(And Why I Always Take It)

You know that moment at the end of a photo session when everyone’s tired, the light is fading, and you’re pretty sure you’ve already got “the shot”?

Yeah, that’s when I say “just one more.”

And I know what you’re thinking—because I can see it on people’s faces. “Really? One more? Haven’t we taken like 200 pictures already?”

Yes. Yes we have. And I’m still going to ask for one more. Here’s why.

I’ve been doing photography since 2009, and I’ve learned something important over all these years: magic doesn’t always happen on schedule. Sometimes the best shot of the entire session happens in that “one more” moment when everyone’s guard is down, when you’ve stopped trying so hard to smile perfectly, when you’re just… being.

Let me tell you about a senior session I did last spring. We’d been shooting for about an hour, and I’d gotten some really solid shots—good poses, nice expressions, beautiful light. The senior was ready to call it a day. But something told me to try one more setup, just one more angle.

That “one more” shot? It’s the one her mom cried over. It’s the one they ordered as a 16×20 for their living room. It’s the one that captured something special I can’t even fully explain—just this look in her eyes that said everything about who she is and who she’s becoming.

We would have missed it if I’d packed up when we “had enough.”

Here’s the thing about photography that most people don’t realize: I’m not just taking pictures. I’m watching. I’m waiting. I’m looking for those micro-moments when something real happens—when the light hits just right, when someone’s expression shifts from posed to genuine, when the energy changes and suddenly everything clicks.

And sometimes, that moment takes a while to show up.

That’s why I build in time for “just one more” even when we’re all getting tired.

Because I never want you to look back and wonder “what if?”

What if we’d tried that other location? What if we’d taken a few more candid shots? What if we’d stayed just five more minutes?

I’d rather take 300 photos and give you 50 amazing ones to choose from than take 100 photos and have you feel like something’s missing.

Now, I’m not going to lie—those sessions where I’m constantly saying “okay, just a few more” can feel long in the moment. Especially if you’re not used to being in front of a camera. But here’s what I’ve noticed: when clients come back to book another session (and so many of you do, especially for senior and sports photos), you tell me you’re glad we took the time to get it right.

You’re glad we tried that extra pose. You’re glad we moved to that different spot even though we were already getting good shots. You’re glad I pushed for “just one more” when you were ready to quit.

Because that’s usually the one you end up loving most.

So yeah, when we’re shooting together and I say “just one more,” I really mean it. Not because I don’t think we’ve gotten good stuff already—but because I know we can get something even better. Something that’ll make you stop scrolling through your gallery and just stare. Something that’ll make you say “that’s it, that’s the one.”

That’s what I’m always chasing. Not just good photos, but the photo. The one that captures exactly what I saw in you, the one that tells your story in a single frame.

And sometimes, it takes just one more shot to find it.