Did the title catch you a bit off guard? 
I believe it with my whole heart. There are somethings I just don't do in a session and this is one of them. The same goes for everyone in the session. (For Day in the Life Sessions, I reserve 10 minutes for a loosely posed, smiling family portrait at the end!!) One of the things that makes documentary photography really great and unique is that there is a level of trust established between you, the photographer, and the camera. And one of the most important lessons I've learned over the years of documenting peoples lives and intimate moments is that it's imperative that you convey that you accept them right where they are and exactly where they are at in their life.  

One of the ways I do that is to express to my families the desire to blend in. I always say right from the get go, I'm like the adorably awkward, yet fun, Aunt the kids haven't seen in a while. I tell them that there are zero expectations from me and that this is meant to be a zero stress experience. And lastly, I don't ever ask them to look at the camera, be fully aware of it, and smile. Because let's face it, a lot of us don't love to be in front of the camera. 
*But it's so, so, so important! Click here to read some of the reasons why I want you in front of the camera and being an active participant in memory making* 

I believe that when you ask someone to look at the camera and smile, you are subconsciously telling them that this is the way they need to appear. They need to always appear happy and smiling. The truth is, sometimes life isn't happy and smiling. But that doesn't make it less beautiful or worthy of remembering. 
Sometimes there are quiet moments.
Sometimes there are chaotic moments.
Sad moments.
Joyful moments.
Funny moments.
Angry moments. 
And every single human emotion in between. Humans are complex and we have such incredible minds. We have such a wide range of emotions and they make up who we are. I value that. 

As a mother myself, I can often romanticize memories and look back at them with a rose colored lens (and that's okay!). Having pictures that document our days helps me to remember the hard times, the quiet times, and just exactly how fleeting these moments were. And it puts it into perspective that all of these moments make up our lives, not just the good and happy ones. 

Our emotions are valid. Our feelings are valid.  
I won't ever ask you to smile if you don't want to. I'll take the picture with a quiet reverence and feel grateful that you trusted me enough to let me in your space. It's really an honor to share your days with you. 
If you want to book a storytelling session with me for your family (or if you're expecting a new little one!), please click here to reach out to me or use the Contact tab above. I have a super helpful little guide to send to you that will have all the important information you need to book your session with me. Got questions? I'm here to help. Reach out to me here or on Facebook or Instagram. 

There's this running joke in the photography community, photographer's children hate the camera, anything to do with pictures, and will act like wild animals if they even sense the camera turning on. Back when I did portrait photography (seems like a lifetime ago), I would always chuckle and cry because I knew it to be so true.
But then, oh glorious day, I made the decision to do a 180 and follow my real passion- capturing authenticity. That's a whole other blog post I'll write one day, but for now, just know that my kids no longer have "photographer's child syndrome". Which is awesome- I feel like they feel respected and appreciated just the way they are, in their natural habitat. And I am over the moon because I get real, meaningful portraits of my kids. Portraits of them just the way they are and exactly how my heart will always remember them.
So, let's get to it. What are some ways YOU can prepare your kids for a shoot with me? Here's 5 easy ways to help them (and you) prepare for your awesome family storytelling session with me!

1. "The first rule of Fight Club is: You do not talk about Fight Club." Just kidding, talk to them about it, but talk to them in a way that emphasizes that it's not really about the pictures- this is REALLY important. That way, they don't have the preconceived notion that they are going to need to sit and pose for a picture. There's not going to be props or backdrops or fancy lighting equipment. Honest to goodness, I can remember the dread I used to feel going to get my pictures made. My sessions are different, I promise! We do a lot of playing and a lot of hanging out. I like to think I'm adorably awkward, so just think of me as an old friend coming by to hang out and catch up with the family. I recently had a little guy whose family hired me for a Day in the Life Session- so I was there for 8 hours. About 6 hours into the shoot, he said to me something I'll never forget.  He said, "You know, I thought my mom and dad hired you to come take pictures of us. I wasn't expecting this, like, at all. It's kind of like you're our friend and are just hanging out with us today." Man, that kid. I wanted to grab him up and hug him! I just told him I absolutely was his friend and I was happy to spend the day with him.
2. Make a plan for your time with me- or don't. If you are a family that normally plans your days in advance, then let's do that. Or maybe you are a family with lots of activities and commitments- I'm along for the ride (just make room for me in the car!) If you are a family that lives your life without schedules and plans and lives moment to moment, let's do that. Do not change things on my account! Sometimes it is helpful to plan at least one activity- but one that truly has a place in your daily life. Maybe it's cuddle time on the couch with a book, maybe it's a board game, or maybe it's a walk around the block with the family dog. Maybe it's throwing the ball around in the backyard. It can help keep things flowing and ease any jitters.
3.  To further emphasize point 2, I really want to stress this point- and we will talk about it in your pre-consultation (on the phone, via Facetime, or over coffee)- what is it you want to say? What memory is it you want preserved? What story do you want to tell? This has everything in the world to do with how you prepare them for the shoot. Whether it's documenting a milestone, a certain event or life change, or whether it's just a season of life you want to remember- these things are important for me to know and important for us to talk about. I want to know the things that are meaningful to you. What's important to one family may not be as important to the next family. That's part of what makes us unique.
4. This tip is more for the parents than it is for the kids- but it's an important one. Just let them be. They don't need to be on their best behavior, they don't need to be perfect. They just need to be. I want nothing more than for you to have a level of trust with me (and I work really hard to earn that trust). When I earn that, honesty flows through the lens- and it's so, so good. There's no judgement here from me. I am a mom of 3. There's not much I haven't seen during my time as a mother and it doesn't phase me at all. I'll shoot the good with the bad and I'm happy to do it. It's all just a part of this life we live. And by doing this, we're emphasizing that they are enough. They are perfect the way they are. We value them and appreciate what they bring to us. 
5. Tell them that they don't need to smile. I think a lot of anxiety when you tell people you're going to be shooting them all day is that they feel like they have to be "on" and be smiling all day. That. Is. Exhausting. Let's just agree now that this photo session is not that. It's different. I value the whole spectrum of human emotion. You don't need to be aware of the camera the whole time- better yet, I'd like it if you weren't aware. Treat it like it's not there, it will fade into the background, I promise. 

I hope you found this helpful and I hope it eases any worries you may have had. I'm aiming for zero stress over here. 
If you'd like to chat a bit about a session with me, I'm all ears. We can do a quick video chat or simply send me a message and I'll send you a digital magazine with all of the details. 
I want to preserve this time for you. The whole family deserves to be in the frame and your children will cherish this keepsake for years to come. These pictures will only get sweeter with time. 

This Virginia Beach family will probably always hold a special place in my heart. You know when you meet someone and you think to yourself "These are my people." Well, these are my people. 
This family hired me for the newborn session of their littlest one- and during that session, I snapped one of my very favorite photos. The second to the littlest greeted me at the door in his diaper and a pajama shirt (how cute is that?!) and ran up the stairs. I slipped off my shoes and crept up the stairs behind him...and I found him in a dark hallway, standing perfectly illuminated in the doorway of the bathroom. That was my shot. 
I know that the story they hired me to tell is that of the newest babe, but the story evolves and develops with other characters, highs and lows, action, conflict and resolution.
So when they scheduled another session a few weeks ago, I was thrilled. I couldn't wait to see how the littlest had grown and to witness his role in the family. What story was waiting for me?
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Needless to say, the little one established his role and he fits in just fine. 
But what I really, really loved about their session is the fact that they just get it. They are so unapologetically themselves and it shines in their images. That is a truly beautiful thing. 
I hear lots of mothers say that their little wildlings can be a lot to handle- they can be kind of rambunctious, a little loud, a little whatever. But I am here to tell you- it's okay and I see you, mama. I embrace little ones and the adventurous sense of curiosity. I love it. I look for it. This is your story and it's unique to your family. And wouldn't it be so boring if we were all the same?! I promise I go with the flow and the session will be a piece of cake- there's nothing to stress about. 
Throughout the course of our day, there were cuddles, loud moments, mischievous moments,  a little chaos, with some quiet and introspective moments sprinkled in. All of it is beautiful- the range of human emotions is an incredible thing to witness. 

Are you interested in scheduling your own in home session with me? Do you have questions before you book? Reach out to me via the Contact tab above or simply just click here and I will be happy to talk with you more about my process and booking your family storytelling session. 
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