High school senior sessions are one of my favorite sessions to photograph. Make no mistake, this photogenic queen arrived camera-ready. However, her playful personality started to shine at this point, as if no one else in the world existed. Urban settings can be tricky, but if you can find small pockets of beauty, the results are timeless.

Now that it’s starting to get warmer, let’s throw it back to November, shall we? This Christmas tree farm holds special meaning to this family. Finding those perfectly shaded pockets was tricky, but we used the slowly setting sun to our advantage and found some beautiful spots!

With these smiles, cooperative kiddos, and mom’s eye for coordinating fabulous family session outfits, a little cloud coverage wouldn’t stop us from a successful family session. The sun FINALLY started to peek through the clouds towards the end of this fall-time family session, so we took full advantage!

These ages can be tricky regarding family sessions, but this family seems to have it figured out. Snack breaks, funny noises, movement, distraction techniques, and going with the flow are essential. My assistant entertains the kiddos off to the side while Mom and Dad get a mini date night moment, even if only for a couple of minutes.

This girl exudes an incredible amount of personality. Simone has danced to the beat of her own drum since she was in diapers. That warm embrace between Simone and her dad says it all. After the outdoor portion of their family session, it was time to head back to the studio for some family portraits…wicked style!

One of my favorite things is seeing how proud older siblings are of their new title! You can see older brothers' and sisters’ excitement when it’s their turn to have a special job with their new best friend.

As stunning as black-and-white images of Iyari are, I had to give this dress its moment! Yvonne always brings special, meaningful, and traditional outfits for Iyari to wear during their family session. Their family session happened to take place right around Yvonne and Iyari's birthdays, so we had to have a little celebration—champagne for Mom and cupcakes for her daughter!

It just so happened that their family was bringing home a new puppy the day before we had planned this family session. What better way to celebrate a new furry family member than with a family session?

Anything for Mom!! That's what this blog's title should be. You know you’re doing something right as a parent when your kids offer to carry a couch into the middle of an open field for your photographer, which was much appreciated and 100% worth it.

The Chanda Family planned to have their family session at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., which was unique and fitting for them. My assistant and I like to arrive slightly early to sessions on location to get an idea of the best places to photograph, keeping lighting in mind.

There is no lack of confidence or personality regarding Ms. Simone! Whenever the Watts family books a family session, I know their gallery will be filled with beautiful, exciting, and unique images of their little girl. One of the many things I love about this family’s sessions is that they ALWAYS recreate the same image yearly!

Talk about a show-stopper! Look at that beautiful golden hour glow! I have photographed this family on many occasions, ranging from family sessions to headshots for their business practice. I love taking a moment to get individual images of the kids in your family. It lets their light shine and personality come through.