How To: Create A Core Memory During Your Photo Session

What is a core memory photo session? 

Aahh … core memories. You know, the memories that stick out the most when you look back at your life. The good ones make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside when you relive them. You can remember every single detail, as if it just happened yesterday – the smell, the taste, the sound, the feeling … I’m willing to bet a memory just popped into your head. 

The truth is, you don’t always know while it’s happening that something will become a core memory. Like the ones from your childhood – there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to the memories that replay in our heads over and over again. But sometimes, you do know. Sometimes, a moment is just so special that you know you will remember it forever. 

That leads me to: the core memory photo session. The one that you will remember for the rest of your life. I know that seems like a lot of pressure to put on a photo session, but with intentional planning, it can be done. And it can look different for everyone. Yours might look like a romantic, candlelit picnic at sunset. Or a slow morning at home filled with cuddles and kisses. Or a pre-dawn hike just to watch the sun rise from the top of the mountain. 

Why should I create a core memory during my photo session? 

“Photos that make you feel something.” It’s my mantra during every photo session, while I’m editing photos, and what I hope I’ve accomplished with every gallery I deliver. To me, that’s the art of photography. And creating a core memory during your photo session is such a beautiful way to capture photos that make you feel something. Whether it’s love, beauty, contentment, joy, or peace – I want you to be able to look at your photos from our session and feel everything all over again: the wind in your hair, the warmth of the arms embracing you, the smell of rain in the wind, the surprising sound of your favorite song coming on the radio. The simplicity of these things is what makes the memories beautiful. 

How do I create a core memory during my photo session? 

By creating the moments you want to remember for the rest of your life, you’re essentially creating who you want to be in years to come. Follow these three simple steps, and you will be well on your way to creating a core memory:

Step 1: Ask yourself “What memories do I want to have documented fifty years from now?”

Remember that scene from Titanic, where Old Rose is getting settled in her room on the ship, and she has something like 20 framed pictures on the dresser? She said, “I have to have my pictures when I travel.” It’s kind of ridiculous in 2023 to think about bringing framed photos with you everywhere you go (1997 was just a different time, y’all), but the fact that she takes the trouble to bring all those photographs with her shows just how precious those memories are.

Maybe your reason for booking a core memory photo session is as simple as wanting to prove to your grandkids that you were, in fact, cool (“What photo, if I saw it in my grandparents photo album, would change the way I think about them?”). Or maybe you want some rad art for your living room wall (“If I walked into a stranger’s house and saw this picture on their wall, we would be instant friends.”). Or maybe you’ll keep the photos just for yourself, as a reminder of how awesome you are (I think we all need this sometimes).

*choosing what to do during your core memory photo session isn’t as simple as scrolling through a list of activities and finding something you like – with intentional planning, your session can truly be something you’ll remember forever

Step 2: Think about the one thing you’ve always wanted to do but never have

It doesn’t have to be about facing your fears – maybe the timing just never worked out. Don’t overthink it. What is the first thing that popped into your head?

*this doesn’t have to be some big “epic” thing – like I said before, sometimes the simplest things can create the most special memories

Step 3: Find your photographer

Maybe you’ve been following a photographer on Instagram for a while because you have an emotional reaction to their photos. Maybe your friend had a recent photo session and cannot stop talking about the experience they had with their photographer. Our maybe you’re interested in hiring me for your session (I vote for the third option!). Whatever the case, find your photographer and submit an inquiry today for your very own core memory photo session!

PS these photos are from a session I did with my friend Haley who owns the coolest zero waste shop in Fayetteville, AR – definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area. Check her out on Instagram!

I’m a wife, a dog mom, a foodie, a wanderer, a registered nurse, and a couples/intimate wedding/elopement photographer … and this blog will cover it all! If you enjoyed this post, first of all thank you, and second of all please follow me on Instagram + Facebook to get updates on future blog posts, see sneak peeks of my amazing couples, and so much more! If you have any questions about elopement photography, my journey from nursing to photography, or my time spent as a full-time RVer, drop a comment and I just might write a blog post answering your question (but I definitely will)!

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