Scheduling photo sessions for yourself or for your family is hard. In fact, most of the families I work with have put off pictures at least once in their life. By doing so, they miss out on opportunities to capture important stages in their life together! I don't know how many times I have heard this line, "We have not had our pictures taken since our oldest was a baby and now we have 4 kids!" Now, don't get me wrong, I completely understand how it happens!! Life happens, schedules change, budgets change, your go-to photographer moves, their pricing changes, etc. Any number of obstacles can occur in between scheduling a session, when you actually go to your session, not to mention all the changes that happen in between that session and the next. But photo sessions don't need to be stressful! In fact, they shouldn't be stressful at all!
I wish I had scheduled an indoor session when my family moved into the home we have now. I feel like not only would we have had fun taking pictures in a nearly empty home, but it would've been great to create memories that would have connected us to this house right off the bat. Now, years later as we are struggling with projects and constantly trying to organize it, we have become frustrated with the house we live in. Thinking about doing an in-home session now seems almost impossible. But it's not impossible, in fact, it's really simple.
Here are 6 of the best reasons you should use to convince yourself to do an in-home photo session:
1. You just bought a new place, or just moved in together!
I can't think of better timing for having an in-home session then right after you close on a new home. It's empty, and it's yours! It gives you so much freedom for how and where you would like to take your photos within the privacy of your new space. You can even grab some of your personal items to add some personal details to make it seem like you are moved in, but without actually having a house full of boxes and totes that you'd have to move around. Not only does it make for easy access and endless angles, but you will be documenting an important moment of your personal history!
2. You don't need to have any special decor or have a Pinterest worthy home.
I am not going to lie, my master bedroom has the best lighting, but it's also the messiest room in the house. It becomes the catch-all for everyones things when guests come into town. But if I needed to do a quick photo session at the drop of a hat, a few good angles and you would never know that behind the camera were stacks of laundry piled on my dresser and suitcases that still haven't been put in storage from that trip to New Orleans we took last month. My kitchen always has dirty dishes in the sink, but a quick wipe down of the counter could give me a large enough area to take pictures in. Even so, why not just get out a cook book, some eggs, flour, and a bowl and pretend to make some cookies or something? No one would know that you had a pre-existing mess because you'd be creating a new purposeful mess, just for pictures.
3. You don't have to stress about weather!
I can't tell you how many sessions I have had to cancel or reschedule because of heavy rain, heavy snow, or strong wind storms. Yes, pictures in any of those can be fun, given the right location and the right client, but I work a lot with families with young kids and babies, so those weather mishaps are more for protecting those precious little ones. Doing an in-home session allows you to protect yourself and your family from environmental hazards. Have allergies? Doing an in-home session means you aren't subjecting yourself to puffy or watery eyes by taking photos outside.
4. You are always more comfortable in your own home.
Even if you are the most outgoing extrovert, you are more likely to fee more comfortable and safe within the walls of your own home. You are less nervous, and more yourself when you are in your home. When you aren't subjected to taking pictures in public places you are more likely to drop those personal walls and inhibitions that keep you from being your true self outside your home. At the same time, kids are way more likely to show their true personalities if they aren't being taken to an unfamiliar location where they are being asked by a stranger to smile at the camera incessantly. They can know that their safe place is right where they are and are more likely to really allow themselves to shine with the support of their parents and siblings who are also more comfortable. Kids pick up on those subtle insecurities that we as parents may exhibit when we feel the anxiety that comes with going to a family photo session. Scheduling an in-home session will help keep those anxieties at bay.
5. You can let your emotions run wild!
Because in-home sessions allow you to feel more comfortable, you are free to feel! You can be as wild, intimate, sexy, playful, content, or emotional, as you want. Be sure to discuss with your partner prior to your photographer arriving about what you want to get out of your session, that way, the lines and boundaries are clear, and your partner knows what you expect from them. At the same time, be willing to compromise. If he/she doesn't want to do more intimate photos, be willing to adjust your plan. Make sure all expectations are discussed with your photographer when they arrive and they should do their best to follow your lead without overstepping their bounds.
6. Wear what you want!
You don't have to worry about picking outfits that match or clash with an outdoor location. You don't have to worry about finding the right shoes for the location. You don't have to wear shoes at all! In fact, I recommend you don't! You don't have to worry about wearing light colored pants that might get dirty when you sit on a bench or worry about your kids splashing in a muddy puddle and getting filthy right before the family photos (but let's be real, that would make a fun photo too). You can dress as formal or informal as you want!
That's it! There are so many reasons to do an in-home photo session, and these are the most important reasons to use to convince yourself to schedule one asap! I promise you won't regret it! If you still feel like you can't use your own home, contact me anyway! There are other local options that can be used to make your photos look like a trendy home session!