The beauty of an in-home session, Phoenix AZ

As the saying goes, the home is where the heart is. But really it’s so much more than that. It’s where you bring home your babies, where you curl up on the couch at the end of a long day, where you eat meals and clean up spilled milk. Your home tells stories of you.

These are the photos that your children will want to see when they look back on their childhood.

Think about what stirs your soul when you look at albums from when you were a child- it’s the connection, the laughter, the environment, the cringe worthy outfits (and hair if you grew up in the 80s/90s like I did- I mean really, why were poofed up bangs a thing?!).

Kids are most comfortable in their own environments

I’ve been working with families in their homes for over 15 years- both as a foster care social worker and as a photographer. The number of times I’ve heard, “My kid isn’t comfortable around other people” or “My child cried the entire photo session last time” only to have them welcome me when I arrived and be a total ham in front of the camera.

The thing is- during these sessions, I’m in their kingdom and they are the rulers.

They show me their rooms, their favorite blankets and stuffies, their pets. Snacks are readily available and I’m ready for them to show me the ropes.

It’s also the place where you do your favorite things.

Many times I hear that moms want pictures in their rocking chair. I KNOW the intense relationship with that chair. It’s where you are in the middle of the night and where you calm your babies. Heck, my 7 year old still asks to rock and I soak in those minutes just as I did when I was singing “You Are My Sunshine” when he was 3 months old.

After all, home is where your love story is created.

Let’s preserve the beauty in it all.