What to expect from your family and senior portrait sessions?

Fall is such an exciting time! Fall is when my calendar starts to fill up with sessions for families and high school seniors in addition to newborns! I LOVE fall!!! Family and senior sessions look very different from newborn sessions. So what can you expect with these sessions? Let’s chat about that.

Where do Senior and Family portrait sessions take place?

Typically family and senior sessions are done on location  in two different parks depending on if you would like a morning or evening session. Our favorite locations are Seahurst Beach in Burien and Lincoln Park in West Seattle. If you have a special need or a location that is really meaningful to you, please reach out to me and we can discuss appropriate accommodations and if your special location will photograph well. 

Why can’t we choose our session time?

When shooting on location, we have to be mindful of the sun, especially during the summer months. Shooting in the morning or evening will give us more flattering light. Fall brings later sunrises and earlier sunsets which also makes it the perfect time for these location based sessions. When scheduling your session you will be given the opportunity to choose whether a morning or evening session will work better for your family. We will also discuss exact times for your session. You will be fully informed to make the best choice for your family. Unfortunately the exact times are up to the sun and where it chooses to be. If I could control that, trust me friends, I would!



How long will a session last?

For families, sessions last less than an hour. I love kids and working with them. I understand that they have a very short window of opportunity for this type of thing. So we keep things  light, fun, and moving. Please bring a blanket that coordinates with your outfits and that you don’t mind if it shows in the photographs. I would encourage you to bring it in a waterproof bag as we won’t need it the entire time. Also feel free to bring mess free bribe treats like goldfish crackers. Please wait on suckers and gum until the session is over. Stopping for ice cream or hot cocoa is always a fun way to end your session and adds to the fun event of the day. 

For Seniors, sessions last about an hour or less, depending on outfit changes. Seniors are allowed one outfit change, depending on facilities available. If you plan on wearing heels for your portraits, I would highly recommend bringing some sneakers to walk in between locations as we can cover a lot of ground. Our pacific northwest beaches are rocky and can make walking in heels a challenge. Besides, no one wants your shoes ruined! Friendly reminder that if your eyes can see it, the camera will too… That means the wrinkles won’t magically fall out of your shirt. You’ll have to iron it. And if you think at any point,” can you see through this?” The answer is yes. The answer is also, no, I cannot  just edit that out. So be mindful of your outfit choices as you will be both sitting and standing. Also feel free to bring a coordinating blanket to sit on, if you choose, but no pressure if you would rather not. Please be sure to  prepare the night before by ironing any items that need them. I can’t wait to meet you and photograph you exactly as you are now! You are a SENIOR!!! That means years of hard work are coming to a point of completion where we can celebrate you and your huge accomplishment! Congratulations!!

We don’t want a full session, do you offer minis?

Yes, I offer mini sessions once in the fall and once in the spring. If you are interested in mini sessions, then I would highly recommend becoming a part of our email community. Our community is the first to hear about mini session dates and therefore has the first opportunity to book them. You can join our email community here.

What if I want a mini session but cannot do the mini session dates you have available? Do you do minis at any other times?

I do not offer mini sessions for individual families year round. But! If you and three other families want to request a mini date for your four families, I would be happy to work with you on that. If you would like to set up your own mini date, there is a 4 family minimum for booking and it is subject to my availability.  

Friends, that was a LOT of information! I hope you found it helpful. If you still have questions, please feel free to comment or reach out to me directly. I am always happy to help! I am thankful you are here and cannot wait to meet you this coming fall. And remember, fall books fast.