Revisiting the Past with New Eyes: How My Family Photography Has Grown

Deanna Dunham
Jun 21
2 min read

*Featuring Connie, Ryan, Skye, and Sammy*

There’s something special about revisiting the past—not to stay there, but to see how far you've come.

This week, I pulled out an old gallery that holds a lot of heart for me: a cozy fall session with some of my closest friends—Connie and Ryan, their daughter Skye, and their loyal pup Sammy. This family has cheered me on from the very beginning, and their support has shaped more of my growth than they probably realize.

Looking back at this session through the lens of who I am now—as an artist, a storyteller, and a person—felt like flipping through the pages of a journal I didn’t realize I’d been writing.

When I first photographed them, my editing style was warm and soft, but I hadn’t yet developed the intentional colour grading and depth I aim for now. My styling was instinctual, not yet curated. The compositions were heartfelt, but I can now see how much more confidently I balance space, light, and story within a single frame. I used to rely on the charm of a good setup—now I layer that charm with narrative.

I still remember placing those pumpkins just so, the crunch of leaves underfoot, the light filtering through autumn branches. At the time, it felt magical—and it was. But today, I would approach it with more vision: shaping tones to highlight connection, balancing the vibrancy of nature with the warmth of skin tones, and guiding my edits to feel true, rich, and emotionally grounded.

And perhaps what I love most is that I didn’t need to recreate the session to rediscover its magic—I just needed to revisit it with the tools I’ve since gathered.

What made this evolution possible is something I’m so grateful I did back then: I held on to the RAW files.Those untouched digital negatives are like time capsules. They preserved all the detail, all the range, all the possibility. Because I kept them, I was able to breathe new life into the gallery—editing with more nuance, balancing tones with intention, and creating an entirely different emotional impact.

The difference is more than just the editing. My sense of styling, composition, and colour theory has grown too. In 2021, I was already laying the foundation for my visual voice—but now, that voice feels more confident. More cohesive. More me.

These new edits are still full of joy and connection—but they’re also cleaner, more editorial, and truer to the Little Joys brand I’ve been building. They reflect the quiet beauty I strive to capture: not flashy, not trendy—just honest, rich, and timeless.

It’s a reminder that our stories don’t stop growing just because the shutter clicked. Sometimes, they deepen over time—just like the people in the frame… and the one behind the lens.

To Connie, Ryan, Skye, and sweet Sammy—thank you for trusting me with your memories and for growing with me.