Working with Eileen

It is my goal to not only capture beautiful, honest moments in the life of your family but to insure that you have custom, professionally printed art to enjoy today and to one day pass down to your children.

While there is value in owning digital files I never want a family to leave me with only files on a hard drive. It is so important for your children to see themselves in pictures. Not just on your phone or on a tablet but on display. Seeing themselves in photographs on the wall or sitting with you and flipping through an album of memories sends them the important message that they belong, that they are precious, they are loved.

PRE-SESSION CONSULTATION

Once you decide to book a session we will set up a time to meet first for a consultation. Ideally this will happen in your home but can be over the phone if we have difficulty setting up a time to meet in-person. We will talk about what you most hope to capture during your session. I will have sent along a questionnaire ahead of time to get you thinking about this stage in your family’s life and what specific things you would most like to remember about your child right now. Does your son insist on wearing his rain boots everyday, even when the sun is shining? Photo-op! Does your daughter carry her favorite stuffed animal to the breakfast table every morning? Let’s document that. All of these little moments will end up being the things you will love looking back on in 5, 10, 20 years. These moments often slip away unnoticed. And while every new milestone brings its own kind of fun, there is usually some measure of sadness seeing these stages disappear.

At the consultation we also talk about how you imagine your photographs in their final form. Do you have a large wall you would like to fill with framed images or a canvas display? Do you prefer a custom album that “tells the story” of your lives at this time? These are good to think about ahead of time, as they inform what we plan for the session itself–the time of day, the location and activities.

When I meet you in your home, I can survey your space and look at the walls you are considering for display. I can even take a few quick pictures of these spaces to use later while drafting display ideas for you to consider. (Technology is amazing!) I also get to learn some more about your family, meet your children and brainstorm with you about fun ideas for your session. We can talk about clothing choices, what colors and looks will complement your living space if you plan to display your images, what special objects you will want to include, etc.

I will bring along product samples so that you can see and touch these gorgeous art pieces and think about what options make the most sense for your home. We discuss pricing in more detail and I answer any questions you have as we “make a plan” for your final images.

THE SESSION

Take a deep breath and get ready to have fun!

Your session can take place at home, at a park or both. We can even consider a “family field trip” or an activity  that you enjoy that makes a great photo-op. Think: a picnic, fishing, baking cupcakes or making s’mores! Kids painting, playing with trains or getting a hair cut! It’s all worth photographing.

When you opt for a lifestyle session there is less pressure for everyone to “be perfect” or sit still and smile-for-the-camera. (We never say cheese!) Having more time to spend and a looser approach means we can have more fun and capture real smiles and real connection.

Plan on your family session being between 1-2 hours. (Most are closer to 2 hours.) Newborn sessions usually run a bit longer since we take breaks as needed for feeding and changing little ones.We will discuss your children’s schedules when deciding on a time. While the light outside is a big consideration, we want to be sure we aren’t scheduling at at time of day when your littles are likely to have a meltdown!

AFTER THE SESSION

I get started right away on hand-editing the best photos from the day and I get very anxious to share your final images!  You can expect approximately 30 to 40 final images to choose from. I make decisions while editing on whether an image is best represented as color or black and white. Some simply call for color, when it’s an important part of the image’s story–like in the beach photo above. But often I find an image has more impact when presented in black and white. You can expect a mix of both in your final gallery.

Typically within 2 weeks of your session date we will meet in person once again for your Session Reveal. This is my favorite part! I will present your final, edited gallery as a slideshow set to music and after we ooh and aah, and maybe even shed a tear or two (!) we will work together to select your favorite images for your personal art. I will share options for custom framing, wall displays and album designs. My goal is to help you get amazing custom art that your family will treasure for the rest of your lives.

If you can’t wait to have your own lifestyle session with me, please contact me today. Let’s see if we can get together to document your family’s moments!