Don't get frustrated, just play.

Lifestyle sessions are so special. My job is to capture your beautiful family being yourselves. The goal isn’t to get a dozen formal portraits. I love the stunning beauty in all your little moments. I promise we will get some everyone-look-and-smile pictures but it is a sure fire way to overwhelm your little ones if you keep demanding them to sit still and look at the stranger with the big black camera.

Just breathe mama. Breathe Dad. Have fun. And whatever you do, don’t get frustrated. Look at that baby and smile. Tell your daughter how beautiful she is. Tell her how brave and strong she is. Tell your little boy how sweet and kind he is. Tell him how handsome he is when he laughs. Don’t tell them to “say cheese”.

Kids don’t like to sit still, and that’s ok! Let’s meet them where they are.

Let your kids be kids. If they like to run around and scream at the top of their lungs for no reason.. let them. This is your family. EMBRACE it. Concentrate your energy to smiling and laughing for the camera. Look at your kids, play with them, run around with them, ENJOY THEM.

Relax… Don’t worry about the pictures or even where the photographer is. If I need you to move, I’ll tell you.

Your kids will have a better time at the session if you run around WITH THEM and you grab them and tickle them rather than telling them to STOP IT and come sit down.

Make getting your family photos taken equal with just a day at the park playing with your family. It should be a full and joyful experience from the moment you book till you hang that perfect moment on your wall. The more fun you’re having, the more beautiful those images are going to be.

So laugh it out, run around and keep that smile on your face.

Just have fun! This is a documentary of your life as parents so embrace your sometimes-out-of-control children and your hectic life and let the photographer show you how beautiful it truly is looking in from the outside.

Music…Turn on the tunes! Whether it be Mozart, Katy Perry or Disney songs, whatever helps your household feel “normal” is what we should be listening to during our session.

Know what makes your child giggle… it is really helpful to me if you know what makes your little one laugh. Spend some time before the session thinking through things that you do as a family that get the best giggles; and keep those tricks up your sleeve just in case. In many cases, we don’t need these tricks, but sometimes we do. So, whether it is a favorite song, a silly noise daddy makes or words in a favorite book, plan to have these things ready just in case we need them.

Be yourselves!

Embrace the short attention spans, grass stains, and dogs licking your face mid-frame. These portraits are not about everyone sitting up tall and nailing the perfect smile at the camera, they’re about your silly awesome life. Let the kids be kids and their personalities will shine through the photograph. Years from now, these images will bring the biggest smile to your face.

I’m a mom, I get it. I promise.