I love photographing newborns. There is something so sweet and precious about documenting a family as they welcome a new baby into their home. It is such an important phase and it truly is one that is gone in the blink of an eye. However, I know that for some new parents scheduling a session right after the baby is born is not feasible. Parents may be nervous and anxious, moms may not feel their best, or toddler siblings may be adjusting to life with a new brother or sister. For this reason, I have quite a few clients who choose to schedule a family session around the 3-6 month old milestone.

I first photographed this family when my client’s oldest daughter was around two years old. Since then I had the pleasure of photographing her second daughter and now third girl. Although we have done a few sessions in the past, this was the first full family session my client booked.

With three children under four, it can seem like a challenge to have those family photos taken, but it doesn’t have to be difficult and can be quite fun. I try my best to follow the lead of the children so that I can capture those images you are hoping for. If you are looking for a gallery filled with children sitting sweetly in each and every image, I am not the photographer for you. However, if you connect to images that show your unique dynamic, we are a perfect fit.

It is hard to believe that Summer is winding down. It certainly doesn’t feel like it. The weather has been super hot, which is exactly how I like it and sunsets have been pretty darn awesome.

This recent session took place on a VERY hot and humid August evening. The weather report was all over the place and changed hourly. Although I try my best and despite my best efforts of following weather reports and watching the radar, I can’t always predict what Mother Nature will do. Thankfully, this family is super chill, went with the flow and braved the threat of thunderstorms. This evening was probably the prettiest sunset I have seen in a while.

Although we have plenty of photos taken of our own children and family, most people do not have updated family photos that includes their extended family members. In fact, most of us only have the rigid posed photos that were taken at the last family wedding. As your dynamic changes, it is important to get photos taken that show the unique bond that exists within your extended family.

Let’s face it. Life with kids is chaotic. Between our jobs, caring for the kids, shuttling them to activities and trying to maintain the household, it can often be hard to find the time to do the things we want to do. One of the greatest things about the Summer months is that we tend to have more time. The kids after school activities are done, we schedule vacation time and we tend to unwind and relax more, which makes it the perfect time to schedule a family photo session.

One of the greatest aspects of my job is having the opportunity to watch my clients’ families grow. I first photographed this family four years ago when their first daughter was born. Since that time, I have seen them for milestones, holiday photos, and their second child’s newborn session. I was so excited to work with them again for their daughter’s first birthday session on the beach. They usually do studio sessions, so the fact that we were doing an outdoor family session on the beach was exciting.

Well folks, Summer is officially here and I am ready for it. I photographed this amazing family last year at the beach on one of the hottest evenings of Summer. I was thrilled to photograph them again this year for a sunset family session that took place on the Summer Solstice. The weather was not quite as balmy for this session, but we still had a gorgeous weather that was perfect for family photos on the beach.

Large group family photo sessions are a lot of fun to capture, but they do require some strategic planning and coordinating, especially if there are young cousins involved. To capture the images one is hoping for, I send out a questionnaire prior to your session, which will help me learn who I am photographing and the age of the children. It will also help me learn your goals for the sessions, groupings and types of images you are looking for and other pertinent details. This will help me to plan my time with you properly and time is of the essence with a beach sunset photo session.

Although most people schedule a baby’s first photo session shortly after birth, this is not the only time one can schedule a newborn photo session. You can schedule a photo session of your new baby whenever you feel most comfortable doing so. If you are open to a more relaxed approach to newborn photos, you can schedule a session at any point within those first six months.

My recent client contacted me because she was expecting her second baby boy in just six weeks and she wanted to schedule a family maternity session on the beach. She said that she wanted photos that documented her last moments as a family of three. I know how hard it is to schedule a photo shoot with toddlers, but I think it is such a great idea to document this special time.

Although I love a good golden hour session, this time of day is very late in the Summer months. Sunset isn’t until 8ish this time of year, so 7pm can be a challenging time for some babies. For those families, we can schedule early morning sessions at one of my park locations. You can still get fantastic and meaningful photos in the morning. So, for those of you who feel your little ones will not be in an agreeable mood at sunset, the morning session is for you.

Spring is in full swing and we are already midway through May. One of the best things about Spring is that cherry blossoms are in bloom. These beautiful trees are only in bloom for a short time, so planning a family session at a location replete with blooms involves some planning ad flexibility. This year the cherry blossoms seemed to bloom later than usual and then once they did bloom, we had consecutive days of wind and rain, which can damage the blooms. Fortunately, I found a location that worked well for this recent family session.

It feels as though I have gone somewhat into hibernation since the holidays. After the holiday rush, I took a few weeks off to recharge my batteries, which included taking a much needed break from social media and the Internet in general. I have been using that time to delve deep into a few professional development courses and I have also been shooting some fun maternity and extended family sessions over the last few weeks. I will be sharing those images once I get the OK from my clients.

December is here and the holidays are right around the corner. My Fall calendar was jam packed this year with holiday sessions, newborns and family sessions. I feel like I blinked my eyes and the calendar jumped from September to December. It was so great to meet new clients and work with former clients again. I love everything about Fall sessions. The light is so gorgeous in November, the foliage is at its peak and the rich colors for wardrobe make images from this time of year really pop.

I can hardly believe that it is October and we are officially in the Fall season. The weather has started to cool down, school is in full swing, and I have already had my first pumpkin latte. I just love everything about the Fall. The weather is spectacular, the foliage is beautiful and I love Halloween and Thanksgiving.

I can’t believe that it is now the end of September and my 2021 season of sunset beach session, is coming to an end. I had a blast with all of the beautiful families with whom I worked this season. September is a great month to schedule a family session. The beach crowds are gone, the humidity tends to break, the weather is milder and, best of all, the sunsets are the best of the season this month. Many of my clients knew all of this and opted for a session over the last few weeks and each and every session has been spectacular.

September is my absolute favorite month of the year. Not only is it my birthday month, but it also happens to have the best weather of the year. I love that the humidity drops, yet it is still pleasantly warm. It also happens to be the kick off to my Fall family photo sessions, which after months of shooting sunset beach sessions in a great change of pace for me. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love beach sessions, but I also love to photograph families in parks, foliage and any other location that is scenic and social to them.

Oh, how I wish more women would schedule maternity photo sessions for themselves during their pregnancy. There is nothing that can surpass the beauty of an expecting mother; as cliche as it might sound, the natural glow of a pregnant women is simply unsurpassed. Sadly, so many women do not see themselves as beautiful during this momentous time in life. Many women tell me that they just don't feel their best during their pregnancy and, consequently, shy away from the camera during those nine months. I completely understand and I too felt this way about myself during both of my pregnancies. Although I did not shy away from the camera and took my monthly photos of my bump, I never scheduled a photo session with a photographer and I still regret it to this day.

A first birthday is the perfect opportunity to update your family photos. Instead of scheduling a first birthday session in the studio, you can schedule an outdoor photo session and include the whole family. Whenever weather permits, I encourage families to go this route. I always leave a little time at the end of the session for either a cake smash or first birthday themed portraits. This recent family took my advice and scheduled their son’s first birthday session on the beach at sunset. They wanted a few photos of a cake smash and the rest of the session to focus on them interacting as a family.

Although I love to shoot at sunset, this is not the only time of day a family session can be scheduled. I know we all love that golden glow of sunset, but your images are not about capturing the scenery, they are meant to capture you and your love for one another. For many families, this is a welcome relief, especially those with toddler aged children, whose bedtime often coincides with sunset.