San Francisco Bay Area

Documentary Family Photographer

A shirtless man and a young girl, possibly his daughter, are standing in a backyard next to a red lawn mower. The man is leaning over slightly, holding the mower's handle, while the girl is holding his arm and looking up at him. There are bushes and
Close-up of a child and an adult barefoot, holding hands, with the child wearing a pink tutu and the adult sitting on a chair.
A woman and a young child on a playground slide, with the woman at the top smiling and the child at the bottom holding the slide with both hands.
A family scene in black and white showing a man lying on the floor and looking at a woman who is kneeling beside a child drinking from a bottle. The woman is smiling and looking at the child, with a bookshelf and a chair in the background.
Silhouette of two people dancing in a bedroom near a window with curtains, bunk beds, and a striped object in the foreground.
Woman and young girl playing and laughing on the carpeted floor in a home, with the girl lying on her back wearing pajamas and the woman on her side holding her.
Child watering plants outside a house while a group of people sit on the steps nearby.
A man is holding a colorful cup over a baby sitting in a bathtub, pouring water on the baby's head. The baby has a curious expression and is playing with his hand while being bathed.
A man riding a bicycle with a young child in a child carrier on his back in a suburban neighborhood with trees and houses.
A young girl holding an orange flower and a small toy, with an adult working in a garden on a hillside with trees and a fence in the background.
A man playing guitar with a young girl touching the guitar in a cozy living room.
A child sitting on a black textured carpet playing with a toy that has computer engineering themes, alongside a person. The toy resembles a small board with labeled sections and a button, and there are green dice with black dots and a small gray plas
A man with a beard, wearing a backward cap and a jacket, smiling while standing on a hillside with a large body of water and a bridge in the background.

Hi, I’m Anthony Thornton, a documentary photographer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. I help families celebrate and remember what makes them who they are.

My approach is simple: no scripts, no stress — just real, meaningful photographs that reflect a family’s unique story.

Featured Stories

A man is outside, trying to squeeze through a window, looking distressed, wearing a large sun hat. A young girl, inside, is reaching out to him, attempting to stop him from coming through the window.
A young boy with blond hair wearing a yellow shirt, standing close to a large tree with his hands covering his ears and face pressed against the tree outdoors in a park with green grass and trees in the background.
A woman sitting on a brown leather couch in a living room, holding a toddler on her lap. The toddler is reaching out with one arm. Sunlight is streaming through an open window, illuminating the scene. There are framed posters on the wall behind them.
Dad rides bike with daughters on front and bike past mom and home.

  • “He’s a brilliant photographer and one of our most treasured possessions is the life rhythms he captured of our family.”

    Peta, Mom

  • “His artistic and professional eye captured the beauty of the moment without planning a single pose. He delivered a curated album of photographs that documented a special moment in our lives and we are incredibly grateful that we have something to to remember this time by."

    Greg, Dad

  • “...These aren’t just photos; they are a vivid story of who we are as a family...”

    Ellie, Mom

  • “...If you are looking for a talented photographer with a keen eye for how to capture beautiful candid photos, capable of capturing magic in very small authentic moments — you need not look further.”

    Sarah, Mom

  • “...it was life documented as art...capturing the decisive moments of peak emotion! Our family is forever grateful for your time spent with us documenting our small gathering...”

    Jason, Dad

  • “Anthony so joyfully captured those everyday moments that combine to make a life.”

    Tommie Jean, Mom

Check Out the Blog

blog
7 Ways Families Keep Their Documentary Photo Session Stress-Free
7 Ways Families Keep Their Documentary Photo Session Stress-Free
The Party That Meant Everything
The Party That Meant Everything
Embracing Doubt, Faith, and the Present in Documentary Photography
Embracing Doubt, Faith, and the Present in Documentary Photography
Why Newborn Documentary Sessions are Effortlessly Authentic
Why Newborn Documentary Sessions are Effortlessly Authentic
Why Time Flies During a Storytelling Photography Session
Why Time Flies During a Storytelling Photography Session
How to Prepare for a Natural, Unposed Family Photo Session at Home
How to Prepare for a Natural, Unposed Family Photo Session at Home
Who has the time?
Who has the time?
A “day in the life” with the M. Family
A “day in the life” with the M. Family
A “day in the life” with the G. Family
A “day in the life” with the G. Family
Living room with a gray sofa, a dog lying on a red patterned rug, a wall with collage of framed photographs, a standing floor lamp and a side table with a flower vase, set by glass sliding doors leading outside.

Living with life’s moments

I help families reframe how they see their own lives. Not by highlighting perfection, but by discovering the magic in what’s already there. It’s easy to overlook the shape of a day, the subtle moments, or the feeling of being together—until you’re given a new way to see it.

This work isn’t about staging or curating. It’s about seeing and celebrating what’s been there all along.

Reframing the family ‘portrait’

Group of six people in a kitchen, preparing and serving food, laughing and enjoying each other's company.

“When I saw what Anthony could do catching our family in action, it has forever changed the way I look at a family portrait. The photo of us around our kitchen island where we as a family spend so much of our time, gives me a level of joy and a snapshot of time that a traditional static portrait will never quite accomplish. Anthony is a gifted storyteller with his photography and an extraordinary visionary artist.”

— Michelle, Mom