How to Choose the Right Photographer for Your Family Photo Session {Seattle Family Photographer}

Choosing the right photographer for your family photography session can feel like a daunting task, especially in a larger city like Seattle where it seems there are a ton of options. By writing this, I hope I can help you narrow down the search a little more.

Where do you want your session?

Are you looking to have your session at home? At a local beach or park? Or do you want an adventure up a mountain somewhere? By choosing where you want your session, you’ll be able to start searching for a photographer who does sessions in the place you’re most interested in.

Do you want a posed session where everyone looks at the camera or do you prefer to be photographed engaging with your kids?

All photographers have a style. Many will photograph families perfectly posed, and others, myself included, take a more lifestyle approach and photograph the parents playing and snuggling with their children. Once you decide if you want a posed session or a lifestyle session, you can narrow down your search even further.

Do you want your images to be light and airy, dark and moody, or somewhere in between?

Photographers each have a unique editing style. Look over photographers’ portfolios to see if their editing style is inline with the vision you have for your photo session.

Get to know them

Having a photographer come into your home (if that’s where you choose to have your session) can be a very personal experience. Follow them on Instagram, read their about page on their website. Is this someone you would feel comfortable with posing you or being in your home?

I hope this will help narrow down your search. For the record, I take a more lifestyle approach and while I do a handful of outdoor family sessions over the summer and fall, my passion is in home photography. My editing style leans a little more light and airy and I feel like I’m a pretty fun person to be around :) It would be an honor to be chosen for your family photos.

Is a Fresh 48 Session Right for You? {Seattle Newborn Photographer}

I’m so excited that after a two year hiatus, Fresh 48 sessions are coming back. They are some of my very favorite sessions and I absolutely love photographing this special time in your lives. Fresh 48 sessions are a relatively new concept. They are designed to document that very beautiful but fleeting time in the hospital over the first day or two after your baby’s birth. Fresh 48 sessions are raw, intimate and cozy and will serve as a beautiful memory of what life was like when your baby was fresh.

What is needed for a Fresh 48 session?

I honestly don’t think you need anything special. I love to use the gear the hospital provides. They use that little hat, blanket, and bassinet for such a short time and I think it’s important to document it. You can always bring you own swaddles or outfit if you wish but with so much already going on, I don’t want you to stress about extra stuff.

How long to Fresh 48 sessions last?

I try to keep Fresh 48 sessions as quick as possible. There is so many people coming and going from your hospital room and I never want to get in the way of anyone. I keep sessions to about half and hour and we always end up with a varied and full gallery in this short amount of time.

How do you book a Fresh 48 if baby’s arrival is unpredictable?

I book Fresh 48 sessions the same way I book newborn sessions. By paying the retainer, you are guaranteeing a spot on my schedule. Since most mamas only get 24-48 hours in the hospital, I ask that you send me a quick text or email with any updates (induction dates, c section dates, once you’re headed to the hospital etc). Once baby arrives you, or your support person should reach out to me as soon as possible and we will then decide on a time for me to come to the hospital.

What I’m doing to keep baby safe:

I am fully vaccinated and up to date on all vaccines including:

Covid 19

Influenza

TDaP

I will be wearing a mask to all Fresh 48 and in home newborn sessions. My oldest child caught RSV as an infant and I believe it’s so important to do what I can to prevent spreading any germs.
I will use hand sanitizer when entering your room and I won’t handle your baby.

What’s happening with visitors in hospitals?

Most hospitals in the greater Seattle area are now open to visitors. You will want to double check with your hospital to make sure visitors are allowed.

What is included with a Fresh 48 session?

Fresh 48 sessions include forty digital images for you to share and print as you wish. If you want a Fresh 48 session on it’s own, the price is $650 with a $150 retainer required at the time of booking. If you wish to book a newborn session too, the package deal is $1,175 with $300 due at booking. You will also receive high quality 4x6 prints of every image in your gallery as a gift.

Are you ready to schedule your Fresh 48 session? Please reach out to me so we can get you on the calendar!

Why You Don't Need a Giant Home for an In Home Family or Newborn Session {Seattle Family Photographer}

It’s a common misconception that people who have in home family or newborn photography session have giant, light filled homes. While I think families with large, light and airy homes should have their family or newborn session in their home, I want you to know that you definitely don’t need that to have a beautiful in home session. Often in Seattle and surrounding areas, homes are older, smaller and don’t have great light. When you pair that with the number of dark and dreary days we have, more often that not, my photography sessions end up being in darker homes. If you do have a more spacious home, then we will definitely showcase it in your photos, however, if your home is small and dark and you’re not sure if it will photograph well, then this is the post for you! I am going to share with you a session that we did in one small corner of the house. This beautiful family had just moved into their house and as a result, they were still unpacking and hadn’t begun to decorate. We went ahead with their newborn session when their baby was 8 days old and I reassured them that all I need is one or two good windows to make the magic happen. When I arrived, I was taken on a quick tour of the house. I saw this little corner and knew that it would be my spot. We did have to clear it out a little bit (remember, they just moved AND had a new baby) but it was the perfect corner to do almost the whole session. Disclaimer, we did move outside for a few images but I'd say a good eighty percent of their session was done in this small space. I hope when you see this newborn session, that you realize that no matter the size of your home, that we can totally do a session in it. Family and newborn sessions are all about the love and connection you have with one another, and although many people love to use their home as the backdrop to their family photos, the focus is always on the family itself. Your home is the place where your family is most comfortable so it makes sense to have your session there. Are you ready to create your own cozy and heartfelt family love story? Reach out today! I’d love to get you on my calendar!

A Beautiful New Family of Three {Edmonds Newborn Photographer}

I am so, so happy we were able to make this session happen at the last minute. This sweet first time mama, contacted me on a Thursday. Baby Luca had already arrived and she wanted a session as soon as possible so that she could have him photographed while he was still tiny and squishy. It’s always a good idea to book your session while you’re still pregnant so that I can guarantee you a spot, but if baby has already arrived, I will try my best to squeeze you in. I missed out on newborn photos with my oldest and I know how devastating that can be. I’d hate for anyone to miss out on the opportunity to capture this special time. Anyway, like I was saying, she reached out to me on the Thursday and thankfully, I had Saturday afternoon open. I’m so pleased it worked out. Little Luca is adorable and he’s surrounded by so much love. Thank you guys for allowing me to photograph your very beautiful love story.

The Sweetest Love Story {Edmonds Family Photographer}

It has been such an honor to photograph this beautiful family for the third time. You may recognize them from their prior newborn sessions. You can read about their first two newborn sessions here and here.

We met on a beautiful evening in Discovery Park for their maternity session. The temperature was perfect and the sun was shining. The best time for outdoor family sessions is the hour before sunset, but with young kids and being in the height of summer, this can be hard. We opted for an earlier session time, and thankfully, Discovery Park has enough shade to make this possible. Discovery Park is one of my favorite locations for many reasons, but one of the best is because of how versatile it is. There is shade for non-golden hour times, there are views of the water, a giant field to run around in, trees, old buildings, a beach and long grass. It really doesn’t get much better than this.

This session was bursting with love, just the same way every other session I’ve done for them has been. Isn’t it amazing how your heart just seems to grow with love for each child? This is what I can see happening each time this family welcomes a new baby into their lives. Their hearts expand and it’s so beautiful to be able to witness.

When this mama contacted me for her maternity session, she said she envisioned bare feet, a flowy dress and tall grass. I’m so honored that we were able to do her maternity session exactly how she envisioned.

If you’re expecting a new little baby in your family and would love to document this time, please contact me here. It would be an honor to photograph you as you wait for your newest family member.

Mentoring For Photographers {Seattle Newborn Photographer}

I am thrilled to start offering mentoring for photographers looking to start lifestyle newborn sessions! A mentoring session includes a hour chat to discuss how to run a lifestyle newborn session. After that, you’ll accompany me on a newborn session. You will watch how I shoot, have the opportunity to shoot yourself and you can ask me about any specific poses you’d like to learn. After the session, we’ll chat about editing and how to deliver a gallery that your clients will love. The cost is $900 plus WA sales tax. If you’d like to know more, please contact me today.

Welcoming a New Baby Boy {Edmonds Newborn Photographer}

A New Family of Three {Everett Lifestyle Photographer}

Welcome to the world little Theo!

Welcome Baby Finn {Seattle Newborn Photographer}

If you’ve been following my work, you may recognize this sweet family from just a couple of short months ago. Back in February, their newborn daughter’s session was the last session I did just 5 days before my own baby was born. I was so happy to get their session done in time because from the very first email, I just knew I had to photograph this family. After waiting several years, they were finally parents to their sweet daughter through the gift of adoption. You can check out their first session here. In a beautiful turn of events, they became parents again just 3 months later to their beautiful baby boy, Finn. Here is their love story continued.

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.