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.

Telling the story of your baby’s first days through newborn photography is a decision you’ll always thank yourself for, and there are two general types of newborn sessions: lifestyle photography or studio photography. In case you’re not familiar, lifestyle newborn photography takes place in your home and captures images that reflect your life with your new baby rather than conventional posed portraits.

Could lifestyle newborn photography be the best choice for you and your family? Consider these benefits.

When I’m doing the honor of creating a beautiful family’s newborn photos, I offer the option to come to you and take portraits of your family and your precious little one in your own home. This type of session is called lifestyle newborn photography. So many of my clients see those in-home portraits and worry, “Does my home look good enough for lifestyle photos? Is that really an option for me?”

I’ve always felt that you can learn a lot about someone by how they choose to spend their time - you can learn what makes them happy, what is most important to them, and what motivates them. In my case, I think that’s true of my profession, too. As I get to know my clients, many of them ask me why I do what I do, so I’ve dedicated this blog to answering that question.

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.

Maternity photography is a personalized way to celebrate your pregnancy and preserve memories of this truly unique experience for the rest of your life. There are endless ways to style and customize your maternity photography, but one of the first choices you’ll want to make is whether you want in-studio maternity photos or outdoor maternity photos.

It happens over and over: a client takes a risk in her maternity photo session by wearing a gown she didn’t expect to love or trusting my posing guidance, and then she’s utterly floored by her finished portraits. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard clients say, “I wasn’t sure how that would turn out but I’m absolutely in love with it!”

This photo session is an excellent chance to be a bit brave and push yourself a little outside of your comfort zone…for several reasons.

Timing is important when it comes to maternity photography. After all, your body is changing from one day to the next in the course of its amazing work. When in your pregnancy is the best time for maternity photography and how far in advance should you book? Don’t worry, I have all the answers you need.

Let’s be real, here: there’s no shortage of photo studios or photographers in the Seattle area. Choosing a photographer you and your family can grow with and feel comfortable with is so important, but how do you make that choice in the first place? As a Mercer Island photographer who has helped countless families in the area to preserve slices of life forever, I take pride in offering an experience that truly is like no other.