What to Expect from your Session

I truly value every family I work with and want your experience to be nothing short of exceptional. I never take this privilege lightly, and I understand how important your time and investment are. My goal is to provide you with a fun, relaxed, and enjoyable experience from start to finish. Many families tell me they’re pleasantly surprised by how easy and stress-free my sessions feel.

Please take a moment to review the information below so you can feel as prepared as possible for your session. If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to reach out via email.

First of all, I’m so glad you’re here. From this point on, I’ll be guiding you every step of the way so you can relax and simply enjoy the experience.

Custom photography is special because it captures so much more than how you look in a moment, it captures who you are. My heart is in creating honest, meaningful images of your family and children that feel natural, emotional, and true to you. Rather than stiff poses and forced smiles, I take a relaxed, documentary-style approach that allows your family to be yourselves. Using natural light, I create timeless images you can enjoy in your home and pass down for generations.

Below are a few gentle guidelines to help you feel prepared and confident heading into your session.

Location

Together, we’ll choose a location that feels like you. Whether that’s the comfort of your own home or one of my favorite outdoor spots, the goal is to create an environment where your family can relax and connect naturally. Many families love shooting at home because it feels intimate and personal, as long as there’s good natural light. I also have several beautiful locations I return to often, and I’m always open to discovering new places that reflect your style. If you’d like guidance, I’m happy to help you decide.

Time

Light plays a huge role in the look and feel of your images, and I’ll help select a time that works best for both your family and the lighting. For in-home sessions, late morning tends to be ideal. Outdoor sessions are typically scheduled in the morning or early evening when the light is softer and more flattering. If your children are up for it, sessions one to two hours before sunset offer especially beautiful light. Many families find it helpful to plan a late nap or some quiet downtime before an evening session, whatever helps your kids feel their best.

What to Wear

Your wardrobe should feel comfortable, natural, and reflective of who you are. I recommend coordinating rather than matching, and choosing pieces you feel good in. It’s worth spending a little time thinking about what everyone will wear. Simple, timeless clothing helps keep the focus where it belongs, on your faces, your connections, and all the lovely, genuine moments between you.

Preparing for your session should avoid stress and feel exciting. Your investment is about both your time and your memories, and choosing what to wear is a chance to express who you are. If outfit planning feels overwhelming, I’m always happy to help guide you. Below are a few simple tips to get you started.

1. Wear something that feels like you. When you’re comfortable and confident in your own style, it shows beautifully in your photos.

2. Coordinate, don’t match, choose colours that complement each other.

3. Stay away from logos, graphics, text and florescent colours, as they can be distracting in photos.

4. Mom, you deserve to feel amazing in these photos. Whether it’s a dress or an outfit you already love, choose something that makes you feel confident and empowered. Start with your outfit first, and let the rest of the family’s looks fall into place around you.

5. Layers work beautifully. They add texture and movement, and they’re great for keeping everyone cozy.

6. If it resonated with you, I recommend choosing comfortable clothes in plain, earthy tones, think soft neutrals, warm browns, gentle greens, creams, and muted blues.

7. Comfort always wins!

Props

I typically don’t use props during sessions, as I prefer to keep things simple and authentic. That said, if there’s something meaningful you’d love to include, I’m always open to hearing your ideas.

Day Of The Session:

When we meet on the day of your session, we’ll take a few minutes to say hello and get to know each other. I always like to give the kids a bit of time to warm up to me and the camera, no rush at all! Once everyone’s feeling comfortable, we’ll head out for a little walk together.

You can simply be yourselves, chatting, playing, laughing, and exploring together. If it feels helpful, you might plan a simple activity to enjoy, like stopping for a warm drink (with some enamel mugs for example?) . Depending on where we are, I may gently suggest moving to a spot with softer light, a lovely view, or asking you to interact in a certain way or face a particular direction if I can see it will work beautifully for the images. For the most part, though, I’ll follow along and capture things as they unfold naturally.

Sessions usually last about an hour, but that really depends on the moment. Sometimes the kids have had enough before then, and that’s totally fine,  I often have all the beautiful images we need well before the hour mark. The main thing is to keep it relaxed and fun, and to stay in touch about how everyone’s feeling.

Again, any questions, do let me know! I very much look forward to photographing your family.