Where there is a family photography session with young kids, there is a stressed-out mom. We feel the crushing pressure that society puts on our shoulders to be the perfect wife and mother. We scroll through pretty pictures of perfect houses and adorable children on social media. It's easy to lose sight of the fact that these are carefully curated feeds and everyone's highlight reel. The reality behind the filter is that life is messy! Not only do mothers typically take care of the home, we also look out for the emotional well-being of our people. This means that when a photographer comes into our homes, we think that we need to keep our children happy and our homes looking Pinterest-perfect. Believe me, this couldn't be farther from the truth. Today I am sharing my favorite tips for in-home session moms (and dads).

Dress in Neutrals

Let's start with the outfits. I never want clients to change anything about their home decor when I come for an in-home family session. We can work with the style of any room! Dressing in neutrals ensures that your clothes won't clash with any of the rooms we are shooting in. I love helping clients choose their family outfits.

Pick up clutter from side tables.

I can work my Photoshop magic on a lot of things, but not everything! Tidying up the spaces that we'll be photographing can make a huge difference in the portraits. There's no need to clean up everywhere, just a few areas of the house that we can focus our session on.

Open the curtains.

I love working with natural light in a home. For this, we want as much light as possible in the room. Simply opening the curtains and letting the light in can make such a huge difference in your photos.

Choose a time wisely.

Work with me to plan your session for a time of day when everyone is typically happy. We want to make sure the kids are rested and fed. I am usually very flexible and will work with you to find an ideal time, as long as it is during daylight hours (we want all the light we can get).

Focus on being with your people.

Let your kids jump on the bed, laugh with them, snuggle them, have fun, and be present. Take a breather if you need to. I promise your kids are not acting nearly as bad as you think they are. I want them to walk away thinking their photographer is their new friend.

If you have a specific request, please let me know; otherwise, trust that you hired me because I can create photos that you will treasure for years to come. I want to transport you back to the moment the photos were taken. Photos are for remembering, so let's take photos that help you remember what it felt like to love your people so much that your heart could burst.

The best tip that I can offer you is to stop worrying. Worry robs you of joy. Be open to the possibilities that even in your imperfect, messy home, we can still create magic that personifies how much you love your people.