It can be daunting to consider an In Home Family Photography session where I am welcomed into your home, your family’s space, your soft place to land and take photos. I get it. Booking your family in for a holiday mini-session or yearly hour-long beach shoot can feel easier because even though you still have to get your family on board (and to the session without spilling on their outfits) it’s just an hour and the photographer is going to direct you once you get there. I understand.
This year though, why not try something new. Why not let go of that perfection and opt for something a little different. Here are four reasons you should consider an in home session this year.
Photos at Home are LESS stressful
Kids love being in their own home surrounded by the comfort of the things they hold dear. They do not like being dressed in uncomfortable clothing and feeling the pressure to smile in a new environment for an hour. Dad’s are the same. Without the pressure of trying to catch that perfect family photo in a limited time window a family can relax and we are more likely to catch beautiful moments of connection.
Also, clean clothes are 30 seconds away, snacks are abundant, the bathroom is right down the hall and wrestling on the couch is 100% acceptable.
We Document Your Family’s Everyday Environment
Do you ever look at photo albums from when you were a child and notice all the beautiful details of your life then? The artwork on the fridge, the colour of the walls, the toys you played with. It makes me sad to think that with our overly curated digital photo feeds (that are also not being printed nearly enough), we are missing out on documenting the details of our lives.
When I photograph families in their homes I want to include photos of the children in their rooms, the things on the kitchen table, the board games on the shelves. The ‘things’ we surround ourselves with are proof of our lives happening right now and these small details that make up our lives matter.
In-home also includes playing in your backyard
Kids create elaborate games that run on for weeks in their backyards. We push our babies in swings there, hoping they will fall asleep. We light fires, roast smores, pitch tents and stargaze. We take off our kid's training wheels and watch them fly down sidewalks while gritting our teeth in nervousness. We want to capture it all.
Outside is a great place to capture photos of your family and kids at all stages of their childhoods. They can be as loud as they want, as wild as they need to be, they can be kids.
In Home Family Photography Sessions Capture Important Memories
I usually ask a family to think about two or three activities they might like to do when I come to their home for family photos. My goal is to have you reflect on the routines of your family in this season of your lives.
Do your kids love pancake breakfast on the weekends?
Do you play the same board game every day or read the same five picture books over and over and over?
Do you and your spouse relax and drink coffee while the kids play on the swingset in the backyard?
Time is fleeting. These moments in your family matter. The relationships between family members while connecting through your own special activities is what I am trying to capture. I want to help you, your future self and your children remember that your ordinary, everyday life was beautiful.
During In Home Sessions 20 minutes is allocated for more formal family photos. I never promise a picture perfect everybody-looking-at-the-camera-and-smiling-photo but often it happens organically, and my goal is always to capture the heart of your family first and foremost. The rest of the session is spent doing things as a family with some small direction from me.
If you live in Kincardine, Port Elgin or within the Grey-Bruce area and are ready to book an in-home family photography session head over to my contact form and send me a message. I can’t wait to get to know what this season of life looks like for your family.
For pricing information and to see more examples of my family work you can head over to my family portfolio.