I am a natural light photographer. That means, that I don’t use fancy flashes and extra gear that weighs me down. The lighting skills for your portraits come from subject placement, time of day lighting and camera settings. I really like to keep things natural, from the lighting to the poses to the editing.

I am a lifestyle photographer. What on Earth is that? Well, if I could put it into my own words, I would describe lifestyle photography as “in the moment” and beyond that, “the right moment captured.” Anyone can snap random photos but finding the perfect timing to capture a laugh and a dynamic personal moment between family members, has become something clients admire and really appreciate about my work. Some would argue that’s what sets my work apart from the others. Check out my reviews page!

Early bird gets the worm! Let’s face it, I can make your session work anywhere or anytime as long as there is ample shade if you seriously want a noon session. However, the BEST and most gorgeous light comes in at the crack of dawn. I have yet to have a client book actual “sunrise,” but the general morning times work best. Anywhere around 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. depending on the season and location. The evenings work great as well. I typically recommend the morning sessions for families with younger children because they tend to do well with the morning hours. The evening sessions are great for couples or families with older children. Just depends on what time you think your children will do best with. 

Why is the session investment price, the price it is? Taking your portraits goes beyond the gas money to get to you and the 30-60 minutes we hang out and snap pictures. It begins there but doesn’t end until I put in several hours of work on your photos, editing. I upload, sort, select, and edit your best photos to have natural skin tones and even go as far as removing sticks on the ground, fuzz off your shirts, drool off the babies, and more! Sometimes even have to edit the phones out of your pockets or hair ties off your wrists, bra strap lines, wrist watch tan lines, you name it (note: remove those before the session, I'll try and help you remember!) Your session price also includes my travel time, gear and equipment wear and tear, computer equipment, Photoshop monthly costs, memory cards and even keeping your galleries online for up to one year for easy access to save, print and share. You also get ALL of the photos in your gallery to keep, with no extra costs after the session. Some photographers have it set up where you have to purchase your images after viewing and selecting your favs, even after your session price. I would rather you have all of your pictures at no additional cost. People call me crazy for giving so many images in your gallery too, but just know that you’ll more than likely receive more than double of the photos I promise in the booking forms. I can’t throw away perfectly great photos of your family. It’s just not right! Keep them all!

How long does it take to edit photos and what does editing mean? To start, I come home and immediately back up your precious portraits. Once safe and sound, I go through them one by one, which takes about 20-30 minutes to sort and favorite the best ones. I flip through them and select the ones that “sing to me” as I like to say. Then with all of my favorites selected, I use Photoshop to start the editing process. I use my artistic vision for what I feel your portrait needs to look its best. I focus on clear, realistic skin tones first. If you pay close attention to other photographers, I have seen them using a cool and trendy filter over their images. Let's be honest- it's really cool and I wish I could do that, but I prefer to deliver photos that aren't trends and will be timeless! This is the goal, timeless edits that will accurately portray your skin and clothing tones. REAL. Editing really isn’t just slapping a filter onto the whole gallery. It is so much more than that! After I figure out the toning and color scheme for your gallery, I go through each photo, zoomed in further than you’d like to know probably. Yep, I can see your pores and fuzzies on your pants. Totally normal things. I go as far as editing out your kiddos snack leftovers out of there smiles, I remove branches behind your heads or on the ground that seem to distract and pull attention away from your faces. I have even had to "swap faces"…which means taking two images and combining otherwise perfect images. Maybe one image has a perfect smile from one child, but the other sibling in the photo isn’t looking or blinking or making a silly face. This allows me to create the perfect family photo, in an otherwise perfect family photo. Now everyone is smiling and looking at the camera! 

What if my child is acting a little nutty and not cooperating during our session? First if this happens please remember: I never have had a session completely bomb. I always get the shot. Always. Let me tell you, there have been sessions where a two year old is not having it, completely thrashing and throwing their heads back. Or it’s way too cold to deal with getting their pictures taken, but mom wanted a snowy session. I’ve seen a lot actually. Kids have cried nearly the entire time or maybe were so shy they don’t seem to connect. This leads to parents becoming frustrated or embarrassed. You might feel nervous to see the pictures and feel defeated. A lot of my feedback from parents with kids who weren’t having a good picture day, have admitted to me that they are so worried it was all a waste. But after gallery delivery day? It’s nothing but, “oh my gosh I don’t know how you got these pictures, was I even there for this?” I really want you to relax and know that it is more than OK if your child is not acting how you wished they would. The pressure you feel to get the perfect photo is the responsibility that I carry and I am really, really great at managing those moods. Afterall, I have been a nanny for over 11 years now and work naturally with kids. There is no rush for our pictures, I’ll spend the extra time to get what we need for your portraits. If we see a non-cooperating child.. just relax and try not to become frustrated. I will handle it and I am really great at diverting the tears and creating a fun space for your child to relax and get to a happy place, ready to take pictures.  

What should I expect when I arrive for my session? I want you to feel like you’re hanging out with your friend, who happens to have a camera. There is no need to be nervous at all. Easier said than done, I know. I was in front of the camera for a change doing a photo session with my pup last year. I was a hot mess and didn’t know where to look, what to do with my hands or how to look my best. It. Was. Awkward. So, in the past few years of photographing families, I have developed some tricks and things that I say or have you do to ease you out of the awkwardness and relax! If you just have fun with me in taking your portraits, you’ll see that fun in the end results. Just come to the park with me, hang out and go for a mini hike and adventure. Oh, and smile.