One of my favorite things about taking pictures is getting to meet the most interesting, wonderful, lovely people.

In Fight Club, Tyler Durden uses the term “single-serving friends” to describe the people you sit and chat with during airplane flights. It’s so true, right? You meet someone, you commiserate over that embarrassing curtain that divides the first class and you, you talk about what you do and where you live, and then you go your separate ways. (You are never Neve Campbell catching some ZZZZs on Don Draper’s shoulder on the red eye from Los Angeles, by the way. It’s usually Bubbie Faye who summers in Toronto and winters in Fort Lauderdale.) You may, at most, wave a goodbye after grabbing your suitcase in the baggage claim. But that’s it.

Meeting new photo clients is kind of the opposite — I have met people who have since become repeat customers, Facebook friends, and even actual real-life friends. I love seeing  the family dynamic — envying pregnant bellies, talking to soon-to-be big siblings, seeing siblings interact. I love seeing smiles and frowns and laughs and giggles and tears.

Personalities galore.

People I would never have met.

In fact, I did a shoot for a family yesterday, including a full-of-life-and-energy toddler (she was way too fast for my camera—and my camera is really fast) and a super fresh (9 days!) newborn.

The kicker? They live around the corner from me. No, really. I have probably passed them on the sidewalk or maybe even sat beside them at the park while our children played near each other.

It’s such a small world, isn’t it? Around the corner.

A small world, filled with so many friends I haven’t met yet.

Yep. It’s safe to say I’m exactly where I need to be. My camera is bringing a lot more into my life than just photos.