The real truth.

 

You will NEVER know what kind of kid you're going to get during your photo session, until you are IN your photo session.


Children are the most unpredictable creatures on a good day, but truthfully, the stress that adults get about photos, can make kids come UNHINGED.

Trust me, it is a RARE occasion for a child(OR AN ADULT) to simply act "sweet" and "smiley" for the entire length of a session.


It is those, little moments, when I get to see genuine and authentic reactions to the REAL LIFE a child is living, that I love. They're often some of the images I am most proud to put my name on.

Be as Prepared as Possible


I'll make this as simple as I can


STEP 1) BOOK THE SESSION!

STEP 2) Plan your outfits


now this is where it gets tricky...

STEP 3) Eat a big meal or snack (please don't come hungry)

STEP 4) Wash up


STEP 5) Get dressed in Photo Outfit

STEP 6) Put on one more shirt over photo outfit to protect clothes/dress during travel.

STEP 7) If possible have another light, mess-free, snack right before your photos start.


At location:

STEP 8) Remove any protective clothing, or make any last minute clothing changes or adjustments.

STEP 9) Use a baby wipe to wash your kid's face/ boogies right before the session.

STEP 10) Take a deep breathe, drop your shoulders, and enjoy your photo session. You've done all you can do to get to this moment, now you're in it. Breathe, and let the moment be.

You can't help a hungry kid without packing snacks...


You can't help a thirsty kid without packing water...


You can't help a tired kid without a hug...


Being prepared for your child's needs, helps make a photo session much easier.

Children are messy.


Baby wipes are such a useful tool. Please consider packing them!


I absolutely love the mess! Please don't get me wrong...


toes in the mud...

tiny hands full of chocolate...

faces covered with icing....


I LOVE IT.

but you won't love putting the mess into their car seats without a quick tidy.

Play


Be prepared to play together, and don't be afraid to put in effort.

Laugh


Be prepared to try and make your kiddo laugh the best way you know how. You know them best after all.  

Love


It's your job to teach your child what love means in your family. The best way to teach them is to show them. Please don't be afraid to take little moments to celebrate love.

Siblings


There are so many different dynamics among every family. I'm always happy to learn how people are related and photograph their relationship together. It can be a lot of fun to play off of the different personalities and get to see how everyone interacts.

Solo Children


These photo sessions can be a lot of fun because the entire focus is on one child. More time in the spotlight and more time for genuine one on one interactions with the grown-ups.

you might still be in the photo


Try to remember that even if your child is not behaving exactly as you wished they would... the moment can still be beautiful if you choose to let it be.

Try to keep smiling, even if they're not following my prompts.

Try to keep laughing, even if they dodge all my cues.

Try not to feel frustrated, even if they seem like they're not cooperating at all, because chances are...  they will still show me micro moments of shy smiles or inquisitive smirks... and you just might be in the background of that photo!

when you've done all that you can do, all that's rest is to


Trust your child.



There's really only so much you can do to control the situation. Sometimes you just have to trust your child to be their own adorable self. There's no one else like them in this whole wide world after all...

I'm here to help remind you that your child, in all their uniqueness, deserves every ounce of beauty this big wide world has to offer.