craftsman home lit up with red and white holiday nights at night

Family Films

Dunham Lampoon’s Christmas – COVID Edition

December 22, 2020

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You know it’s desperate times when a group of introverts break into comedy to spread joy.

In lieu of gifts for my birthday this year, I asked my family if we could work on a project together. Because much of the holidays are spent with our loved ones in Michigan (who we’re missing terribly), it was important

for us to include them as well as our San Francisco tribe in the project, too.

What you’ll see is a deviation from my usual documentary-style films and more Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.

It will undoubtedly set the stage for how utterly cool and not dorky we are.

I can’t express how utterly touched I am with everyone who ventured out of their comfort zones to partake in this film. It’s a true gift to have this sense of togetherness and it’ll certainly sustain my need to tackle them with hugs for just a bit longer.

And for those wondering, Dan was only slightly injured during the making of this film.

Happy holidays! Stay hopeful and safe.

dumpster fire cookie and milk for santa

About Me

Real people are my favorite.

It's why I appointed myself the family documentarian early on, carefully recording life unfolding, and learning along the way how much I love visual storytelling. I picked up my first professional camera when my child was born, knowing those early years were dawning and full of change — and I never looked back. I can't imagine doing anything else.

I'm a maximalist in every sense: all-in on a project or power napping, rarely anything in between. A little weird and impressively clumsy, with absolutely zero shame dancing in public. I live in Alameda (aka the Midwest of the Bay Area) with my husband, my teen, and a menagerie of animals. Fair warning: I bring my outdated 90s dance moves to every session.

My upbringing taught me to find beauty where others see ordinary. Motherhood only deepened that instinct, and I've been known to cry at the drop of a hat. Kleenex is a standing item on my packing list for newborn sessions.

I'm awkward at small talk and large groups are where I go quiet — which is exactly why you'll never find me working weddings or large events, and why you will find me completely at home in yours. I work best in the intimate, the real, and the messy.

I invest deeply in the people I work with and pour my whole heart into every session. Walking away with friendships after a session is always a major bonus — and it's the reason I love my job as much as I do.

WORK WITH ME

©Carmen dunham Photography 2026

branding by Bella Maven 

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