The value of pictures grow with time. After my dad passed away, I no longer took pictures for only myself. I took pictures for my kids and their potential kids. I had Maeve about six months after my dad passed away, and two weeks after having her I picked up my camera to begin learning how to use it. (But that’s another story.)

Not every picture has to be a portrait.

But I want my kids to have pictures if they need them, like I do, to grieve. I want them to remember what it felt like to be a kid in my arms, and how deeply loved they are. I want them to see their childhood from a new perspective as an adult, and to share their childhood with their children.

Pictures do that.

Like most things, there are pros and cons, and knowing those differences between mini sessions and full sessions, and knowing what type of experience you want will make the decision easy.

Alright parents, I have some advice for your family pictures…Don’t be afraid of sunset sessions if you have small children.

Golden hour is the time of day about an hour before sunset that would probably infringe on bedtime. In the summer, sunset doesn’t happen until around 9:00pm in northern New York. So late, right!?!

When looking for a photographer you probably have some questions about what you can expect from them if they are hired. Here is a list of frequently asked questions I receive from people looking to book a family session.

If you are in an area with long snowy winters like myself, you may want to either have your family pictures taken in other season or in a studio. This post is to encourage you to consider braving the outdoors in the winter for some unique family pictures in the snow, and here are a few reasons why.