About your session

If you have already booked or are considering booking a session with me you may be wondering what will come next and what a typical session might look like. I thought I would go over how my sessions usually flow so that you would know what to expect and how to plan for your photo shoot. [*This is mainly written for family, child, engagement or maternity sessions - hospital and lifestyle newborn experiences will be the most dramatically different]

1. Location

With a few exceptions, our session will take place outside in a mutually agreed upon location. This is usually a local park - think trees, wide open spaces, wildflowers or even a shallow creek. If this isn't your style I also have some great urban landscapes for a different look. We will usually try to choose a place that will give us multiple options for backgrounds during your session that will provide us with a variety of beautiful backdrops. If you have suggestions about locations please let me know! If the location won't work very well I will warn you of that…. but many of my favorite locations were originally client inspired! Some clients want photos done at their home, and that is perfectly fine. However, what I specialize in is natural light photography, and I do not have a studio. 

2. Style

My style is a mixture of posed and lifestyle photography. I will try to capture a lot of photos of my subject(s) interacting, having fun, walking around, etc. I will also spend some time trying to use some posing ideas to get an interesting, yet more traditional family photo. If you want something else, feel free to ask! Input from you on what you want your resulting set of images to look like is very helpful to me when planning/conducting your session.

3. Timing

The best time of day to do outdoor sessions is typically in the few hours before sunset or in the couple of hours following sunrise. This does not mean that I never do sessions at any other time, but I am aware that these times lend themselves to finding some beautiful light and I usually strive for that.

4. Personalization

I like to personalize my sessions by asking clients to bring something that would make sense to have in your photo with the person/people being photographed. If this is a child/family, I suggest bringing your child's favorite lovey, stuffed animal or their favorite book. I often take a “break” in posing to incorporate these objects during a moment of play or reading and these are often some of our favorite shots. For couples, I find that its fun to incorporate something that they have in common or that they might do together. Reading books, playing scrabble, having a picnic with a glass of wine are just a few examples. For maternity sessions, some parents may bring a small pair of shoes, blocks or a personalized item of clothing.

5. During your session

I am known for making my clients walk together, snuggle up and gaze into each others’ eyes. This may sound silly, but I find that this kind of connection loosens clients up and makes them laugh…. and if I can make my clients feel like their photo session was a fun experience then I am reaching my goal.

6. After your session…

You should expect to see a sneak peek on Facebook or Instagram within 24-48 hours. This will give you an idea of what you will see in your full set. Approximately 2 weeks after your session, you'll receive an email from me with a link to your online gallery!