Family shoots don’t have to be complicated. They should be a visual representation of how you act as a family on a daily basis. This mama came to me with a worry. She likes doing this shoot every year but the last photographer they hired made them feel a little awkward and she was scared it was going to happen again. After getting an email like that, anxiety could set in that I really need to “up my game” to make sure that doesn’t happen for them.

I didn’t up my game though. I ended up being exactly how I am every single time. I showed up and told them to be themselves. We started with a surprise gift for the little ones birthday. Which we unwrapped and played with. Then, we went unto the floor, then went to read a story in mom and dad’s bed. I gave them constant feedback and permission to be loud, play, jump, and laugh. Because that’s how life should be: full of joy.

We didn’t care about where our hair were flying to, how wrinkled our shirts were getting and how many we were making the table with wrapping paper. We just lived life.

Family sessions are not about getting that ONE portrait where everyone is smiling. We will get that naturally because we are playing and having a good time. The point of a family session is about capturing the memories you are making everyday without even realizing it. I’m just freezing them in time.