Photographer John Loomis has a very interesting blog post talking about how photographing his loved ones helped him develop his shooting style.

Photographing my family became the way through which I was able to find my own voice in a sense. I was free to shoot things anyway that I liked, and to try new methods and techniques that stuck me in the work of my heroes. And in shooting people that I love I was connected to the deep well of emotion that can reside in a photograph that makes it rise above images made without such care for the subject.

In the blog post he mentions that his essay Life After Grammie is "To this day the best body of work that I've ever created." I haven't seen enough of his work to agree or disagree with this statement but it truly is excellent, moving work. I recommend everyone have a look at it. I can only hope to produce such a strong, moving piece of work someday.