Yay!! You are booked!

Are you ready to start planning?

Thank you for choosing me for your photography experience! I’m excited to work with your family to create beautiful memories.

I created this Client Lounge to provide resources that will help you prepare for your session. Whether you booked a newborn, family, maternity, or Fresh 48 session, I’m dedicated to ensuring you have the best experience possible. I truly value the families I photograph and understand the importance of your time and investment. Many families say they are pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable and easy my sessions are.

Please explore the information below to prepare for our session. Scroll down to your type of session to find information specific to your booked session.

If you have any questions, feel free to text me at 408.438.2856.

Photo Session Experience

Your photo session will be a fun and relaxed experience! Focus on enjoying quality time with your family while I capture great moments. Come prepared to have fun and spend quality time with your family. If you're hoping for photos with natural laughs, think of what makes your family laugh. Don't stress and let the kids be kids - embrace playful moments and affectionate interactions, as these will create beautiful memories. Remember, a relaxed parent sets a positive tone, so whatever comes up, give yourself grace and flexibility — I'll still capture genuine smiles, even when things don't go as planned. Lifestyle photography is candid; there’s no need for everyone to always look directly at the camera. I’ll often encourage you to connect with each other instead, allowing your children's personalities to shine through. We're going to have a wonderful time together!

Post-Session

Newborn Sessions

Newborns...

I am so excited to capture your new baby! Newborn sessions are done in the comfort of your own home. My style is Fine Art Lifestyle, which means that I will be focusing on the natural connections between the parents and newborn, and any siblings if there are siblings, and no awkward posing or props. I will take lots of photos of the baby by himself/herself, sleeping or awake is fine, as well as both parents with the baby and the entire family together. These sessions typically occur any time in the first few months after the baby is born.

The entire session is conducted in the comfort of your own home. You can think of the session as being baby led - if the baby wants to eat, they eat, if they want to sleep, they sleep, if they want to be held, they’re held. The baby may be awake or asleep for the session, or some of both. The parents are around the entire session and connecting with the baby, which is all captured in the photo session. It will be so special to capture this fleeting time in your life!

On the Day of the Session: When I arrive at your home, I will walk around to scout the best window lighting for the family and sibling photos. We will likely decide to use the couch, master bed, and nursery for photos. Please don't feel that you need to clean the house before I arrive - you are busy caring for your newborn - we can easily clean up an area that we want to use for photos.

Your Baby: Your new baby is perfect just as he or she is. I do not have any expectations for the baby - alert, asleep, or some of both, are all fine. I do recommend feeding the baby as much as they want about fifteen minutes or so prior to my arrival. My recommendation is to put your baby in a simple neutral-colored onesie (with no graphics, words, or bright colors) that is form fitting (this is typically newborn sized or preemie). We may take the onesie off to get some nude or near nude newborn photos as well. Please also have a few favorite swaddle blankets on hand for your baby to be wrapped in as well - I will also bring swaddles that photograph well if you would like to use those. If the baby wants to eat during the session, we will also get feeding photos.

Mom & Dad: I recommend wearing neutral colors and clothes that are comfortable. You will likely be both thrilled and exhausted during this time in your life, as having a new baby is wonderful and tiring at the same time. My goal is to capture this fleeting and beautiful time in your lives. I want for you to be relaxed and enjoy the experience while I'm photographing your family, so just be yourselves!

Siblings: I don't have any big expectations for the siblings and won't ask them to do anything they are not comfortable with. I usually try to get sibling and family photos at the beginning of the shoot as the sibling may lose interest in me quickly, and that's okay. Please prepare the sibling for the session by telling him or her that a friend is coming to visit and take some photos of your family since it is best not to surprise them.

I'll have posing suggestions for you throughout the photoshoot. I'm also happy to incorporate your ideas if you have any particular photos you'd specifically like to have, just let me know. While I don't bring props, if you have any family heirlooms, such as a blanket knitted by grandma or something else special you'd like to include in the photos, just be sure to let me know in your questionnaire before the session or at the beginning of the session and I'll be happy to include it.

Finally, just relax and be yourselves! We'll have fun making memories together and capture some great moments that you will treasure forever!

Want more tips for preparing? See my blog post here.

Still trying to decide exactly when to schedule your session? See my blog post on this here.

Family Sessions

Family...

Preparation is key to a great photo session. Here are a few tips for in advance of your session to help you make the most of your session experience. I want to take the stress out of the experience and reassure you that the best thing parents can do is to simply enjoy this dedicated family time.

Session Timing: If we are photographing outdoors, we will shoot in the late afternoon/early evening. The light is best during golden hour - about an hour before sunset - and is typically too harsh mid-day. The images in my portfolio look the way they do largely because of my use of light and the time of day your session takes place has a huge impact. Many families tell me that they simply have the kids take a late nap or have some downtime prior to their evening session. My family portrait sessions rarely last more than an hour, as I can easily get a diverse gallery in that time. 

Do a Clothing Trial in Advance: Make sure little ones are comfortable in their outfits and that clothes fit properly several days before the session in order to save headaches on the big day. Uncomfortable shoes or itchy clothes are the worst. For littles who can't yet verbalize they are uncomfortable, they will come across as moody or irritable - you can avoid any last minute stress by trying clothing on in advance. Also be sure clothing is seasonally appropriate - consider layering as this makes it easier to adjust if the kiddo is too warm or cold.

For Littles, Prioritize Naps the Day of the Session: If you have little ones, having them well-rested on the day of the session can make all the difference. Plan to prioritize naps on the day of the session. Make this session the main event for the day if possible.

Ensure Everyone is Fed: Ensure that everyone has a full belly so that no one will be "hangry" - this includes adults as well as kids! Consider planning a fun activity or treat for the family to share together after the photo session is finished.

Get Everyone Excited: Get little ones excited to be a "model" and have their photos taken. Tell them you will be playing together and a friend will be taking their photos - if they are shy, you may want to show them my picture in advance so they are familiar on the day of the session. For older kids, explain the day's full plan to them and how important these photos are to you.

Relax and Let Me Do the Work: No matter what comes up, give yourself grace and flexibility, as a relaxed parent can set the tone for a great session experience. Even when days don't go as planned, I am still probably capturing smiles and glances you may not be seeing. Also, remember that lifestyle photography is candid - neither your kids nor you need to always look at the camera. I will often tell you to look at each other rather than the camera. By the kids having fun, they will naturally smile and their wonderful personalities will shine!

WHAT TO WEAR??

One of the fun parts of preparing for your photo session is choosing what your family will wear. Chances are you may have questions about what to wear (most families do)! Here are a few tips intended to serve as a reference for families planning their wardrobe for their photo session...

Be Yourself: Most importantly, be yourself! Don’t stress about what you will wear as we will have a fun experience and your photos will turn out great no matter what. Lifestyle photography is intended to be authentic. If you like to wear dresses, that’s great. If you don’t usually wear dressy clothing, no need to do so for your photo shoot. If you are a sporty family, feel free to dress sporty. You should try to dress your best of course, with clean, comfortable, and well-fitting clothing, but dress your best in your own style. :)

Coordinate But Don't Match: When choosing clothing for the family, try to coordinate but don’t match (for example, it’s not recommended for everyone to wear jeans and white polo shirts). Try to have everyone in the family wear similar color tones, such as all neutrals or all-natural tones, which will help your family look cohesive. For example, if one person wears something different, like a bright red shirt while everyone else is wearing muted blues, all the attention will go to the person wearing red. But generally, you will want to have some diversity in colors and patterns. Try to choose colors that complement each other. If you want to see ideas of palettes that go well together, the Internet has lots of sites, including www.colorpalettes.net.

Try to be Equally Dressy or Equally Casual: Match the formality with everyone in the family and try to dress up equally. For example, if everyone is more casual in jeans, it may look odd if just one person is in a suit. Try to have everyone equally dressy or equally casual.

Choose Mom's Outfit First: I recommend choosing mom’s outfit first...if mom loves dresses, this is a great time to wear a dress! But any outfit mom feels great in will work well! Mom, choose something you feel amazing in and then build the rest of the family around your outfit. There are so many options! Some moms ask for suggestions for long, flowy dresses, in which case two popular brands you may consider are Joyfolie https://www.joyfolie.com, which also has matching girls dresses, or Free People https://www.freepeople.com.

Dad's Outfit: For men, business casual looks great, or a plain, heavy polo shirt works well if you’re going for a more relaxed look. Be sure the shirt is made of a heavier material to avoid wrinkling. Jeans or casual pants are universal and look good with almost everything.

Kids' Outfits: For kids, allow them to be a well-dressed version of themselves but don’t put them in clothing they hate. For example, if your son can’t stand button down shirts or your daughter hates dresses, don’t have them wear those. You want for them to be comfortable. Also, ensure their clothing fits well. I know kids grow quickly, and we want to get the most out of each clothing item - I often buy my kid’s shirts a little big so he can wear them longer - but the photo session isn’t the time for that. In photos it doesn’t look as good when the clothing is baggy or rolled up. Also, please avoid florescent colors and graphics, as graphics tend to go out of style quickly.

Accessories: Remember that shoes and accessories are also important. If you have a great outfit, but the shoes are ratty, it won’t look as good. Shoes, necklaces, headbands, etc. can all add a pop of color!

Layers: If it’s cooler outside, dress in layers, which adds interest and allows for removing clothing if you get warm. Think scarves, hats, vests, cardigans, blazers, jackets...

Don't Stress: Consider making an inspiration or Pinterest board with outfit ideas. This can help you get a feel for the colors and patterns you love. But most of all, wear clothing you love that reflects your own style, and don’t stress!

Maternity Sessions

Maternity...

Pregnancy is joyful, beautiful, and if we're being honest, sometimes difficult. You will be glad you decided to capture this time in your life, as it goes by so quickly!

Timing for Scheduling: My recommendation is to schedule the maternity photo shoot after 28 weeks, at about 7-8 months into your pregnancy. Outdoor locations during golden hour are an ideal setting for maternity photos. Your maternity session is for you, your significant other, and your children (if this isn't your first pregnancy).

What to Wear: As for wardrobe, I want for you to feel your best! Many women enjoy wearing long, flowy dresses, as they are comfortable, photograph well, and allow for easy movement, but it is entirely up to you. Wear whatever makes you feel the most beautiful.

Here are some suggestions for maternity dresses that photograph well. Consider these online retailers that offer beautiful options (note that I don’t receive any commission for these recommendations):

Amazon: Lots of options for maternity and non-maternity dresses, including more affordable options. Tip: Read the reviews for sizing but you'll often need to go one size larger than you normally would if doing a non-maternity dress.

Baltic Born: Features a bump-friendly section with lovely options.

Jen's Pirate Booty: Curated maternity selection with stylish choices.

ZeBuBeYou on Etsy: Specializes in maternity dresses perfect for photoshoots.

Joyfolie: Offers elegant dresses suitable for maternity.

My goal is to capture who you are right now and the connection between you and the new baby inside you. I will never ask you to wear an uncomfortable gown or place you in uncomfortable positions. We will celebrate these last moments as a family of two (or three, or whatever size your family is right now). It will be special to have memories of what your family looks like right before the baby arrives!

Fresh 48 Sessions

Fresh 48...

These sessions are 100% documentary in nature. If you would like, I will come to the hospital in the first 48 hours after you've given birth to capture all the little details of the new baby, genuine interactions between family members, nursing (if desired), and all the moments in between. This session is designed to be stress free and capture these raw and precious first moments. I simply observe and capture. All you do is text me when the baby arrives and I will come photograph before you are discharged.