WHAT TO EXPECT

Lots of fun and laughter!   Having fun is all kids care about and I really think this is the key to a successful session.  I will encourage your family to play, talk and engage in activities you do a normal basis.  I will not be doing much posing BUT don't worry I will do plenty of bossing around:-)  I will get those traditional shots that everyone wants.  Then I will direct your family to interact with each other and ignore me. I will keep things simple, quick and hopefully painless for the everyone. We'll run, jump, laugh and play. Then I'll simply capture the magic. Believe me, we will have fun!

After we pick a date and time for your session, I'll send you an invoice, contract & short questionnaire to get you thinking about your family and what you like to do together. Depending on your responses, I'll create a VERY loose game plan for your session.  That generally changes based on the light in your home and your children which is totally fine.  I love the spontaneity that occurs during a session.  There are no such thing as perfectly behaved children or completely spotless home with glorious light. But it's my job as your photographer to look at the scene and capture your story in a beautiful way. 

WHY I LOVE IN HOME SESSIONS

I LOVE capturing families in their home as it always seems to be the place you feel most comfortable. I take a very relaxed and non-posed approach to shooting a session.  I want to capture your family as they truly are and interacting as you do every day.  My goal is to capture connections.  That also means it doesn't matter how clean or decorated your house is because that's not my focus.   My focus is on your family alone.

DO YOU DO OUTDOOR SESSIONS?

Sure thing!  I love home session because families are most at ease at home but I also understand the benefits of an outdoor session.   I approach both types of session the same and do not do a lot of posing.  Yes, I will sneak in portraits but mostly I want to capture connections between family members.  To do this I think it’s fun to choose an activity to do together.  During the questionnaire process, we can map out a few fun activities to do.  Maybe ride bikes, fly a kite, search for bugs, throw a ball, or even just go for a walk. Maybe you are planning to visit the pumpkin patch or Christmas tree farm and want to document those events. I'm always excited to do something new so please tell me your ideas for outdoor fun. 

WHAT SHOULD WE WEAR?

My advice is to start with what one family member is going to wear and build from there.  Pick something you or your kids feel fantastic in and build everyone else's wardrobe around that.  Try to shop your own closet!  Stiff new clothes may be uncomfortable.  Layers, patterns and textures all do a really great job of helping clothes blend together without necessarily matching. No big logos or character shirts. Everyone should not wear the same color or outfit. Would you do this normally?  Wear what you would all be wearing on a regular day.  The most important point I can make is that If everyone feels comfortable they will be happy.  If you're doing an in-home lifestyle session, it also helps to take a look at your decor.  If you decorate with a lot of neutrals, then you'll want your clothing choices to reflect that.  Same goes if your home is bright and vibrant.  You've selected your home decor because that's what you're drawn to so let your clothes do the same.