Client welcome guide

We can't wait to have you in front of our cameras soon!

We are so excited that you have chosen us to capture your life’s special moments. Whether we’re photographing your pregnancy journey, your newborn, your family, or your senior photos, these moments are some of the most important in your life, and we are touched that you’ve allowed us to be a part of it in such a big way. Your photographs will be a tangible portion of your memories that you’ll be able to cherish forever.

We know that planning for these photography sessions can often be overwhelming, so we want to make sure this goes as smoothly as possible. This guide is designed to help make that happen. With it, you’ll be better able to make decisions for your photography session to ensure you receive the most amazing photographs possible.

The next steps for you are to read through this guide and get in touch with us to schedule a date for your session. We’ll stay in touch in the weeks and days leading up to it.

Welcome!

Hello there & welcome!

We are a husband and wife photography team, and since we’ll be getting to know each other more over the coming weeks, we thought it would be great to introduce ourselves!

Our photography journey started several years ago when Brian decided to tag along with Shannon to a wedding she was photographing. She handed him a camera on that day, and we’ve never looked back. Since then, we’ve photographed every single session we’ve booked together, and we’ve had the opportunity and pleasure to photograph countless weddings, engagements, maternity, newborn, and family sessions.

We’ve been in love and married for 14 years now, and we have two beautiful children together. Shannon is known for being genuine, simple, down to earth, and a good listener. Brian loves being a father and feels that it encourages him to be a better influence and person overall. He’s a storyteller and has a charming sense of humor.

We’ve already started our legacy, and now we’re so excited to help you start yours.

about Shannon and Brian

Our Photography Process

The great news is, since you’ve received this welcome guide, you’re well on your way through our photography process.

From here, your next step will be to get in touch with us to schedule a date for your session, whether it’s a maternity, newborn, family, or senior session.

Depending on your package, we’ll set a location for your session, whether it’s outdoors or in our studio.
We’ll complete your photography session, and then you’ll receive your photos edited and completed within 4 weeks.

Your family session

We love capturing the many seasons of your life through family portrait sessions. Your family session photographs will be a tangible portion of these moments in your life. We’re so excited that you’ve trusted us to help you capture them!

Your session will include one hour either at a predetermined location or in our studio with up to 10 members of your family, and you’ll receive 20 digital images.

Your family session | How to prepare

Whether this is your first family photography session or your tenth, knowing what to expect and how to prepare is crucial for making sure your session flows smoothly. We’re sharing our favorite tips to make you have the best possible experience!

Decide who to include

Our family packages can accommodate up to 10 people for your family session. If you would like to have more than 10 family members photographed in your session, let us know! We have add-on packages available for you, and these details are better to decide as early on as possible so we can best prepare for your session.

Consider hair and makeup

Having a professional do your hair and makeup will make sure that both look perfect before you have your photo taken.

Bring snacks

While our sessions are an hour long, we’ll still be active and moving around for that hour. It’s a good idea to bring snacks and anything else you might need for your kids to keep them entertained and to keep their energy levels up during your session.

Give yourself plenty of time

We know chasing kids around to get them ready and out the door takes more time than we anticipate. As you get ready to leave for your family session, give yourself plenty of time to have everyone dressed and in the car. Since our session will be outside, we’ll have to depend on the natural lighting for the photos, so giving yourself plenty of time to get to the location is crucial.

Relax!

It’s so easy to stress about wanting everything to be perfect. When you stress, so do the rest of your family members, and that can lead to upset feelings, especially with young kids. Just remember to relax and have fun during your family session. Your carefree and fun attitude will make for the best photos, too!

Your Family session | Styling Tips

We know looking your best in your family session photos is important, which is why we’re giving you a few tips for styling your outfits for your session. We want to make this experience as easy as possible for you!

Avoid matching clothes

Everyone wearing matching jeans and white shirts are a thing of the past. We’ve found that dressing everyone in a complimentary color palette instead makes for much more gorgeous photos.

Don't be afraid to dress up!

There’s no such thing as “too dressed up” for the camera! If you’ve been wanting photos of you and your family in more formal wear, go for it! We promise a beautiful dress for you and a nice tailored jacket for your husband will look great in photos.

Keep your colors simple

The main focus of your family session is on you and your family’s faces. Highlight yourselves by staying away from bright, bold colors and patterns. Avoid any shirts and shoes that have writing or logos on them, as they tend to be distracting in photos. Go for lighter, softer colors and muted shades, as those colors look amazing no matter what season and location. For your maternity session, you and your baby bump will be the primary focus. Highlight both you and your bump by choosing softer, lighter tones and more muted shades. By avoiding bright, bold colors, you’ll bring the attention to your face and your bump.

Make a statement

Accessories make beautiful statements which translate so well in photos. Don’t be afraid to bring statement necklaces or beautiful earrings, bowties, timepieces, or belts to create visual interest in your photos.

YourFamily session | Scheduling and timing

We love photographing family sessions in outdoor, open-air locations, especially if the location is significant to you!

We typically plan our sessions on the weekends to work around our schedules.

Our favorite time to photograph family sessions is during the soft glow of “golden hour,” which always makes for beautiful photos.

Your family session start time will depend heavily on the season in which your session takes place. Ultimately, plan on starting 2 hours before sunset no matter what time of year your session is scheduled. However, we’ll always confirm with you before your family session takes place.

Your Family session | Locations

Whether you want to stay nearby to keep your kids comfortable, or whether you want a location that has sentimental value to you and your family, we understand that having the perfect backdrop is important.

All of our family sessions include travel in the lower peninsula of Michigan. We are more than happy to come to you and where your family is comfortable. If you need us to travel farther for a specific location, please get in touch with us for a custom travel quote.

If you’re struggling to come up with location ideas, we can help you choose! No matter what, we have the ability to make just about any location look beautiful for your photos. As long as we have appropriate lighting, we promise your photos will be gorgeous no matter where we take them.

Some of our favorite places for family sessions include the plenty of beaches around Lake Michigan, rustic barns, and park landscapes. We’re more than happy to give you some suggestions if you need help deciding on your perfect backdrop!

Your family session | preparing your husband and kids

Sometimes husbands and kids dread the idea of spending an hour in front of the camera to have their photo taken. They usually think that it’s going to be forced and awkward, instead of fun and relaxed. If you’re afraid your husband or your kids won’t be excited either, you’re not alone.

We’re sharing a few tips to help you prepare your family ahead of time so everyone has the best experience possible!

Prepare Your Spouse and Kids Early
Go ahead and prepare your spouse and your kids early for your family session. Let them wrap their minds around the idea that they’ll be in front of a camera. By doing so, you’ll allow them to warm up to the idea, and they won’t come to the session as anxious or stressed.

Show Them Some of Your Favorite Photos We’ve Taken
Before your family session, show your spouse and even your kids a few galleries and photos we’ve taken in the past. They’ll get an idea of what to expect during your session with us!

Remind Them That We’ll Coach Them Through Everything
We don’t expect anyone to be a professional model during your session. We’ll coach everyone through different natural poses, so you don’t have to worry about how you’ll position yourself, your husband, or your kids. We’ll handle that for you!

No Need for Cheese
Don’t worry about coaching your kids to say “cheese” when we get them in front of the camera. We’ve found that doing that makes for more forced, unnatural photos. Instead, we’ll focus on capturing genuine emotion throughout your family session!

Make Sure to Keep It Fun and Light Hearted
Your husband and your kids might dread the idea of spending an hour in front of a camera. In the days leading up to your session, make sure to keep your tone fun and lighthearted as you prepare! Let them know it won’t be boring, and we’ll all have a great time taking beautiful photos together. Keep that same energy throughout the session, too!