Thank you so much for allowing me the honor of creating beautiful photos for your family. It is my hope that together we craft not only awesome memories, but gorgeous, timeless images as well. My style is photo journalistic, capturing families playing, snuggling, being goofy, and just loving on each other. I will always do my best to get that one desired shot of everyone looking and smiling at me, but will for the most part, you'll be giving piggyback rides to your kids, encouraging dads to show off their kid-flipping skills, having little ones give moms their BEST hugs EVER, and just having a good time!

All sessions are done in the evening for optimal lighting. The exact time frame will depend upon the season and the sun. We will discuss this more in detail if we haven't already.

Please take some time to read through the following information as you prepare yourself and your family! 

The kids

Preparing your kids for our session as much as possible often takes the timidness out of the evening.

Please make sure kids know that this is FUN! No threats, as they usually bring about tears and added stress. Don't even bother telling them to be sure to smile or be good. My goal isn't to get a picture of your child "being good" or just "smiling" but having fun and interacting!

Some kids who have been coached to smile get so nervous that they end up fighting the urge to laugh and relax because they are so worried about having their picture taken. Instead, consider a reward for a job well done. Enticing children with something like ice cream after the session is always a great idea for the ones who need a little extra encouragement!

However, please don't bring sweets for bribing during the shoot. They tend to end up being a distraction.

Dads

Moms, I'm speaking to you. 

Is your partner is feeling less than thrilled about your upcoming photo shoot? A little bribery seems to work well here (though maybe something better than ice cream!).

But seriously, let your partner know that the shoot will be relatively painless and to try to focus on having an hour to play with the kids, hold your hand and just savor the moment!

what to wear

Ah, the age old question always associated with photo shoots. Styling is one thing I try not to have too much of a hand in, since I want you guys to still be you!

Coordinate

As you think about your color palette, imagine your family being one complete piece of artwork. Each ensemble will bring together a feeling of formality and cohesiveness.

Instead of everyone wearing the same shade of blue - think about what accent colors might look nice with that blue. Perhaps blue plaid shorts for your son with a t-shirt, vest and hat. Pull some of the colors of his plaid shorts to find a great skirt or dress for your little girl. Dad can wear jeans and a shirt that coordinates with the plaid shorts and skirt on your daughter, and finish it off with an awesome jacket and fedora. Mom will round the entire family out with some great boots, leggings and darling dress that (again) coordinates with the family color story.

If you have multiple children, don't feel like you need to put them all in the same type of outfit. For example, one of your daughters could wear a dress and flats, while the other wears a skirt and boots. One of your sons could wear a bowtie, while the other one wears suspenders. Mixing up the wardrobe pieces will bring a great visual interest to the photos.

Want your photos to look more editorial? Bring a little extra something with you! Fresh flowers bring an extra "wow" factor to just about everything, Whether you want to incorporate larger items like classic cars or bikes, or smaller ones like blankets or hats, even planning for just one extra styled item could be a fun way to make your session more unique.

Remember to dress down to you and your family's feet! No scuffed Reeboks for boys, but fun shoes like Converse, "boat" shoes, or boots. Same for girls, no Dora crocs, but more traditional Mary Janes or boots work best!

Head to toe

Remember to Olan Mills look of everyone in khakis + white button down shirts? That isn't the kind of matching I'd like you to do. Again, think coordinating without matching perfectly. Dads, instead of defaulting to a plain ole polo - look for fun colors. Texture photographs amazingly. Get creative!

Helpful tip: Head into your local GAP (or the like) and mention you're styling for family photos. They are happy to direct you - and free of charge! No need to pay a stylist when you have knowledgeable fashion advice right there in the store.

What not to wear

For the ladies

Dresses and skirts look most stunning because they really flatter every female body, especially on camera.  Full-length, flowy dresses and skirts look amazing because they bring extra movement to the photos. Especially when juxtaposed with nature, like the desert, forest, plains or beach. Consider softer fabrics like chiffon or tulle which allow for beautiful movement in the images.

When considering the length of your dresses or skirts, it's also a good idea to factor in whether or not there will be little ones in your photos. If you have smaller children, I'll likely have you sitting or crouching on the ground to interact up-close with them. Cute, shorter cocktail-length dresses photograph beautifully, but if you have little ones in your photos, a floor-length dress or skirt, or perhaps a cute midi-skirt, will make moving around with your kids
much easier, and look perfect on camera, too. Three-quarter length sleeves create an awesome slimming effect on all arms, so be on the lookout for an option with a longer length sleeve. You could also bring a cute jacket, blazer or cardigan along, too. Skinny straps or strapless dresses have the opposite effect on arms on camera, so we recommend avoiding those whenever possible if your goal is a set of slimmer-looking arms.

If you're an expecting mother, we always recommend floor-length gowns or maxi dresses. These dresses create the best silhouettes to flatter your figure and really highlight your bump. A lot of our expecting mothers love to incorporate flower crowns or headpieces.

I mentioned bribery. Love it! Keep in mind that most bribery snacks make messes and have dye in them to change your kids' mouth color. Usually this backfires and all they want to do is eat instead of paying attention. I suggest keeping the goodies in your bag or car until after we've finished.

Please make sure your children use the bathroom before leaving, as well as limiting their liquid intake beforehand. This allows us uninterrupted shooting time! Sessions with younger children (18 months and under) typically last one hour. If your little one isn't accustomed to staying up until sunset, please adjust their naps as best you can, and rest assured that one night of staying up past their bedtime will be just fine as we will actually be having fun. I promise!

As for older children, expect the session to last around 1.5 - 2 hours. With your older child, please don't say, "That's not your REAL smile." I know what a real smile looks like, so even if I'm snapping away, I'm just trying to loosen up your son/daughter! I promise I won't be giving you cheesy smiles for your finished order. As with any age, I take my time and do my best to allow your kids to feel comfortable around me and know we are going to have a blast!

The day of your session

Weather

A quick but important note: if the weather turns out warmer/cooler than you anticipated when putting together outfits, please adjust what everyone is wearing. Doing a session when it's sweltering and kids are over dressed is never fun. Likewise, if a cold front comes through unexpectedly, please put sweaters on your children.

In case of rain, I will be watching the  radar all day. If it doesn't rain, but is overcast, we will have to shoot without full sun.

Illness

Just as important as the weather is that everyone being photographed be feeling 100%. There isn't anything worse than an unhappy and sick feeling child - they especially do not want to be in front of a camera.

At the first sign that your kids aren't well, please give me a call.

1 Week: social media sneak peck with one of my favorite photos
2 Weeks: online gallery with all of your final, retouched, high-resolution images

1 Week: social media sneak peck with one of my favorite photos

2 Weeks: online gallery with all of your final, retouched, high-resolution images

Photo Delivery Timeline

Have fun together. Laugh a lot.
And I'll take care of the rest!

I know I just gave you a lot to think about! I created this guide to help make your portrait session experience something you'll look back fondly on for years and years to come. At the end of the day, though, the location you choose and the outfits you select won't matter nearly as much as the memories you make together. Your future memories are the most important thing to me, and I want your session to be a time for you to just be yourselves and enjoy it.