“It’s where we’re comfortable and spend most of our time…I like capturing exactly what our everyday life is like, for REAL.” -Mollie

Do you ever stop and think to yourself, while your littles are running around like crazies in the kitchen, “I want to always remember these moments!” In all chaos and madness each day can bring there are still beautiful moments worth remembering. Or maybe it’s just you and the hubs, so you’re thinking, “I’ll just skip reading this blog post, it doesn’t apply to me.” BUT, can I tell you something? Some of my favorite photos of my husband and I are the ones that we had done in our home before children. We’re just eating ice cream on the kitchen floor laughing together. Those days in our marriage are some of my favorite and I want to remember them too!

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There can be so many hesitations and questions that come to mind when you’re considering an in-home photography session. The idea seems wonderful, but let’s get real.. Have you had these thoughts??

• “My home isn’t pretty enough.” or “My home isn’t big enough.”
• “Maybe once we remodel, then I’ll schedule a session.”
• “What would we wear?”
• “Is there enough natural light? I think my home is too dark.”
• “Ugh, the thought of cleaning my home just makes me think, ‘No way! Not happening!”
  
  

“Yes, we did have reservations on the size of our home and the fact that we aren’t done remodeling certain tiny details. But, none of this mattered, because it’s the moment being captured and nothing else. Although it’s not a forever home for us, it’s still a home we’ve made memories in.” -Ceyana

Trust me, you’re not the only one who has had these thoughts. I’ll let you in on a little secret, I don’t have a Pinterest worthy home either. We live in a ranch style house built in the 70’s. There is constantly some sort of DIY project going on. We hate the color of our wood floors and our kitchen has old ugly cabinets. We DO NOT have those perfect grey walls with white trim, or a living room that Joanna Gaines has decorated with the perfect touch of a rustic, yet modern, feel. Nope, not my house. BUT, guess what? My favorite photos of my family have been taken in our home.  Not because they perfectly captured some cool DIY project in the background, but because they simply capture our life just as it is, our “us.”

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“I like the look of comfortable, homey photos where we’re just doing life – it’s authentic.” -Emily

The seemingly simplest days can also be the most extraordinary and the ones you’ll want to remember. One day you and your husband will add a kiddo to the mix, or all those littles will grow up and go to college. Your toddler won’t want to sit on your lap as often and your husband’s hair will turn grey or fall out. There won’t be as many dance parties, cookie baking, or cuddling on the couch. These are those simple, yet extraordinary, glimpses into your story that are worth having documented.

So, if you’re even slightly considering having an in-home session done, let me give you my best tips to make the most of your experience! 

1. Hire a professional, at least once! If you’re thinking your home isn’t new/big/trendy enough to be a good backdrop, you’re probably seeing it through your own eyes. Trust your photographer, they’ll show you the beauty!
2. You don’t have to clean your whole house. You can totally throw all your junk in a different room and I’ll never know.
3. Think of an activity you and your hubs or family enjoy doing together at home.. Making breakfast; reading books; playing a game; dance parties; cuddling on the couch. These are the moments that are real and capture the most genuine emotions!
4. Wear comfy clothes! You even have permission to wear leggings! Your in-home session is meant to be comfy and cozy.
5. These session don’t need to be “perfect.” However, they do allow for an atmosphere where everyone can relax be themselves. So let’s capture that together. Real life. The goofy. The laughs. The serious. The quirks. Your “us.” 

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“I love the in home setting because not only does it capture our family, but also where we make many of our memories. So years down the road, when we’re looking back at pictures, we can flash back to what ‘home’ was like then, as well.” -Missy

Friend, my heart is to always create beautiful images for you. Images you can hold in your hands and look back on with the fondest memories as you remember life as it used to be, and in this case, life how it is in your home. I want you to have those memories in photos for years to come! XOXO!