Raleigh Family Photographer

When should you have professional pictures taken?

Photography is one of those things that many think is a hassle, a stressor, and an unnecessary expense. But is it? Does it have to be a major to-do that only happens every few years when you can muster up the energy to get everyone new outfits and schedule the time in between soccer games and dance class?

I would argue it’s not a huge deal, and there are so many reasons why you should and could do a session. Also, as with anything, the more you do it, the better you get at it and the less pressure it can be. You learn what looks good on you in photographs, what colors look good together, and what accessories would up your look. (And if you don’t I can certainly help with this). All I’m saying is it gets easier and feels like less of a big deal when you do it more frequently. Below are some ideas of why you should do a photo session this year.

  1. A new family pet- You just brought home the most adorable new puppy or kitten and want to include them in a special session to capture all those sweet snuggles

  2. Getting ready to bring home a new baby- You want to document the time before a new baby comes, and when they arrive too! I do newborn sessions! Learn more here.

  3. Moving into a new home- You are excited for your new time at your new home and want to document some pictures on your new front steps and in the yard too (no pressure to unpack!)

  4. Moving to a new town- You just arrived in a new town, and it’s exciting. It would be nice to have a session right before you leave the place you called home for so long. Also a session in front of the skyline of your new town would be fun and exciting too!

  5. You child is growing and changing fast- Babies grow so fast in the first year, doing small milestone sessions throughout the year is the perfect way to document this exciting year.

6. You want to photograph your family at your happy place (vacation home/spot, or special park)- Photo sessions at the beach are some of my favorite images of my kids. Maybe the lake is your favorite place or you might have a favorite hiking spot. A photo session dedicated to documenting your family in your happy place is so special.

7. A missing tooth- Ok, it is such a cute time when those front teeth go, and it’s a quick turn around before the new ones come in. Why not schedule a session to get photos done during this extra cute phase.

8. Your yearly session- If you do a session every year you are doing a great job!

9. It’s a new season- If you are prone to do a session every year at the same time you will always be doing sessions in the same season. Next time why not try a different time of year to switch things up? The beginning of spring is always a fun time if you want a backdrop of pastels.

Bottom line: photos are not a luxury. When you think about the years you will love looking back on the professional pictures that had everyone in your family in them (including you) they will be well worth the cost. In the future- 10, 20, 30 years from now do you think you will regret spending the money on pictures? I don’t think you will. You will be thankful to have them. So book the session, don’t put it off. Those kiddos of yours will not be little forever.

Would you like to chat about setting up your perfect session? I would love to talk to you. Send me a message here to begin the process. Do you want to read more about the process to book? Go here.

Introducing Mini Motherhood Portraits

Lately there’s been a lot of dialog online and in real life about how hard motherhood is. I think when it was really eye-opening to some when they were stuck at home and saw how much has to happen to keep the house running. Motherhood is hard. It’s tiring. It’s stressful. It’s beautiful and amazing all at once.

Moms do a lot. We tend to be the main caretaker. Even if we have a helpful partner (as I do!) we still have a lot of mental load that they don’t realize or know how to help with.

Planning meals, packing lunches, scheduling activities, planning vacations, decluttering, organizing, buying new shoes and clothes, heck even knowing our kids sizes, their preferences for snacks, etc, and scheduling Dr. appointments… I could go on and on. A lot of times these tasks fall to us! It’s A LOT to keep straight. We need some appreciation, and one day is not enough! Beautiful portraits to honor the Queen that you are is a start.

Enter a beautiful way to commemorate your motherhood story. Mini Motherhood Portraits!

This May treat yourself to beautiful portraits of you and your littles. These will be done in a light, timeless, and classic style. No props or distracting displays or themes. Just you with your baby to capture the beauty of motherhood. 

These images will stand the test of time and be beautiful and classic for decades to come. As someone who lost their mom when I was young, 21, I know how important it is to get pictures with your children as a mom. One day it will be all they have left. 

How are these different from other sessions?

Inside vs Outside. Let’s start with the obvious. They are inside, so there will not a distracting background of trees and other things that you find at parks and not even the distraction of lots of other things in the room. The focus is solely on you and your connection with your child. You will be the star of the photograph.

This is a new take on an old retro studio session. This is not overly posed like the portraits we did in the 80s/90s with our parents, these will still have that lifestyle feel, which is more true to life and shows the loving way you interact with your child when the camera is not around.

Let’s be honest, selfies don’t cut it when you’re printing and framing images. You and your children deserve professional images once in a while. What better way to do it than an easy, breezy 15 min session inside in the comfort of a/c.

This May book treat yourself to a Mini Motherhood Portrait Session

When: May 22- Starting at 9:30 am

Where: Private Residence in Knightdale

Details: 15 minutes- 10 images included $225

Ready to book? Book your session here

Interested in an in-home newborn or family session? I have those too! Send me a note here to get in touch!