While I love when families visit my studio for their family portrait session, I also love when they choose to have their portraits taken at home. When you are in your own space, you are most relaxed and comfortable, and I can capture those real candid moments that truly show your family’s personality.

If you’ve never had a session at home, you may wonder what to expect and how to keep things low-stress and fun. Here are three steps to a relaxed at-home family portrait session to help you prepare.

1) Don't stress about having a clean home.

I get it, mama. I have three small kiddos myself. So please don't stress about picking up your home on my account. More than likely, we'll only use a few spots in your home, anyway.

When I arrive, I'll look around and see where the light is best inside your home. From there, we can tidy up anything we need in those specific areas.

Hint: the master bed is a GREAT spot for fun family photos. To prepare, you could move items on the nightstands to another place in your room that will be out of the way of pictures.

2) Go with the flow.

I'll have a plan in place when I arrive at your home, but that will flex with how the little ones are doing. I purposely account for plenty of time during your session for snack breaks, outfit changes, and breathers. There is no rigid schedule or criteria we need to stick to. That only takes away from the fun. My main plan is to go with the flow, and I only expect the same from you.

3) When in doubt, give a hug.

If you're feeling anxious about posing for photos, hug your partner. If your hands feel awkward, pick up your kiddos and hug them. If you need to take a break from having your photo taken, you can even come over to me and hug me! Hugs are a great way to help you feel calm, safe, and relaxed.

Book an in-home family portrait session with me for a relaxed and fun experience capturing precious memories with your loved ones.