Everything you need to know about your session:

First and most importantly, thank you! From the bottom of my heart. Thank you for using my small business and thank you for giving me the best gift in the world.

Second, this is going to be fun! Of all of the kind reviews my clients have written, my favorite ones are the ones that refer to me as part of their family. That is totally how I see it. I love stepping in and getting to share some of the best moments of people's lives and capturing images of those moments. Come prepared for a good time!

Via email, we'll be discussing the specifics of your session (location, timing, and anything special for your session). You'll automatically be added to my email list, but don't worry - I won't spam you. I typically send out mass client emails just once or twice a year.

What to Wear

This is often most clients least favorite part of the session. I get it. For family sessions, trying to cram all of your kids into clothes they don’t want to wear is zero fun. So here's a really simple trick for all sessions: Just avoid large logos, fluorescent colors, and matching outfits. That’s it! Steer clear of those few things and you should be perfect.

As for what TO do: Well, it will largely depend on personal preferences but here’s a few tips to keep in mind when picking out your outfits:

Keep comfort first. Comfort allows for play and play allows for great images.
Choose your palette second. Think in terms of tones: earth tones, blue tones, neutrals etc.
Fit your style to your location. Choose complimentary colors (and style) to your location when choosing your outfits.
Think timeless. This is my favorite piece of advice. Timeless clothes allow your photographs to “age” better. Think of family portraits from the 80’s if you need help on what not to wear.
Keep clothing simple. Use muted colors and minimize busy patterns. Neutral and natural are my favorite combo! If your family is a bit more colorful than mine, just pick a color palette with 3 or 4 colors and then incorporate the colors throughout the outfits in varying patterns, solids, and layers.
Don’t forget about the shoes! Unless we’re at your house or the beach, then please do forget the shoes. If we are on-location just remember shoes are part of the outfit.
Dress babies as babies. Collared shirts and ties tend to look uncomfortable on anyone under 6 months.
I am happy to look at any photos of what you’re thinking for outfits if you need some extra guidance!

For the Kiddos (Family Sessions)

This part is the most important part of prep because we all know kids can make or break your session. To get the most out of your session, make sure your little one has rested and you have packed their favorite (dry, non-messy) snacks and water. No candy please! Blue tongues don’t photograph all that well. Don’t worry about bribing your children either. Just let me take the wheel and I promise to get beautiful smiles and authentic images. Some *ok, all* kids aren’t very excited to stand still and pose for the camera. It is best if we just let kids be kids and have fun. Dancing, running, playing, tickling, and singing are all great ways to capture fun images.

IMPORTANT Tips for Session Day

Last minute tips for things that are often forgotten and difficult to edit:

Brush & floss before your session! Come with your best smile ready to show! :)
Iron out any major wrinkles (i.e. new dress shirts, pants, etc.)
Moisturize any dry skin! Apply hand moisturizer to avoid any dry hands/cuticles or facial moisturizer
Apply lip balm to avoid dry lips
For my non-make-up wearing clients, I always advise a light mineral powder and/or concealer for any blemishes to help even skin tone. It helps make the editing process easier.

After Your Session

Within 2 weeks (usually less) of your session, you will receive a link via email to your online proof gallery. The online gallery will remain live for thirty days to allow time for to decide on images and products. Your session fee includes both full-sized high resolution digital images with a print release as well as social-sized images for sharing. I recommend using a thumb drive to download the hi-res images as they are large files.