FAQs
FAQ
What is the best age to Do family photos?
Now. Families come back to me year after year because they know how important it is to document the growth of their kids before the time flies by. Each age is perfect for different reasons.
How long is each session?
The average session lasts about an hour, however they range from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours based on your family’s needs. If you have a toddler who is absolutely over it, we can get all the shots we need to tell your family’s story in 45 minutes. If your kiddos need to take snack breaks here and there, we can run a bit longer than an hour to accommodate the breathing room.
What is the best time of year to do family photos?
Each season has a different look and feel, so I always recommend picking your personal favorite time of year and booking it. Having your family photos on the calendar in your favorite month gives busy parents one less thing to worry about.
How do you handle toddlers and kids who don’t want to cooperate?
If parents are okay with it, I offer kids treats at the end of our session. If not, that’s totally fine because I have several tricks and verbal queues to make sessions with young kids easier and a lot of fun (for the kids and for you parents). I also never force a child to be super happy and smily if they don’t feel that way. If I’m really not able to get them to laugh or smile naturally, then I document their serious expressions. I find that many parents end up loving those serious faces or even the pouty looks, because those are faces they have seen a thousand times and don’t want to forget.
I will definitely take photos of your kids on their own, looking adorable and full of their own unique personality. But here’s the thing, you are a huge part of your family. You are extremely important to your kids. They love you. They want to see you. They want to look back and cherish photos with their mom and dad from when they were little. So I’m putting my foot down and saying that you have to be in these photos too!
Can we do photos of the kids only (and no adults)?
This is a personal preference! Olympia has so many incredible natural landscapes, between parks, forests, mountains, and water views. On the other hand, young children are typically most comfortable at home, where they can easily stop for snacks, play with their toys, read their books, play in the yard, and do activities that make them forget I’m even there.
Is it better to go outside or stay at home for our session?
In every session, I get a variety of final photos. I always do the portrait of the whole family together looking at the camera (you know, the one for Grandma!). After that it’s a mix of candid and documentary style photos as well as smaller groupings and individual portraits. I offer simple posing suggestions, but nothing to make you feel awkward or stiff.
Is it all lifestyle or do you get portraits of people looking at the camera too?
Here in Olympia it rains a lot! Most of us are used to it and light rain won’t stop us from having an awesome outdoor session. If your session is at home, you’re pretty much good to go. If your session is scheduled to be outdoors and it’s raining HEAVILY, then we can talk about rescheduling for a different date.