Little Kids + Golden Hour {Everett Family Photographer}

If you’re thinking about a summer family session, you may be concerned that keeping your little ones up until sunset will be to tough for your family. The sun sets late here in the Seattle area in the height of summer, and many parents share this concern. Here are some tips to help you make your family session go as smoothly as possible when it’s later than bedtime:

• Plan for a quiet day. Your session day shouldn’t be spent rushing around running errands, playing at trampoline parks or participating in hours of sports. Instead, try activities like reading, doing puzzles or snuggling on the couch.

• Let your kids sleep in if they want to. Today is the day to avoid waking them up at their normal time. If you normally need to wake them for daycare or school, try not to keep them on their normal routine and let them sleep as long as they will.

• If your kids still nap, try to push their nap out further into the day. While it may seem like your ruining their routine, one day won’t do much damage. If your kids don’t nap, try having some “quiet time” by reading books in bed or just resting for a few minutes.

• To avoid them getting hungry during the session, bring a snack for them to eat right before we start. You may want to avoid changing them into their photo session outfits until after they’ve finished their snack.

• Kids are often distracted in a new place, particularly if we’re photographing them in a new outdoor location. If they’re normally grumpy and having meltdowns at bedtime at home, they will more than likely be so distracted in a new place and by doing something outside of their normal routine, that they don’t even notice they should be sleeping.

• Lastly, please remember that if you really want that beautiful golden summer light, that keeping them up past their bedtime will totally be worth if and every time you see your images on the wall, you’ll think about how beautiful they are, rather than the one day you skipped your normal routine.

If you’d like to schedule a summer session, please contact me here. I would be so honored to work with you.

A Final Farewell to A Beautiful Home {Everett Lifestyle Photographer}

I make no secret that my absolute favorite sessions occur inside your home. I was so honored when our friends and neighbors asked me to come photograph them inside their beautiful Northwest Everett home before they packed up and moved out of state. They have created this gorgeous home together and have had so many amazing memories in it. Children have been born here, they’ve had first days of school, birthday parties, first steps, lazy Saturday mornings, PTA meetings, renovations but mostly, there’s been a whole lot of love in these four walls.

A Chilly but Fun Outdoor Family Session {Edmonds Lifestyle Photographer}

I don’t do too many outdoor family sessions. Most of mine are in home lifestyle sessions, but I do love when I have a fun and playful outdoor one. These two little two year olds were so awesome to photogaphy. They were snuggly and playful and managed the cold evening like troopers. I adore this session.

A Cozy In Home Session on a Cool Fall Day {Seattle Family Photographer}

What happens if time gets away from you and you never get around to scheduling a newborn session when your baby is still tiny? Should you just skip a session? In my opinion, absolutely not! I photograph babies exactly how I photograph newborns, it really doesn’t matter if they are 6 days or 6 months! This sweet boy was almost 4 months for his sesison. His amazing parents had just finished renovating their gorgeous house and it was a perfect time to photograph this new family of three in the four walls which makes up their home.

A Fun Family of Three {Seattle Lifestyle Photographer}

I love it when my friends ask me to take their family photos! We traveled over to Whidbey Island for this cute family session. I photographed their baby when he was a newborn and it was an honor to be asked back to take their family photos again.

Introducing Theo {Seattle Newborn Photographer}

It’s hard to believe little Theo joined us 7 weeks ago. The time has flown by. He still feels so new but it’s like he’s been a part of our family forever. I can’t imagine life without him. I love documenting babies in the hospital. It is such a special, but short time. I always try to keep these “Fresh 48” sessions as authentic as possible. I want my families to always remember what those first couple of days felt like. I try to include details you’ll only see in the hospital - hospital bracelets, hats, blankets. It was no different photographing my own sweet baby. I haven’t been able to do any Fresh 48 sessions due to Covid, so getting to do my own after a year of not doing any felt really special. I can’t wait to start offering these again! For now, here is my own little one, Theodore.

A Quarantine Picture Journal {Seattle Family Photographer}

This has been a year unlike any other. I have found it somewhat therapeutic to photograph my boys as we navigate 2020. Being at home has really made me aware of how important our living space is to me. I love our 110 year old home, even with its quirks, and there’s no other place I’d rather be than here. It’s made me realize how important in home photography is. Your home is the back drop for your lives. It’s where so many important things happen and it should be celebrated and photographed as it helps tell your story. I hope you enjoy seeing our journey through quarantine.

Introducing Baby Session Packages {Seattle Newborn Photographer}

That first year in your baby’s life goes by so fast. Your baby is going to change so much and you’re never going to want to forget how they were when they were little. Because of this, I have decided to start offering a baby milestone package. This package includes:

• an in home lifestyle newborn session including the whole family

• a 6 month mini session featuring just the baby

• an in home or outdoor family session around baby’s first birthday.

You will receive a minimum of forty digital images for both the newborn and one year session, as well as a minimum of 20 images for the mini 6 month session. The price for these three sessions is $1300. I do have payment plans available.

I have a beautiful collection of classic, timeless baby clothes that you are welcome to use for your images. Let me know if that’s something you’d be interested in.

If you are looking to have your baby’s first year documented, please reach out.

At Home with a Family of Three {Seattle Lifestyle Photographer}

Sometimes I get an inquiry and I just know that we will mesh well as family and photographer. These were one of those families. I loved shooting in their home. It was bright and airy with plenty of space for little Talula to dance her heart out. I try to keep sessions as relaxed as possible as I know how stressful it can be particularly for the mama. This session was basically just a big dance party :) Little Talula loved to dance and she wore the perfect dress for the occasion.

One thing I really love about this session was how much love you could see between them all. The snuggly shots of them on the couch are my favorite. I also adore the way she would look directly into my camera, with so much soul in her eyes. I rarely ask anyone to look at my camera, but she would just do it willingly. She is truly delightful.

A Motherhood Session on the Beach {Seattle Lifestyle Photographer}

I was so honored to photograph this lovely mama with her two girls. She told me that she had never had professional photos taken with her children and that just before she had seen me advertising my motherhood sessions, she had posted an article on Facebook about how mothers aren’t in enough images with their kids. It is so true. As mothers, we tend to be the photographers in the family. We document their days and become the memory keepers. We are great at snapping images of our spouses but we rarely ask them to do the same for us. Images with our kids are so, so important. We don’t want our kids to look back at their images and wonder where we were all the time. Professional pictures are great and of course, I recommend all mamas to get them, but it’s equally important to make sure you’re having every day moments captured too. Set your camera up on a tripod, or hand your phone off to someone but make sure you’re documenting yourself, as well as them. I hope you enjoy looking through these images of this beautiful family.