Things You Always Wanted to Know About In-Home Sessions | Chesapeake Photographer

Honestly, I get it. Scheduling an in-home session can be a bit intimidating.  I'm a wife and a mother. It may shock you to know- my house isn't always perfect. It's not really ever "photo ready". But you know what the crazy thing is? It doesn't matter. Time waits for no one. Every day that passes is one we don't get back. Our lives change every day. Our children grow just a little bit older.  And the truth of it is, this home is where we make our memories. It's where we grow and love and live together. 
And it's not perfect. 
But neither are we. 
So, that makes it kind of perfect, right?

So, here are some answers to questions you may have asked yourself about what it's like to have an in-home session.
What if my home isn't pretty?
I can understand the hesitation, but this is where you live your life. These walls are what hold your memories. It's your home. And you know what they say, right? There's no place like home. And that is true whether it is your first home, a rental, an RV, or your dream home. It's not what it looks like, it's what it feels like. And that's what I'm there to capture. One day you'll look back on it with nostalgia, trust me. 

I'm going to have to spend weeks cleaning. And then the kids are just going to dirty it up again.
Well, that's the cycle of life, isn't it? Ha! I assure you it's nothing I haven't seen before. I'm of the philosophy that if you spend all day cleaning, then you aren't having any fun! I'm not worried about stepping over toys on the floor and in all actuality, one of my favorite things to photograph is how kids leave the spaces they occupied. I call it Found Still Life, I don't know if it has a technical name or not, but I love photographing it. I think it gives incredible insight to the person who was there. It's all part of the story. 
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Isn't it going to be awkward? Standing around pretending the camera isn't there?
I mean, yes, if I took a fly on the wall approach and didn't interact with you at all. Yeah, that'd be totally awkward. 
Luckily, I don't take that approach though. The first several minutes I'm there, I am learning about you, your family, your home, petting the dog, and letting the kids warm up to me- gaining their trust. I approach every scene and every family as if we've been friends for years. I'm talking and interacting with you the entire time. 100% of clients have said it was the most stress-free photography experience they'd ever had- even the toughest of critics! Society and the social media culture has kind of gotten us to think about family photos in only a certain way, but I'm offering you an alternative. A relaxed, no pressure approach that gives you the opportunity to have pictures of what life really looked like for you. 
**side note, I do reserve the last 10 minutes of the session for a loosely posed family portrait. **

What do we even do at our in-home session?
Never fear, friends. I've got that under control too. When you first inquire about a session with me, I send you my Client Welcome Guide. It gives a lot of information about me, about the sessions I offer, pricing, and FAQs. Once you officially book and have signed your contract and paid your retainer fee, you'll get a Session Information and Inspiration Guide to help you thinking about what story you'd like to tell and what memories you'd like to document. What it really boils down to is this: what's important to you? Why do you want these photos?

Are you ready to start telling your story and documenting your memories? I'd love to talk to you and see how I can help you achieve that goal. I want to be a part of this unfolding story. 
Click here to send me a quick message or use the Contact tab above. 
Also, here's a link to one of my favorite in-home sessions to help get your brain and heart on the same page. 
Fam Jam Session in Norfolk, Virginia