My Top Tips for Traveling to a Warm Weather Destination with your Family

Spring Break is almost here!

Yes, I know I’m a photographer and that is what I’m best at, but if there’s anything I love as much as I love photography, it’s traveling with my family. As many of my photography clients are gearing up for Spring Break, I’d like to share my top tips for traveling to your warm weather destination.

Tip One - Take the overnight flight

Yes, I know, there are many who will disagree with me but overnight flights are the way to go for our family. All four of my kids sleep better on the plane than they do at home and it allows us to arrive to our destination in time to change, take a quick swim, have an early dinner, go to bed at a reasonable hour, then wake up refreshed and ready to go on the first full day of vacation.

Tip Two - Take a portable clothesline:

When you’re heading somewhere warm, you’re more than likely going to be wearing a lot of swimsuits. We travel with a portable clothesline that we set up on our balcony to dry the swimsuits so the kids always have a dry one available.

Tip Three - Go for the All Inclusive

All Inclusives are fantastic for families. Got a picky eater? Order something new if they don’t like the first option. Got a foodie? No need to worry about them ordering the most expensive item on the menu. You can let them try new things. On our last trip to the DR, my kids discovered virgin pina coladas. An all inclusive resort is a great place to try new foods and drinks.

Tip Four - Don’t Pack too much into your Vacation

Heading to a tropical destination normally involves a whole lot of pool/beach time and relaxation time. We try to limit the amount of excursions to two for each week of vacation. This allows you to still get out and explore a new place, but it also gives you plenty of time to relax and enjoy taking a breather.

Tip Five - Travel with Carry On Only

When you’re heading somewhere warm, this is an easy one. You don’t need to carry winter coats or boots so you should be able to fit everything in your carry on. We have our kids take a carry on each and we will split the baby’s stuff between all of our luggage. For a week each kid packs two swimsuits, two pairs of shorts, two t-shirts, one pair of nice pants and a polo (for fancy dinners), a hoodie, and two pairs of pajamas.

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.

What you Really Need for your Newborn Session {Everett Newborn Photographer}

The best part of a lifestyle newborn session is that we really don’t need a ton of stuff. We can use whatever you have in your house, but some families do choose to purchase some things for their newborn session. Some stuff can be bough locally in and around Seattle, but I’m going to post some links for you to book online. Here are my top recommendations for your lifestyle session.

A plain colored onesie or sleeper

I always recommend that babies are dressed in simple clothing for their newborn session. This keeps the focus on your sweet baby’s face, rather than their clothing. I recommend sleepers from Bonsie Baby. Plain colored onesies from Jamie Kay photograph beautifully.

Muslin Swaddles

Sometimes babies are a little fussy and swaddling them can work wonders, but it’s always nice to have one on hand that photographs well. SpearmintLove has a great selection. I also love the muslin quilts from Brixton Phoenix. They are larger than a typical swaddle so you will get plenty of use out of them.

A place to sleep

Sleepy newborn photos are the sweetest and by placing them in their crib, you really get a sense for how tiny they are.

A comfortable chair

One of my favorite images to take is of the parents rocking the baby in their arms. A comfortable chair is the ideal spot for this.

As you can see, there isn’t really a ton of stuff that you need for your newborn session. I truly believe that a lifestyle session should be all about you, your new baby and your reality. We really don’t need props or anything else to create a beautiful gallery full of images you’re going to love. If you’re ready to book your newborn session, please contact me today.

Welcome to the World Sweet Baby

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.

Welcoming a Sweet Baby Boy

Welcome to the world little Sebastian. It was an honor to take your newborn photos!

A New Family of Three {Seattle Newborn Photographer}

I photographed this sweet couple back in December while they were waiting for their sweet girl to arrive. It was so special getting to go back and photograph them now that they’re a family of three. Welcome to the world beautiful girl!

Welcoming a New Baby Boy {Edmonds Newborn Photographer}

Welcoming Twins {Edmonds Newborn Photographer}

I adore photographing newborns but it’s even more fun when there are two of them! This beautiful family went from two kids to four kids and they seemed to do it effortlessly. Welcome to the world sweet little ones.

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.