What to Expect During Your Family, Couple, or Maternity Photo Session
Good news!
You're not alone. My sessions are relaxed, playful, and focused on connection. You don't need to know how to pose, and your kids definitely don't need to behave perfectly. You just need to show up as yourselves.
Here's what you can expect when you step in front of my camera:
Before your session: we'll make a plan
Before we ever meet, we'll talk about the details of your session.
We'll figure out what you're hoping for, what kind of photos you love, and what location makes the most sense for you.
I'll help you decide on things like:
- Location
- Time of day
- Outfits
- What to bring
- What to expect from the session
If you're unsure about any of it, that's completely fine.
My job is to guide you while allowing you to interact with each other organically.
When you arrive, we don't immediately start posing
I know it can feel awkward walking up to someone with a camera and immediately being told to "look happy and smile!"
So we don't do that.
We'll take a minute to settle in, chat, and get comfortable.
Especially if you have kids, I want them to have a chance to get a feel for who I am before I start asking them to participate.
Some kids are ready to go immediately.
Others need a little time.
Neither is a problem.
You don't have to know how to pose
Please don't spend the week before your session Googling:
"How do I pose for professional pictures?"
Seriously.
You don't need to.
I'll guide you throughout the session with simple prompts and direction.
Sometimes I'll give you a specific pose.
Other times I'll ask you to interact with your partner or kids.
And sometimes I'll simply let something happen naturally.
My goal is to help you look like you.
If you have kids, things might go "off-script".
The only thing we can prepare ourselves for with kids is how unpredictable they can be the day of the session.
Your toddler might refuse to smile.
Your six-year-old might decide they suddenly hate having their picture taken.
Someone might need a snack.
Someone might need the potty NOW.
Someone might become extremely passionate about a stick they found on the ground.
This is normal.
I don't expect your kids to stand still and smile on command for an hour.
We'll let them move, play, explore, and be themselves.
Some of my favorite family photos happen in the moments when everyone has stopped trying to create the "perfect" picture.
I'll give you helpful prompts
One of my least favorite directions to give is:
"Okay... everyone smile!"
Because what happens next?
Everyone looks at the camera with the exact same expression they use when someone asks them to pose for a driver's license.
Instead, I'll give you things to do.
I'll ask you to:
- Walk together.
- Give your child a giant hug.
- Whisper something silly.
- Dance with your partner.
- Look at each other.
- Run toward me.
- Snuggle close.
- Tell a joke.
- Play with your kids.
These little interactions create genuine reactions, and those are usually the images you'll love the most.
We aren't totally scared of looking right at the camera
Don't worry.
Grandma is still getting the picture where everyone looks at the camera.
We'll absolutely make time for those.
But I also want you to have the photographs that feel like your family.
The ones where your daughter is laughing at her brother.
The ones where your partner pulls you into a hug.
The ones where your toddler reaches for your hand.
The ones where nobody is looking at the camera at all.
Those are often the images that become favorites.
We take breaks when we need them
Especially with kids.
If someone needs a snack, a drink, a quick reset, or a minute to themselves, we'll take it.
There is no prize for completing your family session without anyone stopping for a snack.
Believe me.
Sometimes a five-minute break is exactly what everyone needs.
And sometimes... those breaks can turn into the sweetest snapshots you never saw coming.
What If You Feel Awkward?
You probably will at some point.
Almost everyone does.
You might think:
"What do I do with my hands?"
"Is this what my face normally looks like?"
"Am I standing weird?"
"Are you actually getting anything good?"
Yes.
And yes.
The beautiful thing about having someone else behind the camera is that you don't have to worry about figuring everything out yourself.
I'll guide you.
If something looks awkward, I'll change it.
If the light is better somewhere else, we'll move.
If a prompt isn't working, we'll try something different.
You don't have to nail every moment. And it's my responsibility to get all of those moments.
What I want you to remember
When you look back at your photos, I don't want you to remember whether your hair was perfectly in place.
I want you to remember how small your kids were.
How your baby fit against your chest.
The way your partner looked at you.
The laugh your child made when you whispered something ridiculous in their ear.
The season of life you were in.
That's why I photograph the way I do.
I'm not trying to create a gallery full of perfect poses.
I'm trying to create something that feels like your life.
And yes, your kids are allowed to be kids!
This deserves its own section. It is so so so important.
They can run.
They can laugh.
They can be silly.
They can get a little dirty.
They can be shy.
They can hide behind you.
They can need a break.
They can have big feelings.
We will work with them—not against them.
Because years from now, you're probably not going to wish your photos captured a perfectly obedient version of your three-year-old.
You're going to wish you could remember exactly who they were.
That's what we're after.
So, what do I actually need to do?
Honestly? Very little.
Show up.
Wear something you feel good in.
Bring your people.
Bring water and snacks if you need them.
And try to relax.
I'll take care of the rest.
You don't need to be photogenic.
You don't need to know how to pose.
Your kids don't need to behave perfectly.
You don't need to have your whole family coordinated like a catalog shoot.
You just need to be together.
I'll take care of making photographs out of it.
Let's Make Something That Feels Like You
Whether we're chasing golden hour through a Tallahassee field, exploring a beautiful park, documenting your growing family, or celebrating a new chapter together, my goal is always the same:
You should leave your session feeling like you actually enjoyed it.
Because the best photos aren't just the ones that look beautiful.
They're the ones that make you feel something when you see them years from now.
And that's what I want to give you.
Contact me to connect and let's capture those beautiful & timeless memories.
