I have a blog about my “why” and your “what”, so “how” seemed like a natural next post. (Don’t worry, “when” and “who” aren’t far behind!)

So… people often talk to me about the how of photography. Sometimes people want to know how to get their cameras to work correctly, or how they can change their settings for better pictures, but most often, they want to know how they can get family images like the ones I post of my clients.

Here’s a list of the most frequent concerns and questions I get:

Want to know the answers? To answer these questions and more, I return to my reason for doing this in the first place. I want to help families create and capture memories. I don’t want you to awkwardly pose in front of my camera. I want you to spent time with your family and when the moment is right, then I’ll ask you to look at me quickly. You won’t be taking pictures, you’ll be laughing, playing, and talking – making memories! Leave the “picture taking” to me!

I’ll capture the “traditional” portrait you’re looking for, but not in the traditional, “sit here-turn slightly-chin up-eyes here” way. It will be natural and relaxed and beautiful. And furthermore, it won’t just be a picture, it will be a memory.

Your children don’t need to sit still! Don’t worry about asking them to be “good” or “smile,” in fact, please don’t do that! Let them be little. Enjoy their silliness and let me catch it! I LOVE kids! I have three of my own and I was a teacher for most of my life. When I’m ready for them to look me in the eye, let me take care of it. I am a master at staring contests and “don’t you smile at me” games. And if those don’t work, I have a few very silly jokes that even the toughest three-year-old can’t deny! So if you want to get them to “cooperate” the trick is that you don’t! That’s how! You follow their lead. You play with them and enjoy this time in their lives. You have fun, they have fun, and I capture it!

The kids are easy! Your husband, however, is a different story! Well, kind of. We want everyone in the family to be themselves, so I’ll lead the whole family. There’s still no need to push and prod. With that said, it can help to let dad know how much it means to you. This doesn’t always work with kids, but it can have a significant effect on your spouse. And I don’t intentionally single out the father’s here, but it is a question that I have only ever gotten from the moms. However, if you’re a dad who is always taking pictures of mom and the kids and you want all of you in the picture. Or, if your wife is usually taking pictures of you and the kids because she doesn’t want to be in them, this same advice applies. Let your significant other read this post and tell them how much it would mean to you. Let them know that the focus is on the children, but that you just want a few with the whole family. I promise to do everything to make it fun for everyone!

Now here comes the one that can be the biggest issue: time! In our house, there never seems to be any free time. If we aren’t at sports or school activities, we’re at birthdays or family events. Here’s the thing, though, that’s the very reason why it’s so important to find the time. Everything gets so busy, that months can pass in the blink of an eye. I can’t find the time for you, but I can tell you that I’m available any day of the week and any time of day, so we can work together to find the time you need. Plus, there are so many ways to combine your session with the daily activities that you need to do anyway. Give me a call and we can work together to find just the right sliver of time to preserve these memories.

Finally, how do you know it will be worth it? Because I guarantee it, that’s how! That’s right, money back and all that jazz, but mostly because memories are the most precious things we possess and I’ll work to preserve them for you. Many photographers refer to their prices as an investment because there’s an upfront cost, but you walk away with something priceless.