The Experience
But, but, but...
I know what you’re going to say…
My house is a disaster zone.
My kids are feral.
My schedule is insane.
We should hold off until…
we settle into our home,
move into a new home,
we get our bodies back into shape,
The list goes on and on. I’m right there with you, trust me. But waiting for this imagined moment of “when we finally get our sh*t together” is never gonna happen. But that’s the beauty of your family! That’s the magic in the mundane.
“Laura made us feel very comfortable in our own home & produced such beautiful photos that we'll cherish. Her laid back style of photography was great to work with. Thank you!”
Rachel
How do you capture the really real story?
When I come into your home, it will feel like an old family friend is just coming over for a visit. I won’t be blasting an airhorn and pulling out props from a gag bag. I’m entering your space, your little world, and meeting you on your level.
I’m observing, listening, witnessing. I’ve got allll the empathy for all your family members and match their energy, so I can capture them. I can feel the vibe for when your little ones want to interact or when I should just stand back. My ultimate goal is to feel like a seamless fit with your family so you can be your honest, authentic selves.
Does it sound too simple? Sorry (not sorry) I guess I just believe that the best family photos are the ones that tell your true story.
“It was an absolute pleasure to work with Laura. She made everyone feel at ease and was so patient when my six year-old was being silly because he felt a little nervous. We are a newly blended family, so marking this special time was very important to us. She is talented with use of finding light, both in our home and outside on a gray Seattle day.”
Melanie
So how does this work?
01. Tell me more...
Great! Contact me to ask any questions you have about booking a session. I usually do this over email, but I’m happy to chat with you on the phone, Zoom, or meet up at a coffee shop to get to know each other.
02. before Your session
Let’s get you on the calendar! I’ll send a contract, model release, and questionnaire. You’ll also receive an invoice which includes a deposit to reserve your date. Once everything is complete you are booked!
03. During Your Session
You pretty much go about your day as usual! I’m like a family friend who is hanging out with you for the day and just happens to be taking photos. I very much go with your flow. Sometimes we’ll chat, sometimes I’ll be a fly on the wall. If you’ve booked me to take newborn photos, there will be some more posing, mostly consisting of your baby showing off their cuteness. For other sessions we might spend a couple minutes doing some posed family photos, but that’s it.
04. What should we do?
Depending on the length of your session, there might be some downtime, which is totally normal. I’d recommend just having some sort of schedule in mind, and making sure you do some things together as a family, even if it’s really laid back. Think: baking, reading, gardening, snuggling, even wrestling, whatever gets you interacting.
Your family is perfect and your home is perfect AS IS! It’s okay that the house is a mess and that the kids misbehave or take longer to warm up. There’s no judgment. And that’s the beauty of documentary photography. This is who you are.