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.

If you have any photographer friends or if you’re a selfie expert, you might have heard of the “golden hour.” What exactly is the golden hour and does it matter for your outdoor portraits? As a Seattle area family photographer, I’ll give you the essentials I’d want my clients to know.

Fall is utterly gorgeous in the Pacific Northwest, so it should come as no surprise that autumn is one of the most popular times for outdoor portraits in the Seattle area. Who doesn’t love a cozy family photo with colorful trees in the background? If you’re planning to take advantage of the fall season, use these tips to plan the perfect fall portrait wardrobe.

Planning outfits for a photo session, whether it’s family photography, maternity photography, or professional headshots, 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.

Whether you’re welcoming your first child or you’re adding onto your family, I know that your baby’s safety is of the utmost importance. As your Mercer Island newborn and family portrait photographer, that’s the case for me too! Many parents don’t realize that newborn photography can come with risks if it isn’t done properly or that they need to be mindful of the photographer they choose for safety reasons. To help protect your precious baby, I’m laying out the top facts parents need to know about safety in newborn photography.

The newborn stage is a bit of a haze for many parents. You’re running on zero sleep and still recovering from giving birth while also being so overwhelmed with love for this beautiful new child. It can all make your head spin a bit, so it’s not uncommon in the months and years later to look back and have little memory of your baby’s first weeks. That’s one of many reasons newborn photography is so special.

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.

When you have a new baby on the way and you’re arranging your dream newborn photography session, what do you picture? There are two types of newborn sessions I offer for my clients: lifestyle newborn photography (which takes place in your home) and studio newborn photography (which takes place in my Mercer Island studio).

Which one is best for you? It comes down to a matter of personal preference, with each option having its unique advantages.