tell me more.

I’ve found over the years that there are a few questions I get asked often as people are considering an in-home session. I’ve answered the most common ones here, but of course if you have questions that aren’t answered here, shoot me an email and I'll be happy to answer them!

"What if my house is too dark?"  Great question.  I do give parents a heads-up ahead of sessions that natural light is best, so opening the blinds and curtains on every window you have is great. And turn off all the overhead lights and lamps too. I shoot with a camera that does great in low-light situations, so what sometimes seems too dark to you isn't a big deal at all. We can also head outside for part of your session if you're really concerned about the lighting. If we need to turn lights and lamps on then we will and the world won't end. I'll probably end up giving you more black and white images to cancel out weird color casts, but if you've been following my work for any amount of time you've probably noticed I'm a big black and white fan, so regardless of the lighting in your house chances are good that you'll get a decent amount of black and white images.

"What if my house doesn't look like a magazine cover?"   I get this one, I really do. I also strongly dislike the fact that it's such a common feeling. If you're like me, you're bombarded daily with images of people's lives, houses, kids, bodies that look perfect. It starts to feel like the norm. But also if you're like me, that's not reality. I love my life. I love having a space to share with my family that's ours and that feels like home. It does not look like an Anthro ad. And that's OK, because it's ours and it's real life, and  I want to remember it how it was, not try to make it look like someone else's.  Twenty years from now I'm going to want to remember the couches that we read hundreds of books on, the carpet we all curled up on to watch movies together, the corner of the living room that we put the Christmas tree in every year, the kitchen island that the kids eat breakfast at every morning, and on it goes. You get the idea. If you can see the beauty in documenting real life in your space, however it currently looks, and celebrating the love and memories that it holds, then we're on the same page.  Also, just to be clear, the goal of these sessions isn't to show off how amazing your house is, it's to celebrate the memories made in your space. And those happen no matter what your house looks like.

 "What if we're too boring?" Nope. Not possible. I get why people ask this one. Often the monotony of the everyday doesn't feel exciting. If your life is anything like mine, your days are full of ordinary things like snacks, books and legos. But when you stop and think about it, there's probably a lot going on in your everyday life too. Ticklefests, dance parties, giggles, yawns, hugs, energetic kids. Even if I'm at your house for an hour and all you do is sit on a couch and look at the wall, if there are kids involved, there's going to end up being funny faces or jumping on the couch. And I'll be there to document it. But realistically, even if the most exciting thing you do is read a book together or do a puzzle, there are moments and expressions and exchanges that are happening all the time waiting to be captured. 

"What will we do?" The easy answer is "whatever you normally do." But more specifically, I'm not opposed to you having some ideas in mind for activities to do. What I am opposed to is creating some kind of scene in your house that never happens. Pick a few things that you love doing together (reading books, doing puzzles, blowing bubbles, playing outside, baking, crafting, the list goes on and on). Definitely have some things in mind, but just BE YOU.

"Won't it be weird having you in our house?"  I mean I guess I can't guarantee that it won't. But in my experience, it's just been really great to meet new people and connect with families. Sometimes I hardly talk at all and just try to blend into your life and sneak pictures. Sometimes I end up chatting with families for most of the session while I'm photographing. I'm an introvert so I thrive on connecting in small settings. And really, I'm fascinated by how every family and home is unique and I love watching that play out. So honestly I'll just be your biggest fan for an hour or two, we'll talk a lot or a little, and I'll get some rad images for you. 

"Will you get any pictures of us looking at the camera?"  As much as I love candid moments, I absolutely understand the importance of having a few photos of you all looking at the camera too! At some point during the session we’ll have you all get cozy on the couch or your front porch (or somewhere else that works well) and grab a snapshot of everyone looking at the camera.

"I'm afraid my kids will just pose for the camera the whole time, won't that defeat the purpose?" Here's what I've found. The first 5-10 minutes of the session are a bit of an icebreaker, as they should be. Your kids are most likely meeting me for the first time and I'm in their space, with a big camera. Often kids will look at me and smile for the first little bit, but before long they settle into their normal routines and habits and don't think about the camera. I really believe that these sessions lend themselves to kids so well because they can be in their space, in their everyday clothes, not all dolled up and told to stand still or force a smile or pretend to have fun. They get to be themselves and I get to capture their personalities. WIN-WIN.

Got more questions? I'd love to answer them. Click the contact tab up top and shoot me a message!