This one is for the mom who is secretly worried her kids might be too high-energy, too shy, or just need a different approach than most kids.
Maybe you’ve been wanting family photos, but you’re wondering:
Can we actually get good family photos like that?
I’d like to introduce you to a family just like that. 🤍
Meet the Andrejcio Family
The Andrejcio family is one of the sweetest families you’ll meet, and they won my Family Story Session giveaway at the Troy Cherry Street Local Farmers Market.
Even though this session was a giveaway, I treated it just like I would any other family session. We hopped on a call and started planning a session that felt like their family.
We chose a beautiful location that held a lot of meaning for them, and when Mom told me they were a morning family, we knew a sunrise session was the perfect fit.
During our planning conversation, Mom shared her vision and the images she was hoping for. She also admitted she was a little nervous about getting good photos.
Her three kids are all high-energy, but they each have very different personalities.
And that is exactly where I love to come in.
Three kids. Three completely different personalities.
One was goofy and fun, but the second he stepped in front of my camera, he became a little shy and wanted Mom close by.
So we kept Mom close.
There was no reason to push him to stand on his own or smile for the camera. We used that connection with Mom to help him feel comfortable, and some of my favorite images came from those moments.
Then there was his sister, who had her own vision for the session. 😂
She picked flowers along the way and pointed out her favorite spots, suggesting places where we should stop and take pictures.
So we did.
And then there was the third kiddo, who came ready to bring the energy.
At one point, a full-on dance party broke out—and yes, this was happening during a 7:30 AM photoshoot. 😂
I loved it.
I don’t expect every kid to respond to the camera the same way.
Mom was a little worried going into the session, but I was up for the challenge.
I’ve photographed so many different personalities over the years, and I’ve learned that there isn’t one magic approach that works for every child.
Before we even get to session day, I’m already thinking about how I can show up for each kid.
That’s one reason I have my families complete a questionnaire before their session. I want to know their names, their personalities, and the things they’re interested in.
Do I need to know about their favorite princess?
Should I show up ready with my best Spider-Man impression?
Is your child happiest when they’re moving?
Do they need a little time to warm up?
Are they going to want to be right beside Mom or Dad?
These little details help me walk into the session with a plan—but I’m also ready to throw the plan out the window if the kids have something better in mind. 😉
Then we talk through even more during our planning call with Mom and Dad.
The goal isn’t to make every kid fit into the same box.
I’ve found that when I focus on kids as individuals and adjust my approach instead of trying to make them fit into some predetermined idea of what a family photo session should look like, something really special happens.
They get to be themselves.
The energetic kid gets to move.
The shy kid gets to stay close.
The curious kid gets to explore.
And the parents get to stop worrying about whether their kids are “behaving” well enough for pictures.
They get to actually enjoy their family.
And that is when the magic starts to happen.
Mom and Dad are part of the session, too.
One of my favorite things about this family was that Mom and Dad were completely willing to jump in.
They played with their kids.
They snuggled them.
They laughed with them.
They let them be silly.
They didn’t spend the entire session trying to get everyone to stand still and smile.
And that makes such a difference.
Because I’m not just photographing three children.
I’m photographing their relationship with each other.
The way Mom hugs her kids.
The way Dad makes them laugh.
The way siblings interact.
The little moments that happen when everyone forgets there’s a camera nearby.
Those are the photographs that make a gallery feel like your family.
And yes, we still get the portraits.
I want to make one thing really clear: when I say I want kids to play, move, and be themselves, that doesn’t mean we skip the traditional family portraits.
We absolutely get those, too.
I want the beautiful photo of everyone looking at the camera.
I also want the one where someone is laughing so hard they can’t look at the camera.
I want the snuggles.
The running.
The silly faces.
The quiet moments.
The in-between moments.
Because your family is more than one pose.
This is what I mean by a Family Story Session.
When I look through this family’s gallery, I don’t just see a collection of pretty pictures.
I see three very different kids.
I see parents who were willing to play along.
I see a family enjoying a location that means something to them.
I see a sunrise morning that started with a little nervousness and ended with a gallery full of personality, connection, and genuine joy.
And that is what I want family photography to feel like.
Not stressful.
Not everyone being told to sit still and smile for an hour.
Not trying to make your kids act like someone else’s kids.
Just your family, as you are right now.
And then Mom sent me this…
After their session, Mom left me a review that honestly brought me to tears.
She talked about how her three kids have very different personalities and can be a lot to wrangle for photos. She shared how much she loved seeing her vision come to life, along with the ideas I brought to the session.
And then she said:
“This is more than a photo session, it is an experience of capturing real life.”
That sentence means so much to me because that is exactly what I hope every family experiences when they step in front of my camera.
So, if you’ve been worried about your kids…
If you’ve been putting off family photos because you’re worried your kids are too energetic, too shy, too silly, too independent, or just plain unpredictable…
I promise, you’re not the only one.
And your kids don’t need to change before they can have beautiful family photos.
They don’t need to sit perfectly still.
They don’t need to smile on command.
They don’t need to have the same personality as their siblings.
They just need to show up as themselves.
I’ll take care of the rest. 🤍
Ready for photos that feel like your family?
If you’ve been putting off family photos because you’re worried your kids won’t cooperate, I hope this session gave you a little reassurance.
Your kids don’t need to sit still, smile on command, or have the same personality as their siblings. We’ll make room for who they are—and I’ll help guide you through the rest.
Ready to start planning your own family session?
