If there’s one area of my family photography business that I’m most proud of finessing this year it’s my client workflow. And, how I take care of my clients for every session through my client experience. Some of this needs to be credited to Amanda Hedgepeth — not only for mentoring me at the beginning […]

I am a Type Two — known as The Helper. They’re known to be considerate, selfless, generous. They’re also known to be needy, self-destructive, fearful of being unloved or unwanted. There are so many moments when a friend will say, “Oh, that is SO Type Two of you!”

I always laugh with her. I love venting with her. I love surprising her with gifts in the makeshift mailbox on the corner of that fence. I love when she treats me to an iced coffee or watches the kids for an hour so I can focus on a phone call for work. Even in the times when we’re sitting on my deck, sobbing and listening to emo music from our childhoods, I still walk away feeling lighter and better. We can do nothing or everything and it always feels like a relief.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — repeat clients make my heart so happy. It means they trust me; it affirms that my work is what they need in their world and on their walls; it makes it feel like a friendship. I get to watch their kiddos grow up and change and it builds a really beautiful comfort level between us during photo sessions.

My friend Nicole and I were inspired by Lauren Kirkham’s recent Hour by Hour project where she beautifully captured her family on an average day. Nicole and I have been working for weeks now and using our self-timers and phone alarms to get us in the photos more often and to capture more of the “in-between” moments. Lauren’s project was just what we needed to get out of our comfort zone and make it happen.

I’ll never proclaim to be an expert in special needs or all illnesses, disabilities or diagnoses. But I am an expert in two things — taking photos and being Zach’s momma. Zach has Down syndrome, a genetic condition in which a super-awesome person has one extra copy of the 21st chromosome, leading to possible health, developmental and intellectual issues.

One of the questions I receive most from family and childrens’ session clients is along the lines of “Should I bring props to my photo session?”

Sarah and Mike are new(ish) to the neighborhood and bring with them a total of three kiddos. The five of them feel more like extended family most days — Sarah and Mike are so fun to be around and their kiddos are frequent visitors to our backyard.

Kellie is beautiful, as always, and she and Dan have such an easy, comforting relationship. I love watching them as parents. I am so excited for them to be a family of four.

There’s a great myth that photography is essentially just a person with a good camera and the good camera does all the work. It’s just not true. The hours before and after a photo session are filled with communicating, assisting, editing, delivering and just general creating in a workspace. These are the items that make the many steps and many behind-the-scenes moments easier and better for me and my clients.