A Guide to In-home Sessions

Hello! I am a family photographer in Ellensburg, WA and I hope this guide to in-home sessions convinces you to try this session out. Really, this is one of my favorite ways to photograph families and NEWBORNS. You are in your own space. You get photos to document your space and how you spend time there. Homes change, people move and people grow up. Maybe you don't want to do an in-home session every year, but you should definitely try it at least once.

I've got some great ideas for an in-home photography session.

What is it you love to do? Let's come up with 1-3 things your family loves to do. (I've made a list of ideas below.) Then think about the rooms in your home that get the best natural lighting. Think window light. (Don't forget, Newborn Photography Sessions are a great session to do in your home.)

Ideas for an in-home lifestyle session:

make pancakes in the morning

dance party

eating your favorite treat in bed or special place in your home

snuggle in bed while reading books

reading books on the couch

make cookies, (bake anything really)

build a tall brick tower

do the dishes with lots of bubbles

bathe baby in the sink

playing with toys on the floor

playing favorite board/card game

hot cocoa bar in your favorite pajamas

jumping on the bed

playing peek-a-boo with the sheets

create a simple art project

have a tea party

snuggle time with your furry friends (cats, dogs, hamster)

At your in-home session you should wear clothes that go with your activity.

For starters, photos in your home should reflect who your are as a family. That being said, I think it is best if you dress "you." Now what does that mean? Well, I think it can mean a lot of different things. I think you can take this as being as casual as you want, but I also think dressing up is great too. An in-home session really has some great flexibility to it. You still want to definitely stay away from all things neon, but if everyone wants to wear sweats or pajamas, do it! I think you should think about the activities you want to incorporate in your session, then plan your outfits accordingly. Let's say you want to have a cocoa bar or make pancakes, then maybe it would be fun to wear pajamas. If you choose casual clothes they should still look nice and not be stained or have holes, just say'n. I also think it is great if you want to wear dresses and simply dress up a bit. Either way, wear the amount of makeup you would normally wear or a little more, do your hair normally, or something a little nicer and own it!

Check out more ideas on what to wear at your photography session.

I want you to act like "you."

Natural. You should act like yourselves. My whole approach to photography is to provide meaningful and authentic photos. When you are being "you" this allows me to create and deliver the simple and meaningful photos you are looking for. Having a plan with a few simple activities for your family to do during your session is really going to bring out the natural you in your session. The session will go by quickly and feel easy.

Your home doesn't need to be perfect, in fact, I don't expect that.

Very good question, but guess what? I am not expecting your home to be perfect. I don't even know what that means completely. I think a home is more about the space that works for you. It is also a space where you and your family feel comfortable. There is a reason people use the phrase, "feel at home." When we plan your in-home photography session, we will discuss the room(s) that have the best natural light (like I mentioned before). We will also talk about the activities you would like to do and decide which rooms will work best for those. Once we decide on the best room(s), considering light and activity(ies), your job will be to tidy it up a bit, but not so much that it isn't your home. Oh, and closets are great spaces for a quick clean up! Just being honest here and maybe speaking from experience.