Photographing the Duggars: From the 2002 Election to Family Milestones

I first met the Duggar family back in 2002 while covering the primary elections for U.S. Senate. At the time, I was working for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and found myself standing outside Westside Freewill Baptist Church in Springdale, Arkansas, with April L. Brown from the Associated Press, waiting for Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar to arrive and cast their votes. To our surprise, they appeared around the corner—walking in a straight line with their entire family. It was an unforgettable moment and a photographer’s dream photo opportunity!

Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of photographing the Duggars on multiple occasions, especially after each new addition to the family. It’s been exciting to see them grow, and now I’m getting to witness the next generation as their oldest son, Josh Duggar, begins a family of his own.

Earlier this month, Josh and his wife, Anna, welcomed their second child into the world, and I had the honor of photographing the family for TLC shortly after baby James Michael’s arrival. In fact, I was there just an hour after the birth! My work as a photographer can be unpredictable, and sometimes I don’t even know how or where my images will be used. The next morning, I received a text from a friend who saw my photo of the newest grandchild on People.com, and later that week, the same image was featured on The Today Show.

Along with the recent newborn photos, I had the chance to photograph the entire Duggar family (minus one son) again in 2011. To give you a fun comparison, I thought I’d share an old photo from that 2002 election day alongside a more recent family portrait—what a difference nearly a decade makes! It’s been a privilege to capture the Duggars’ journey, and I look forward to documenting their milestones for years to come.