one of the ways i am most excited to celebrate this milestone month in my business is by sharing fifteen of the most valuable lessons i’ve learned in my fifteen years as a photographer. fifteen tidbits of magic, if you will.

today’s piece of advice applies both to photo sessions and to every single other time you ever leave your house:

pack snacks.

nothing brings a fun time to a grinding halt quite like a hangry human.

so whether it’s a special treat, a healthy snack, or even just a drink of water on a hot day, i’ll always recommend building a snack break into our time together.

in the words of winnie the pooh, “what could be more important than a little something to eat?”

bonus: the photos are always some of my favourites.

one of the ways i am most excited to celebrate this milestone month in my business is by sharing fifteen of the most valuable lessons i’ve learned in my fifteen years as a photographer. fifteen tidbits of magic, if you will.

one of biggest things i want you to remember going into our sessions is this:

connection over everything.

before your session we’ll discuss all of the ways to make the process as stress free and successful as possible — location, light, wardrobe, weather, activities, etc. — but when it really comes down to it, the single most important variable is your connection with your family.

as much as i love epic locations and pretty golden light, if i could control only one characteristic of the sessions i shoot, i’d choose authentic love and connection every single day of the week.

no matter where we are, regardless of what you’re wearing, and whether the weather cooperates or not, if the relationships shine, the photos will too.

so while, of course, we’ll still plan out locations and activities and all the ways to make your session go as smoothly as possible, if all of that goes sideways and your little one falls in a puddle, their kite gets stuck in a tree and the clouds roll in blocking the sun, as long as you keep loving on your family, we’ll make so much magic together.

simply show up, love on each other, and i’ll take care of the rest.

one of the ways i am most excited to celebrate this milestone month in my business is by sharing fifteen of the most valuable lessons i’ve learned in my fifteen years as a photographer. fifteen tidbits of magic, if you will.

i say this one a lot, but i believe so strongly in it that it needs its own permanent space here on this list here:

your family is amazing.

yes, yours.

it’s not because you’re perfect or your life is super easy or you have the coolest stuff. in fact, it’s often the things you might see as imperfections that make your family really interesting. it’s the way you can still find the good despite the challenges in your days. it’s the unique ways you choose to live your life and love one another that make your family so very magical.

and this is why i believe so strongly that your family photos should be more than just all of you standing there smiling at my camera.

why i work so hard to help you plan a session authentic to YOU and not just what might be trendy at any given moment.

i want your photos to not only show you how good you look in this moment but to also to tell the story of the way you love each other and live your lives too.

you’re family is amazing. i can’t wait to show you all the ways ✨

one of the ways i am most excited to celebrate this milestone month in my business is by sharing fifteen of the most valuable lessons i’ve learned in my fifteen years as a photographer. fifteen tidbits of magic, if you will.

this particular lesson is one i’ve learned both from planning photos for my own family, and from looking at sessions i’ve photographed that have gone especially well over the years. one of the things that the best sessions all have in common is that the families:

make it a date. (not a chore.)

photo sessions are most successful when seen as something your family GETS to do together. you get to celebrate how much you love each other. you get to plan a fun outing doing an activity you love. you get to take an evening to slow down and appreciate the life you have.

let’s look at family photos differently. they don’t have to just be an hour where your kids (and/or partner 🙈) are bribed to do what they’re told and then you go for a treat afterwards. they can be time spent together (no perfect behavior required!) creating magic and memories. if there’s going to be a reward, let’s build it into our time together — make being there something worth celebrating, rather than celebrating that it’s over. this simple reframe can make all the difference.

let me tell you, as your photographer, there is no better feeling than arriving to a session full of people who are genuinely happy to be there.

and in the photos we create together, it always shows ✨

one of the ways i am most excited to celebrate this milestone month in my business is by sharing fifteen of the most valuable lessons i’ve learned in my fifteen years as a photographer. fifteen tidbits of magic, if you will.

today’s magic tidbit is one i would shout from the rooftops if rooftop shouting was my thing… i guess in a way, posting it here is actually my version of that:

perfect behaviour is terrible overrated.

one of the most common worries clients have prior to their first session with me is how things will go if their kids aren’t on their best behaviour. i definitely understand the concern — family photos are an investment and you want to make sure they go perfectly — but i’m going to let you in on a little secret, the best sessions always include a little bit of chaos.

i honestly have such a soft spot for the little (and not so little) people that keep me on my toes. the feisty ones, the super shy ones, the ones who refuse to keep on their shoes.

i can’t tell you the number of times i’ve had an idea in mind for a photo and then someone goes and does something completely unexpected that makes the image a million times better than i’d envisioned.

kids are weird and unpredictable and chaotic and magical — and all of those things are worth celebrating and remembering ✨