Elements
"I don't photograph the way people look, I photograph their energy.
I allow my intuition to guide me intending to reveal Moments of Grace in my photographs."
What You Get
Working with Ben, not only will you get long lasting and beautiful images of your family, but the chance to experience what it feels like to be photographed by an artist who knows how to hold space allowing his subjects to show up in new ways. When you look at these images you will feel surrounded by the love of your family and be reminded of happy moments. You will feel more connected to your loved ones.
My goal is to be authentic and honest, not merely different.
This approach is based on letting go of expectations and assumptions about how people should look or behave. I move beyond formal poses and pretenses in order to use the photographic experience as a way of finding truth and connection.
The work is not about my camera. I really want the camera to disappear, so my subjects act naturally and express their spirit, as well as their love for one another.
I am dedicated as an artist to recognize and record those fleeting yet memorable glimpses of life that we take for granted – family moments experienced but rarely revealed in photographs. I call them Moments of Grace®. It’s when two and two equals five: people coming together to create a whole that is infinitely greater than the sum of its parts. While based in Darien, Connecticut, we work worldwide. My muse, wife Trudie, is also my partner in the practice. Trudie oversees client relations, marketing and operations.
I am honored that my photographs, commissioned and personal, are in many private collections, as well as in the permanent collections of:
The George Eastman Museum, Rochester
The High Museum, Atlanta
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Museum of Modern Art, New York
Testimonials
“When our boys were six years old, Ben captured a moment in our lives that gave us what we consider the iconic images of our family. Thirteen years later, as those same boys, now young men, prepared to head out into the world, we knew that another shoot with Ben was a chance to celebrate their growth and independence in a way that our family would cherish forever."Read more
There is no question in our minds that there will be future shoots with Ben that will immortalize other pivotal moments in the ever changing life of our family, but this last one feels like a particularly special gift. Now, we will never lose that precious time when we were so keenly aware of the gigantic and wonderful change that was coming to our family.
Ben’s photos provided bookends to our children’s childhood, making it easier to let it go, because we knew that now it would never be lost.”
“The most rewarding part of the experience isn’t just receiving images of our family, candid photos that capture joy displayed as art in our home… it was also the review session where Ben presented each photo to us that he had curated along with music to view. That slideshow moved us as we watched the family we have grown, it is a very fond memory and experience we are very fortunate to have had.”
- N.S. Darien, CT
“The most wonderful art in our home are Ben’s photographs, and they are everywhere! The photos are a reminder of the magic and blessings of life. As precious as these captured moments are, the time with Ben and Trudie is a very special part of the experience. Ben takes you on a journey of discovering each other a new, at the end we are always left with ‘wow that was so fun’ and glowing from the interaction.”
- R.S. Westport, CT
“Working with Ben and Trudie for our family photo session was an amazing experience, from the relaxed nature of the photo shoot, to selecting the photos, to installing them in the perfect spot in our house. It was so interesting to view our family’s portraits as artwork. Together with the Larrabees, we carefully chose the works that reflect the context of our home, our relationships with one another, and the subtle expressions of our day-to-day lives.”
- M.E. Darien, CT
“I am absolutely THRILLED with the portraits and the installation. Wahoooo! My house is now a home. Thank you for sharing your talents with me!”
- C.B. Summit, NJ
“Ben has photographed our family many times in the past 14 years. The photos hang in a literal gallery on the second floor of our home and each time we walk down the hallway we relive the moments of joy and grace Ben has captured from various moments of our family’s history. The photos never fail to make my heart sing or bring a smile to my lips. They are truly the best heirlooms we could ever leave our children.”
- E.T. New Canaan, CT
“Ben captured a very happy moment in time in the most natural way which is what drew us to his work. You won’t do any posing, no forced smiles – it’s real and it’s wonderful, and it’s actually a great way to work with young kids and get them at their best. The pictures are amazing – and it’s not because of the subjects! We will cherish them forever.”
- J.T. New York, NY
“Thank you for your warmth, patience and inviting manner. Not so easy to keep a family engaged for two hours especially when one wants to watch football, another YouTube and the other South Park. You did good. Can’t wait to see what you see.”
- J.R.Westport, CT
“I am forever grateful to Ben Larrabee for his exquisite capture of my family, and also grateful for the mysterious flash of insight that inspired John and I to schedule this photo session, something totally out of character for both of us. Little did we know that just one short year later we would all be preparing for John’s journey beyond. Life is full of wonder and mystery. Pay attention to those good (and sometimes crazy) ideas, and carry on with a grateful heart,”
- M.G. Katonah, NY