Family
"Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children."
— Proverbs 17:6
Family sessions are a little different from any other kind of shoot I do, because there's rarely a script. Somebody's toddler is having a moment, somebody's teenager doesn't want to be there, and the dog absolutely will not look at the camera. I say all that to say, I'm not expecting perfect, I'm expecting real, and that's usually where the best photos come from anyway.
Timing matters more with families than almost any other session. I try to schedule around nap schedules when there are little ones involved, an overtired toddler is not going to give you a great photo no matter how good the light is. Early morning or a couple hours before sunset tends to work best, both for the light and for everyone's mood.
For location, I like to ask what your family actually enjoys doing together. Some families want that classic outdoor feel, a park, a quiet trail, somewhere with a little breathing room for kids to run. Others prefer their own backyard or even inside their home, somewhere everyone is already comfortable. If grandparents or extended family are joining in, I'll usually suggest somewhere with a bit of shade and a place to sit, long sessions are hard on knees too, not just toddlers.
Once we're shooting, I keep things moving. I'd rather get five genuine minutes of everyone interacting than thirty minutes of everyone standing still and smiling on command. If a kid melts down mid-session, we pause, we regroup, we laugh about it later. That chaos is part of your family's actual story, and sometimes it makes for the best photo of the whole gallery.
These photos matter because your family, exactly as it is right now, this age, this stage, these people, won't look like this again. Let's get it documented before it changes.
Reach out and tell me a little about your family, I'd love to help you plan the session!
