We have all grown up with our parents asking us to “Say Cheese” for the camera. I guess it should come as no surprise that most of us are doing the same exact thing with our own children. But when it comes to professional photography, the everyday approach simply doesn’t cut it…

This is something I get asked all the time for baby milestone sessions: what should I bring to the photoshoot? Aside from your baby and a few simple outfits, you should definitely spend a few minutes thinking about any items that are meaningful in your baby’s life…

Posing doesn’t have to look old-fashioned and obvious. It could be organic and flattering, and it an essential part of looking great in photos for those of us who aren’t natural-born models. This post is all about what goes into posing a family (big and small), my approach to getting those relaxed group images, and yes - even using posing to achieve candid shots that a lot of families absolutely love as part of their session.

Cameras have megapixel resolutions that capture every single pore, crease, and eyelash. And if you’re not a model, that amount of detail can be scary. Retouching helps us regular people look our best in photos. It allows us to not worry about that pimple that came out of nowhere….

I photograph a lot of children. Babies, toddler, preschoolers.. and plenty of older kids/teenagers as well. My one main goal for a portrait session is to capture the person I'm photographing in a natural and relaxed way.. which can often be difficult for several reasons. For children, in particular, it's challenging to arrive in a new environment and feel at ease with essentially a total stranger…

But there are certain things I do which guarantees a real smile or a calm expression. Things YOU can do as well when you photograph your own children…

Most of the parents I work with want photographs of their children smiling. That's completely understandable! We all want to see (and remember) our kids happy and laughing. But sometimes by focusing so much on getting a smile in a photo, we forget about their non-smiling face. A calm peaceful look can be just as precious. An intense stare shows strength and character. And features that are at rest are just as important to remember as a toothy grin…