these photos to remember your home by. Whether you live in an apartment or a house, it’s your home. It is where memories are made and relationships can be built and enriched. Home is a place where we should feel safe to share our deepest valleys and highest achievements. A cove where we can refine ourselves before we stepping out our door the next time.

Today, I wanted to share a little behind my why for offering these.

1.) I really like photographing doors! While this may seem silly, I think it has a much deeper meaning. A door is the entrance into a new space whether it is a new home, a new job opportunity or something else. Every time the door is opened, new memories can be made and relationships can be enriched.

2.) For some, previous versions of “home” may have negative memories attached so as they have created their own home, they want to feel grateful for the what they call home now. My desire is that families would continue to grow closer to one another no matter what their past experience of “home” was like.

3.) One of the many important lessons or reminders we can take from the current worldwide pandemic we are currently experiencing is that our next day is not guaranteed, neither is the next hour! Sadly, the past few months have been reminders of just how fragile life is and why it is important to make sure that we have our priorities straight. For me, my family is important despite any issues we may have (all families have issues…I promise!). It is a way to pass down new or happier memories for future generations. Someday, your grandkids might be looking at photos and say, “Hey, I remember when I played bubbles with grandma in the front yard or that is where grandpa helped me learn to hit a baseball.” I’m sure you can think of times when a photo has brought back memories as if they happened yesterday.

At the core, Danielle Hardesty Photography exists to love, encourage and strengthen families through the art of photography. As the quote above reminds us, wherever we love others is home, no matter what kind of structure it is. While our stay may be temporary, a piece of our heart will always remain in that place. The memories we created, the love we shared with those living with us (or were invited in) and the gift of shelter we knew we had there!

Sign up to receive information on dates for front Porch Sessions as soon as they are released here.

Don’t forget that I’m offering Virtual Storytimes with Ms. D (click on Events) during our shelter-in-place season of life.

Want to hear about why Front Porch Sessions need to wait? Head on over to my friend’s blog post to read more.