Your home will always be my first choice for your session. It’s a place you strongly identify with as a family and where your memories are made! Maybe it’s the first home you had together. Perhaps it’s a home that’s been in your family forever. Whatever the story may be, it’s where your children are growing up. It’s the place they’ll want to remember most when they’re grown.

Think back to your own memories of childhood and what you wish you could remember about the house you grew up in. What moments do you wish you could re-live? Use that answer to help you decide whether having a home session is the right choice for you. If that’s not enough, here are 10 reasons your next session should be at home…

1. You’ll be comfy-cozy whatever the weather.

Red, runny noses…wind and humidity wrecking your hair…husbands cranky in the heat…kids cranky in the cold…mosquitos…rain reschedules. Photographers watch the weather carefully to ensure reasonable temps and clear skies, but we can’t promise the weather will live up to our expectations. Why stress any of it or have to dress for the weather?

2. You don’t have to wait for a session.

Do you have a hard time getting on my or another photographer’s schedule between May and December? You’re not alone. Everyone wants the warmer months. I’m typically booking 4–6 months out and can’t always offer you the month, let alone the season, you prefer. Book a home session during my quiet winter months (January to April) and see how fast you get on my schedule!

3. You can schedule most any time of day.

By now you probably know that photographers prefer to shoot outdoors during golden hour (the last two hours before sunset). This is when the light is softest and most flattering. During summer months, this means either raccoon eyes for you or late bedtimes for littles, and that might not be a tradeoff you want. Home sessions can be any time of day, provided your home gets enough light!

4. Your memories live in those walls.

You may not be in this home forever. Let’s capture what a day in your life felt like in this season. Home sessions are for the client who sees beauty in their everyday. What better way to preserve your memories than to capture your kids’ interests and personalities in their natural habitat?

5. Your pets want to be in your film + photos too.

Pets are always welcome to my outdoor sessions, but it does add one more layer of coordination and possibly frustration for you. Let’s capture your pets at home where they’re most comfortable and least distracted. You’ll fall in love with the moments they’re a part of.

6. Your home personalizes your photos + film.

I’ve always felt like I don’t really know a friend until I’ve sat in their home. My favorite Christmas cards I receive each year are the ones taken at home. I love what I learn of friends’ personal style and taste. It’s fun for me to imagine them doing life in that space, and I sense the meaning their home holds for them. It conjures up warm feelings for my own home too!

7. Your voices will ring clear.

When we choose a location, there’s no way of knowing how many other people will be there. Photographers all love the same locations! Clean audio capture is really important to me, so I’m very picky about location. Even so, noisy people (and wind!) are inevitable. Your voices are the only ones I want to capture…not the well-meaning passerby commenting on how “cute” your family is (though it’s true!).

8. You’ll feel most at ease.

Other people walking by also make you feel watched. We’re trying to capture real moments of true connection, and that’s hard for anyone in front of strangers. Bad enough you have my two cameras trained on you (though they’ll feel like friends quickly, I promise)! At home you’re free to be.

9. Your partner and kids will thank you.

There’s not a man alive who doesn’t love a home session. They don’t have to rush the family out the door or even wear shoes! Kids love showing their room and crafts to this new friend with the camera. You’ll appreciate how stress-free, intentional, and unhurried our time feels.

10. Your home is a part of your story. I will celebrate it just as it is.

I don’t care if you have a knack for interior design or keep your house super tidy. I accept your home just as I accept you…without expectations. I derive inspiration from your story more than your space. Our session is for you and your kids…let’s stop trying to make an impression on others. You’re so much more than a “cute family” backlit in a field. My heart craves more for your memories than that. Together let’s put REAL life back into lifestyle photography.