You’re Family Session Is Booked – Here's What to Know

Family enjoying a relaxed photography experience with a St. Augustine family photographer.

Welcome! I am so excited to spend real time with your family.

If you’re reading this, your session is officially on the calendar. Family sessions are some of my favorite work I do, and I want you to know upfront: this isn’t going to feel like a stiff, posed photoshoot where everyone’s forcing a smile and counting down the minutes. Here’s what to expect between now and session day.

Your Questionnaire

The first thing I’ll send you is a questionnaire, and I want you to really sit with it rather than rush through it. I’m not just collecting names and ages – I’m trying to understand who your family actually is. How your kids play. What makes them light up. What your day-to-day rhythm looks like. This matters because I don’t build generic sessions – I build your session around your family, specifically, based on what you tell me. A family of wild, loud boys gets a completely different session than a family with a shy toddler who needs time to warm up. The questionnaire is how I know which family I’m walking into.

Fun portrait of two young boys making silly faces in front of camera during backyard family session in North Florida.

Family portrait session after booking with a St. Augustine family photographer.

Concept Building

Once I have your answers, I build a concept specifically around your family’s personality and dynamic – not a one-size-fits-all template. This is what makes the difference between photos that feel generic and photos that actually feel like you. I’ll send this over before your session so you know what to expect and can get excited about it with your kids.

Wardrobe & Styling

We’ll collaborate on wardrobe together, and I have a full styling guide I’ll link at the end of this post – but here’s the short version: this is about coordinating colors, layering thoughtfully, and choosing fabrics that photograph beautifully, not about buying an entirely new outfit for everyone so you look like a JCPenney catalogue. That’s not what this session is.

If your son only wants to wear overalls with no shirt – lean into that. If dad has a favorite worn-in vintage shirt he won’t stop wearing – absolutely wear it. This is about telling the story of who your family actually is, not dressing you up as something you’re not.

What I Expect From You

Here’s my one real ask: let go. Let your kids lead. Let your family just exist together instead of performing for the camera.

I get curious about your kids before we start – what they’re into, what makes them laugh – and I let them come up with ideas. Genuinely, some of the most fun, most real photos I take come from a kid’s own idea, not mine. I’ll follow their lead, give them little prompts to interact with the rest of the family, and let them be exactly who they are. That’s really all kids want anyway – to be hammy, to be adored, to be paid attention to.

Your job is simply to enjoy each other. Don’t worry about posing, don’t worry about “getting the shot” – that’s my job. I promise I’ll capture the genuine laughter and the sweet, posed-together smiles both. You just show up and be your family.

Family laughing together during a relaxed, candid family photo session.

Authentic family interactions photographed by a St. Augustine family photographer.

What I’m Chasing

While you’re busy just being together, I’m watching closely for the real moments in between – genuine laughter, a parenting moment as it happens, kneeling down to hug away a meltdown (it happens, and it’s beautiful too), building a nervous kid up to do something brave, hands finding each other without thinking about it, a nuzzle, the quiet look between mom and dad when they think no one’s watching. Those are the images that end up mattering most, years from now – more than any perfectly posed shot ever could.

Lighting & Time of Day

The time of day we shoot matters more than people realize – it shapes the whole mood of your gallery. Soft, warm light near sunrise or sunset gives an easy, golden feeling. Open shade during the day keeps things relaxed and gives us more flexibility with active kids who don’t sit still for long. I’ll help guide the timing based on your family’s schedule and what we’re going for, so the light works with your family, not against it.

Gallery Delivery

Once your session wraps, I get to work editing your full gallery with the same care and depth I bring to every project – color, tone, the kind of layered editing that makes a gallery feel like a complete story. I’ll let you know your delivery timeline once we wrap your session.

Albums & Prints

I’d really encourage you to consider printing from this session. These images deserve to live somewhere more permanent than a gallery link or a forgotten hard drive – printed, tangible, something that ends up on a wall or in little hands flipping through pages years from now. You’ll be able to design and order prints or an album directly from your gallery, produced through reputable, industry-leading printers so I can guarantee the quality of what you receive.

Timeless family photographs created to preserve this season of life.

Family enjoying golden hour during a beach photography session in St. Augustine.

I’m Here Throughout

If you have questions about styling, timing, or anything else as your session approaches – email me, text me, ask. I’d rather you reach out than stress over something small. This should feel easy and exciting for your whole family, kids included.

I can’t wait to spend this time with you.