Why choose an in-home Session
It may make you overwhelmed thinking of how to prep for your in-home photography session, and it shouldn’t! This space could be the place your marriage grew or the nursery you prepared for your new baby, or the room where you spend the most time as a family or the kitchen that’s held experiments and memory-making or even the walls that hold your most vulnerabilities.
Wherever you call “home”, it deserves to be remembered. I’m a full believer that photos shape your memories. You can have a bunch of bad days and look back on a happy moment in your childhood home and be filled with joy.
Home is your place of comfort and the place you can be yourself. I’m here to honor that and show the authenticity of your family within that space.
Light and Space: The only things that really Matter
I don’t need fully decorated rooms or perfectly designed kitchens- all I really need is a good window. There is no need to clean your entire home.
Simple Prep Tips for Your Home
- Tidy the spaces we will probably use- bedroom, kitchen, and a kid’s room (whichever have the best natural light)
- Hide clutter in baskets or closets (empty boxes, things on the night stand, possibly really contrasting colorful items, etc) (I will do this as well- I have 3 kids and I’ve learned to shove REALLY well)
- I am not focusing on a mess- I am focusing on the family and the engagement between them
What to Wear for your In-Home Session
Decide which is more your vibe- styled cozy or romantic home life.. either is fine! I will send a style guide and Inspo to help narrow choices.
Vary tops and bottoms so not everyone is wearing khaki on the bottom and white on the top. Varying textures (linen, knit, waffle knit, woven, silk/satin, tweed, fringe, etc) and tones within a neutral color palette enhances both the cozy and romantic vibes. Adding cool tones like blue or purple will take away from the overall image. If you want to add more color- go for warmer tones like reds, oranges, browns, rust, etc.
I also tend to suggest wardrobe colors that are season-less so they can be used all year long.
I also have a client closet for mama along with a few kids things- looking for something? Just ask!
You can check out more on this top on my blog: What to Wear and What Not To Wear
Helping Kids Feel at Ease
Pre-session check out my post on How to Prep Kids for Family Photos
Letting them know a friend with a camera is coming to photograph them in their space and asking them what they’d like to show me when I get there. I’ll ask for a home tour and kids love to show me!
If kids are not interested, I’ll prompt things to do, so I can get more interaction until they warm up a bit more. Older ones are tougher (I know, I have a teenager), and I really just try to emphasize how important photos are to me and that I’m hoping because they love me, they’ll be in a few shots and then they can go right back to whatever they had planned for the day. We can also incorporate adventure like baking or making something or having a contest of sorts.
What I Bring to Make it Easy on You
I often pack different “props” to pull out in case kids become disinterested. Most of the time, I can incorporate things around your house- books, curtains, window-watching, ring-around-the-rosie, etc but Ive also brought bubbles, paper airplanes, or some other adventure to “do” that get family engagement while keeping aesthetics in mind.
Creating a Relaxed Environment
I want your family to feel at ease. Pour that cup of coffee or glass of wine, turn on the music, or find your favorite blankets. Let’s set the scene for your family story and invite everyone to participate and let me get to see their personalities. To start, I may have your family in the kitchen enjoying some fruit or I may have you snuggled on the bed, but if I see a little one is ready to jump, I may cue for that. If one child is shy, I may have you snuggle and read a book or just play with his/her hair.
I catch on to the personalities to your family and tell that story. I don’t want to force emotion- I want to invite it in. I love parents’ help in this as well. I’m not asking for saying cheese at the camera in more than one photos, instead, I love that YOU know their tickle spot, the YOU know the words that make them laugh or the funny faces or noises, YOU know if they’d feel better with a snack, YOU know if they feel sick or have stranger-danger or if they’re just having an off day. We are all in this together, so we’ll work as a team!
Final Thoughts: Embrace the Imperfection
Real life is what makes photos magical. Composition and finding light are my job, your job is to simply show up. I promise I’ve seen it all and worked with all types of families- so while you may be on edge, I’m not. I’m here to support, offer guidance, and take great photos of your family’s connection that will fill up the pages of an album that will bring joy to generations to come.
