What to expect
Most people picture two things going wrong before a session ever starts: everyone standing stiff and smiling on command, or a kid melting down in front of a stranger with a camera. Neither goes the way you're picturing it, and both are part of why sessions work the way they do.
Nobody has to perform.
The first ten minutes or so, nobody's fully comfortable yet, including your kids. That's normal, and I plan for it rather than fight it.
Instead of poses, I'll give you things to do. Walk toward me. Tell someone a secret. Chase somebody. We'll get a few photographs looking at the camera, then go back to the good stuff that happens in between.
Your kids don't need to be on their best behavior for me. If somebody melts down, we let it happen, move on, and usually come back to it later. If you catch yourself correcting or coaching them, hand that job to me. You get to be part of the family instead.
We work around you, not the other way around.
For a Guided Session, I'll give you more direction and keep things moving. For an Experience Session, there's more room for the day to unfold naturally. A hike is still a hike. An afternoon at the farm is still an afternoon at the farm. I'll pull you aside when we need a photograph, then let you get back to it.
The same goes for grandparents, larger groups, tired kids, or anyone who needs a different pace. We plan around who's actually there.
Nothing needs to go perfectly.
In fact, it probably won't. That's usually where some of the photographs you'll care about most come from.
If there's something you're worried about that I haven't covered, tell me. We'll talk about it before the session.