Before the Session

Before we get into the nitty gritty of session planning, there are a few essentials I like to take care of up front:

• Determine Time and Location. As a documentary photographer, I prefer to keep my equipment to a minimum as it allows for more mobility and quick adjustments. This means that I rely heavily on natural lighting to achieve high-quality images. The times of day that are best for a session varies immensely between locations (most especially comparing indoors vs. outdoors) and there are many factors to take into consideration. We will work together to determine the best way to bring these factors together and schedule your session accordingly.

• Session Fee. A nonrefundable session fee of $350 is due at the time of booking to cover my time and talent, and to account for the clients that I am turning away in order to accommodate your booking.

• Contracts. These help us establish expectations up front and give us the chance to go over any concerns either of us may have.

Once your session fee is paid and your contracts are signed, we start into the fun stuff! We'll discuss what your goals are for the session, what you hope to capture, and what we can do to help prepare everyone who will be involved in the session. You'll also receive occasional emails with tips I've learned over the years, as well as information about products available in the print shop.

If you have any questions or concerns along the way, you are always welcome to reach out to me. I'm here to make this a beautiful experience for you and yours!

During the Session

So, what does a documentary photography session look like, anyway? Well, it differs quite a bit from the standard portrait photography you may be used to. In a documentary session, I generally don't stand in front of everyone and perform theatrics to elicit smiles. Instead, I do my best to blend in and let the events unfold as naturally as possible.

What I love most about documentary work is that every session is as unique as the clients I work with. My job is to look at the way you go about the sometimes mundane components of your life and capture the wonder that's always inside. Since we will have discussed your goals for the session ahead of time, most of the session is pretty laid back as we follow through our plan and adapt as necessary. I may give some light direction to take advantage of lighting or composition, but for the most part I leave you to be yourselves! I know the lack of structure while being in front of a camera can feel overwhelming to some, and that's where I'm going to ask you to trust me. I promise, I won't leave you hanging out to dry. Your photos are going to turn out as beautifully as the life you are building.

An important consideration:

If you have children or pets that will be participating in the session, the first order of business is to relinquish control. I promise, there is nothing that they can do to me that hasn't already been done by my children and animals. The moment you let go of the need to control, stress levels all but disappear. In my experience, the very best photos come when kids and animals are free to be themselves in all their quirky glory. And when they're free to be themselves, you can be free to be yourself too. That's where the real magic of documentary photography sets in.

My number one goal for every session is to create an environment where everyone feels safe and valued. Once that happens, everything else falls beautifully into place.

After the Session

Once the session is over, we all head home and I get to work on preparing your gallery! While you're waiting is a great time to review the products in the shop and start getting an idea of where you'd like to hang some photos from the session. This preparation will help you get an idea of which collection will best fit your current needs.

Gallery Preview

When all of the images in your gallery are completed, you will receive an email inviting you to preview your gallery. I craft each preview into a beautiful and emotive slideshow presentation, which remains available for 24 hours after you first click the link.

I encourage you to make an experience out of watching it! Gather your loved ones, turn down the lights, and watch it on the biggest screen you have. Bonus points if you bring out some chocolates! There's something magical about seeing your life and your loved ones from another perspective, and a tiny bit of preparation goes a long way in inviting a sense of wonder to wash over you.

Collection Selection

Once you've previewed your gallery, it's time to select your collection! Below is a breakdown of each collection package.

View Your Gallery

In your gallery, you will be able to select and download your choice of photos from the gallery (Basic and Standard packages) or the whole gallery (Premium package), and explore a beautiful array of museum-quality print products to display the photos from your session. I have chosen to source all the products in the shop from companies that make significant efforts to operate in an environmentally sustainable manner, and produce heirloom-worthy products. Below is a selection of some of my favorite items in the shop.

(Want to get a head start looking over the store? You can view a sample gallery here. Click on the "SHOP" tab to see the products I offer.)