Family portraits will be heirlooms you treasure as your family grows up, and everyone has tips and tricks for how to make sure your family photos are the best they can be. You’ll hear advice from posing tips to strategies for helping your kids smile and follow instructions during the session. But there’s one piece of advice that I’ve found is particularly effective: when you find a photographer whose work you like, hire that same photographer for each year or each photo session. Here’s why.

Summer is a wonderful time to update your family portraits! In the Seattle area, we have so many beautiful settings to choose from, from beaches to mountains to woodlands, so there’s something for every style. If you’re planning a family photo session this summer, you might already be thinking about the family’s wardrobe. What should you wear for summer family photos?

As a photographer, I’m so fortunate to live on beautiful Mercer Island and have so many great photo shoot locations in the Seattle area. As you’re planning your next photo session, the location sets the scene (quite literally) for your photo shoot’s overall look, so let’s talk about a few tips and considerations to keep in mind while choosing a photo shoot location.

As meaningful as it is to have beautiful family photos that paint an authentic picture of your family and the love between you all, it’s common for parents to stress about making sure the pictures are as perfect as they can be. After all, family portraits are a financial investment and you want to make sure you love them! As a Mercer Island family photographer, I take the work and stress off your plate and take care of all the details. But one concern many parents still have is how they can make sure their kids smile well for the camera. Don’t worry, I have plenty of tricks up my sleeves, but here are a few tips on ways you can help.

Spring is such a beautiful time for outdoor photo shoots! The landscape is coming alive all around you and all the spring colors in the flowers and trees create a stunning backdrop for portraits. If you’re planning to take advantage of this gorgeous season for family portraits, maternity photos, or other custom photography, I’m here to plan your dream photo session with you. To give you a head start, here are a few tips for what to wear for spring photo shoots.

Winter in the Seattle area is absolutely stunning, and it can create the perfect backdrop for a lovely family photography session. If family portraits are in your winter plans this year, it’s never too early to start thinking about what to wear. I’ll help you plan your wardrobe, but here are a few tips to get you started.

Let’s be honest, professional photography isn’t cheap. Some parents ask themselves, is the cost of a family photographer really worth it when I have a camera in my hand every day in the form of my phone? We all have to be mindful of our budgets, of course, but the fact is that professional family photography offers so much more value than the price tag alone. Here’s why you’ll thank yourself for investing in family photography.

Family photos serve so many great purposes. They create an opportunity for a fun family outing, give you a lifelong reminder of this chapter in your family’s story, and give you a way to get stunning custom decor for your home. There’s another handy perk too: they make fantastic gifts. As much as your loved ones might enjoy seeing your family portraits on social media, they’ll be thrilled to be able to enjoy them in their own home too. During this season when you’re looking for special gifts for your loved ones, check out these popular ideas for premium photo gifts.

Planning outfits for a photo session, whether it’s family photography, maternity photography, or other types of portraits, is an important part of preparing for your session. While some of my fashion-minded clients love the opportunity to go shopping and other clients feel intimidated by styling. That’s why I offer personal styling services in which I visit you for an in-home consultation and actually help you choose the outfits for your family’s session.

This isn’t a service many photographers offer, so why do I include it in my packages? Because I know that outfit planning can be stressful and because your outfits make a powerful difference in your photos in several ways.

No matter how well your kids normally listen to instructions and corporate on family outings, every parent has at least some anxiety before a family photo session about how their kids will handle it. Will they listen to the photographer’s instructions and smile nicely when they need to, or will they be grumpy and have a hard time sitting still?

I can tell you from experience (both as a photographer and as a parent) that there are never any guarantees. It helps if you take some prep steps, though, so try out these tips.