How to Prepare Your Home for Your In Home Photography Session

The majority of my family sessions are held in home and one of the questions I’m asked the most is how to prepare the home. A lot of Seattle area homes are old with small windows and the number one thing I’m looking for is the quality of the light. If you walk around your home a few days before your scheduled session time, take a look at where the light is the most abundant. These are likely the areas we’ll be using for your photo session.

You don’t need to redecorate or go crazy styling your home. The point of having an in home session is to photograph your family in the space in which they are most comfortable. You will want to keep in mind that anything left out has the potential to make it into your photos, so if you don’t want it photographed, put it out of sight.

Top things to do:

1. Make beds

2. Clean up countertops

3. Open all shades

4. Turn off overhead lights

5. Tidy up main living spaces

6. Make sure any picture frames / artwork are straight

7. Remove water bottles and phone chargers from bedside tables

8. Fix any broken windows

9. Clean mirrors (I use them a lot during my in home family sessions)

Not sure how to prepare your family for your photography session? Read this.

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Happy Birthday - A Little Cake Smash Session {Family Lifestyle Photographer}

Cake smash sessions aren’t something I would typically offer. They are usually done in studio with a big set up. As a lifestyle photographer, I don’t use props and I normally photograph inside people’s homes, not a studio. When my littlest turned one, I still wanted to do something special for him, but without the fancy set up. I wanted to take a more lifestyle approach to it so instead of investing in a fancy backdrop, we just took him outside and let him eat cake while illuminated by the beautiful sunrise behind him. Like my middle child, he wasn’t really into the cake. It was the first time he had tried sugar, and it wasn’t a taste he seemed to like. Happy first birthday to my sweet Oscar.

A Gorgeous Lifestyle Session At Home {Seattle Family Photographer}

It always seems like such an honor to be invited into a family’s home for a lifestyle photography session. It’s their space where they can step away from the world so it’s so special to be able to be welcomed into it to photograph them. This sweet family radiated warmth. Their session was laid back and relaxed and little Amelia is so clearly loved by her parents. Their sweet dog is the exact same mix as ours (Lab/German Shepherd) so it was fun to see what our Lucy will look like in about ten years. I love that their Christmas tree was up during this session. Including holidays, special heirlooms and personal items shows adds so much personality to your images.