Hey y’all! So when I first moved to California, I knew I was going to do senior sessions but for families I was unsure. Lifestyle family sessions have become such a staple for yearly photos and Christmas cards, that most people don’t understand what a documentary family session is or what it looks like. I get it, it’s an aesthetic you see alllllllll over Instagram. Mom wearing a long flowy dress and wide brim hat, dad looking mildly pleased and kids dressed in clothes they wouldn’t normally wear (and probably won’t ever again with how fast they grow). I get it, I did those sessions for the last two years, the aesthetic of lifestyle family sessions are popular. But… (and behind the scenes us photographers whisper this to each other) MOMS YOU ARE TOO STRESSY! Yeah, I said it. You spend a lot time shopping for the perfect coordinating outfits, finding that photographer with the perfect editing style, then convincing hubby pretty please and then… you get to the session… and the kids… well… they hold it together for a minute and then boom they start acting like themselves, and you get stressy!

Now, scroll up again and look at that mom, does she looked stressy? Scroll down too…

Nope, she sure doesn’t. And that’s the beauty (at least one) of documentary style family sessions.

So what’s a documentary family session? Well, simply put, you plan a family activity that you all enjoy doing together and I show up with my camera and we capture memories. I catch your family really connecting with each other, the laughs, the smiles, the tantrums, your kids being kids, you drinking coffee in the morning… I catch your family being a family. And while lifestyle family photography makes you beautiful in a long flowy dress, I’ll be documenting that scrunchie super cute little face they make. And let’s be honest, isn’t that the memory you never want to forget.

Rules, tips and tricks for planning the perfect documentary session…

• Wear normal clothes. Let the kids pick their own clothes if that’s what they normally do. Wear clothes you would wear if you were playing outside or making a target run. Be cute, be comfortable, be you!
• Plan activities that are fun and engaging. Even if you are planning an activity that you don’t normal do, like throwing water balloons at dad (my kids personal favorite) or decorating holiday cookies, make sure it’s something the whole family will enjoy.
• Bribery and snacks… yep, I’m sure I don’t have to explain. Notice the lollipops above.
• Lastly and most importantly, don’t stress. Your kids will behave and then they won’t. They might mess up and get in trouble. They might cry. They may get rowdy. Don’t stress. Don’t be embarrassed. Do the parent thing and get them back on track. It’s totally okay! I’ve got two boys, none of it is a surprise. My kids act the same way. They are little angels and then not so much. I am okay, you are okay and they are okay. They are little humans in training and I get it.

So step one find me and say hey, I’m interesting in a family session. Step two discuss activity ideas. Step three pick a day. Step four get dress and brew a cup of coffee. Step five get ready for the best and least stressful family session ever!

Can’t wait to meet you! And drop any questions you have below, I’d love to answer them!