It’s no secret that I LOVE in-home sessions and am a huge advocate that they are actually easier and more relaxing than an outdoor session. I know I know, you may think I am bat sh*t crazy, but I promise I’m not! They are fun, simple and everything you could possibly need is right there. Here are 7 tips to making your in-home session that much more amazing!

#1 Stop apologizing

Starting off with a big one! Moms, I’m here to call you out on this one. My in-home sessions come with at least 15 apologies each session and I’m here to tell you right now, IT’S OKAY. It’s okay if your newborn cries, or your toddler has a meltdown or your child is trying to show off. It’s a normal part of my sessions and it’s all good. If you think every family session with toddlers goes off without a hitch, you’re living in crazy land. So please, please don’t feel the need to apologize.

#2 Food - Snacks are okay!

Food breaks are okay, and in fact I encourage it sometimes when the kiddos just need a minute to re-group. I do suggest making sure you eat a good meal before your session but a snack can go a long way in the middle of a session. This is also a big one for you newborn mama’s - they run the show (if you haven’t learned that already) so feed away and keep those babies happy!

#3 Perfection is overrated

I could repeat this over and over again, your session (and all my other sessions) will not go perfectly, but we always make it through them, I promise. The kids will fall down, cry, not listen, but I have tricks up my sleeve and trust me - it’s not the first time. I can honestly say some of my favorite images wouldn’t have happened if the meltdown had not happened first. We are going for real and honest, and that includes a good cry every now again, right?!

#4 Go with the flow

This one kind of feeds off the last one as well, but it’s still just as important to mention, sometimes you just have to go with the flow. During in-home sessions, it’s important to pick our battles. The more you go with the flow, the better things will turn out. If your toddler decides he doesn’t want to do what I say, it happens, and I’ve got plenty more tricks up my sleeve to try next. I never walk in with set expectations, especially when toddlers are involved, and you shouldn’t either. Just roll with it!

#5 Pick up your house - but don't go crazy

I get that you want your home to look as photo-ready as possible, but real life sometimes gets in the way, and that can be beautiful. I tell clients to do their best at picking up clutter in the area’s we will be shooting, but I promise if there is something in the way, I will let you know or just move it as we are shooting. It’s normal for your house to look lived in, for the kids toys to take over a little, so don’t worry about making everything perfect. It’s my job to make the photos look the best they can, so if there is anything distracting in the shot - I got your back and will take care of it!

#6 Outfits - plan ahead & be comfortable!

Oh, the dreaded outfit planning. I promise it’s not that bad! One of my favorite things about in-home sessions is all of your stuff is right there at the session. I always tell my clients, if worse comes to worst and I don’t think what you are wearing will photograph well, I’ll go through your closet with you before we start. I offer full outfit planning where I will send you ideas (and links to buy!) outfits for each person in your family. You can either purchase what I send or use it to find similar styles in your closet. The most important thing is to start planning early and use me as much as you want - I am here to help!

#7 Know your ‘why’

In my opinion, this is the most important. Take a few minutes and really think about your ‘why’. Once you have answered that, let this take control of the session. Do you want to remember those chubby six month old thighs or reading your kids favorite book to them in their bed? If you do what you would any other given day, keep it simple, and just love on those kiddos, all of your ‘why’ will be perfectly clear in your gallery of images.