You know your children best & what will get them excited about our time together. Some kids are super outgoing & don’t need much notice to jump in & have fun… some little ones are more shy & might need a heads-up to feel at ease. For younger kids, it’s usually nice to them know that a friend will be coming to hang out & have fun making photographs. Sometimes this sparks their own ideas & they get really excited to participate in creating the images… I can’t tell you how many cool photo ideas have come from a kid who is excited to share something with me!

at home

For most family sessions, photographing at home is wonderful! I find it’s the place younger children feel most at ease & it gives a nice pace & flexibility for parents as well. Home sessions are where the most genuine moments happen effortlessly & it’s fun to have images of real life in the space where you spend your days together. It's also the perfect location to capture a combination of lifestyle & documentary imagery. Here are a couple tips specific to photographing in the home…

• We’ll move around the house a bit to change it up but we’ll photograph most in the room with the best light. Don’t worry if it’s the bedroom or even kitchen… I promise awesome portraits can be made in a pretty small space if there’s good light. 

• You can straighten up but don’t go crazy. Clearing a little clutter before is fine as it gives us more background options but no need to dust & deep clean… that level of detail won’t come through on photos. Most importantly, be true to your family dynamic & daily life... remember these images are little time capsules of real life & real life doesn’t require a perfectly styled room.

out in the world

Sessions outside the home at a special location are also great! I love to help brainstorm spots so don’t hesitate to reach out for ideas. Maybe there’s a park or beach you go to all the time, or an ice cream place your kids love. I find the best non-home locations are the familiar ones! Here are a few tips if we’re having our session outside the home…

• Consider the season & location. Many days in San Francisco have a lovely, foggy look... drizzly days in the countryside can be awesome with rain boots & umbrellas… in the height of summer pack the swim trunks & we’ll head to the river!

• If we get some truly bad weather, we can switch to your home, get creative with semi-indoor locations, or reschedule. 

• Time of day is important - especially outside! Photography is all about light & certain outdoor locations will provide better light in the early morning or late afternoon. I’m a bit of a light fanatic so if you have a spot in mind I can determine the best time to shoot there!

To keep myself and my families extra safe, I'm taking extra precautions! I'm fully vaccinated and will continue to wear a mask for newborn sessions and at any other requests, as well as being mindful of scheduling sessions with time in-between. We'll check in the week of our session and, should any signs of illness arise we can easily reschedule. Taking care of one another through this time is the most important!

My most important & useful advice here is: wear what you feel good in. Truly nothing photographs better than confidence & ease. This goes right along with the notion that you all should look like yourselves! If you guys love to dress up, please do! If you’re comfy in your PJs on the couch, that’s beautiful! I have one family that has been photographed in their halloween costumes for many years because that’s what they love! When you see your images, I want you to be able to look at the emotion, personality, & connection in them… the clothing is absolutely secondary. All that being said, here are a couple tips that can help you arrive at the clothing choices you feel great in!

• Whether formal or casual, clothes you can move in are key - especially with little kids!

• It’s nice to let each family member shine in their own way so coordination is fine but don’t get too matchy.

• A couple things that can be distracting are big text & logos, neon colors, & transition lenses in glasses so do avoid those if possible. 

• If we’re photographing in your home, bare feet look best! Just a heads-up so the whole family can avoid sock lines.

• Flowing fabrics, bright colors, cool prints, & rich textures are absolutely magical on film. So don’t be scared to get creative as long as you feel good!

If our session is happening outside the home, be sure to pack a snack or eat a good meal before we start, it really helps keep everyone happy - even the adults! If we’re photographing in your home, even easier. We can grab food as needed & incorporate it into the session! If your kids love making pancakes, or having backyard picnics, or making an absolute mess of their faces with popsicles, let’s document that! You might be surprised at what gorgeous images can come from an everyday mealtime.