What is a Lifestyle Photoshoot?

My goal for a Lifestyle Photoshoot is to capture you and your family—your personalities and your connection with each other—as naturally as possible. These pictures feel organic, genuine, and intimate. They will become a precious keepsake from a specific moment in time.

What Story Are You Telling?

The other day, my husband and I were in the car and I was browsing through some photos of our one-year-old daughter I’d taken recently on my phone. They were so pretty: crisp, clean, bright, and close up. I thought to myself how lucky she would be to have such picture-perfect images of herself as a baby when she’s my age.

But then I thought back to the photographs that fill the family albums my mom put together. The wide shots with clutter and brown living room carpet in the background; my overexposed, bald baby head; the occasional blurry thumb tip along the edge. Those pictures tell a story.

I told my husband that our baby may not know what her first living room looked like when she’s our age, because I purposely try to keep that out of the pictures. She won’t know what toys she had because I don’t take a picture inside the house unless everything is in its place and it looks like a West Elm catalogue. But what story am I telling?

Don’t get me wrong, I will always love stylized, crisp, clean photographs. I’m a perfectionist, so those images make my heart so happy! But I realized I need to be more intentional about capturing the way things really are.

The real story is that she grabs at her hair bows and pulls them right off, maintaining eye contact with me—as if to taunt me!—the entire time. She leaves a trail of toys and spilled milk behind her everywhere she goes. She fusses just as much as she smiles. Life is messy. And it’s beautiful.

 If you’re like me and want to capture the real story, give a Lifestyle Shoot a try. This doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to tidy your house beforehand or that the pictures will be ugly! Technology has come a long way from the 80’s and I promise I won’t catch my thumb in the frame. I think you’ll see these pictures as a beautiful window into your real-life story.

What to Expect During a Lifestyle Photoshoot:

·      Minimal posing: I want you guys to look as comfortable and in the moment as possible, so I’ll probably set you up within a space, give you minimal direction and let you take it from there. But don’t worry, if something appears unflattering, I’ll switch it up!

·      A slow pace: It may seem like we are taking our time, because we are! We’ll book one hour for this session to allow plenty of moments to unfold.

·      Natural lighting: For in-home sessions, we’ll hang out in rooms with lots of windows and natural light.

·      Lots of laughter: Be prepared for tickle fights, dance parties and silly secrets, because these prompts often make for the sweetest photos.

Newborn Lifestyle Photoshoots

The reason this is the only style of photoshoot I offer for newborn photography is because it’s a way to document what those first few weeks actually look like. I don’t do much in the way of posing the baby. Each one brings something different to shoot. I let them lead!

A Newborn Lifestyle Photoshoot also takes the pressure off Mom, Dad, and Baby. No one is worried about that sweet baby getting chilly, and if a diaper needs changing, it doesn’t ruin the whole pose. We can be flexible and move at our own pace.

When to Book a Lifestyle Photoshoot 

Here are some life events and occasions that make for the best Lifestyle Photoshoots: 

·      Newborn

·      Adoption

·      Birthday Parties

·      Any Milestone Birthday

·      New Home

·      Summer/Outdoors

·      New Pet/Aging Pet

Because these sessions are a bit longer, I only book them on weekend dates. I’d love to talk about your Lifestyle Photoshoot with you, so let’s lock in your date today!

Why You Should Book An Outdoor Maternity Photo Shoot at Sunset

Nothing complements a pregnancy glow like my other favorite glow: Golden hour.

Golden hour is the hour of time just before the sun sets. If you’ve ever booked an outdoor session with me, chances are I’ve scheduled it around golden hour. These maternity photos were taken at Ellington Agricultural Center in Nashville during golden hour around 6pm in March.

This maternity shoot was particularly exciting because we were celebrating Christy’s first girl! When I say “celebrating,” I mean it! I squealed when she told me the gender.

Christy is a business coach who has a heart for women-owned businesses. I used to work on her team and know firsthand how empowering her message is for women. All that to say, it’s a total God thing that she’s finally having a girl.

One of my favorites because the boys were naturally exploring on their own in the background, while mom and dad posed.

The blue colors they wore provides a gorgeous contrast to the golden light peaking through the background. This is easily one of the prettiest maternity photo shoots I’ve ever been able to do!

Her youngest son was not having the picture-taking! But we ran around, tickled, and bribed him to get the shots we needed.

I’m so honored to have been part of announcing this amazing addition to the Wright family. Congratulations, Christy and Matt!

Hold Tight to Your Umbrella: A Letter to Moms With Postpartum Depression

There’s a song on Kacey Musgraves’ Grammy-award-winning album that gives me all the feels. It’s called “Rainbow,” and a few weeks ago I started singing it to my daughter at bedtime. The song sounds like a lullaby, and it seems so very appropriate and personal to sing to my little girl, who has made it through months of acid reflux (read: months of 12-hour-long screaming episodes, untreatable pain, refusing bottles, losing weight, and very little sleep).

The third or fourth night I sang it to her—bending over the changing station in the nursery, wrapping her in a fluffy, pink sleep sack—I was suddenly overcome with emotion. I started crying, and I couldn’t make it through the first chorus. The words were stuck in a lump in my throat: “The sky is finally open…the rain… and wind… stopped blowin’…” I squeaked, and I couldn’t push through them.

In that moment I realized this was just as much a lullaby for me as it was for her.

After I put her to bed in the crib, I lost it. And for once, I actually allowed myself to lose it. I turned on a hot shower, put the song on my phone on repeat and wallowed in a giant ugly cry as the water hit my face!

“In that moment I realized this was just as much a lullaby for me as it was for her.”

I feel like I’ve wanted to say something about postpartum depression ever since I had my daughter. According to the American Psychological Association, as many as 1 in 7 women get PPD. One in seven! We all know at least seven moms. Yet, it’s something I understood nothing about before I had it.

Breaking down during that song and listening to a metaphor about wind and rain and umbrellas made me realize I was a one-in-seven mom.

Before that, I thought the not eating, not-feeling-anything-but-sadness-and-total-failure was just sleep deprivation. I have an incredible friend (and fellow photographer) who is also named Naomi, and she said, “I had heard it was ‘hard’ and it ‘wasn't going to be easy’ ...this is what they meant, right?”

If that’s you right now, I want you to know: You are not alone, and you are doing a good job. Read it again, and try to believe it: You are not alone, and you are doing a good job.

I’m not totally out of the woods yet—after 9 months, I still feel it some days. But I am lightyears better than I was, and I decided to celebrate with a photoshoot inspired by Kacey Musgraves’ “Rainbow.”

And if you’re in the thick of the storm, or you’re coming out of it, maybe the song will speak to you the way it speaks to me.

Girl, the skies will open.

And when you are able to let go of your umbrella, you’ll see what I did.

That sweet, perfect baby you have—the one that you were meant to mother—has been your rainbow the whole time.

“Rainbow” by Kacey Musgraves:

When it rain it pours but you didn't even notice
It ain't rainin' anymore, it's hard to breathe when all we know is
The struggle of staying above, the rising water line

Well the sky is finally open, the rain and wind stopped blowin'
But you're stuck out in the same old storm again
You hold tight to your umbrella, darlin' I'm just tryin' to tell ya
That there's always been a rainbow hangin' over your head

If you could see what I see, you'd be blinded by the colors
Yellow, red and orange and green, and at least a million others
So tie up your bow, take off your coat and take a look around

'Cause the sky is finally open, the rain and wind stopped blown'
But you're stuck out in the same old storm again
You hold tight to your umbrella, darlin' I'm just tryin' to tell ya
That there's always been a rainbow hangin' over your head

Oh tie up your bow, take off your coat and take a look around
Everything is alright now
'Cause the sky is finally open, the rain and wind stopped blowin'
But you're stuck out in the same old storm again
Let go of your umbrella, darlin' I'm just tryin' to tell ya
That there's always been a rainbow hangin' over your head
Yeah there's always been a rainbow hangin' over your head
It all be alright

What If It Rains On Photo Day?

A big fear that some clients have is that they’ll get a date locked in, deposit paid, outfits laid out, and hair done, and then when the day finally arrives—it rains.

Don’t worry: If we’re shooting engagement or maternity photos, I’ll book a back-up date with you from the beginning of the process. But as I learned at a shoot recently, a rainy day doesn’t have to dampen the mood! In fact, we were actually able to shoot photos inside The Thompson Nashville, and at the rooftop bar there, L.A. Jackson. The result is some of the most beautiful, bold shades of grey and blue I’ve ever shot.

These best friends played tourist in Nashville all day, despite the weather. As you can see, they looked fabulous while doing it.

Thanks to the rainy day, I was able to use incredible lighting and moody filters to really capture the vibe in The Gulch. If you’re in town for a visit, I’d love to get some shots of your trip for you!

“The one where they toured downtown Nashville.”

Baby Portraits With My 8-Month-Old

For (early) Valentine’s Day, my sweet husband gave me a new 50mm Canon lens for my camera. I have a family portrait session scheduled for next week, but OBVIOUSLY I needed to test out my new toy right away!

And it just so happens we bought our little girl a teepee before she was even born. To be honest, it was the very first baby purchase we made. It went like this:

1. Found out we were pregnant at 6 weeks.

2. Browsed Pinterest for nursery inspiration at 7 weeks.

3. Started saving money for a teepee at 8 weeks.

4. Measured entire nursery to make sure teepee would fit at 9 weeks.

5. Ordered this teepee from Etsy at 14 weeks.

(This was taken with an iPhone, fyi.)

Nevermind the crib, burp cloths or diapers—our number one priority was, obviously, a teepee for baby girl. And since she hasn’t been able to sit up on her own until very recently, it hasn’t appeared in any photographs with her… until now.

So this is me being vulnerable for a sec: It used to be that “I don’t do baby photos.” When clients have asked, I’ve said no—unless we’re really good friends, and then I didn’t charge.

In the past I have been very uncomfortable around babies. I literally had no idea what to do if they cried, and I wasn’t confident enough in my abilities to capture them in a positive light. I was so hung up on the perfectly posed, peaches-n-cream skin tone, Anne Geddes-style photos that other photographers produced.

The reality is I debated whether or not to even publish these to my website! I can tell you everything that I see wrong with these pictures: There’s ugly, prickly grass poking through the back of the teepee because I didn’t choose a big enough blanket. Her face isn’t 100% sharp and in-focus in one of the photos, because I’m still learning my new lens. You can even tell my camera wasn’t exactly level in another. Oh, and there’s wrinkles on the teepee fabric!

However, there are many things that are perfect about these pictures: Her tiny toes. Her bright, blue eyes. Her very in-the-moment, genuine expressions. And the lighting is pretty spectacular. Oh, and this other photo of her and her daddy…

All this to say, I am proud to finally be offering baby photo sessions. I don’t have an official package just yet and spots are limited, but I won’t charge $800 like many other photographers in town. So give me a shout right now, while I’m still “practicing,” and we’ll get you and your little on my schedule this spring!

What to Wear to Your Family Photo Session

I get asked about this all the time, so I decided to create a resource with some of my favorite examples. Here are my tips on how to dress for your family photo session.

You Want to Look Timeless, Not Twinning.

We’ve all seen the beach photos where everyone is wearing polos that are the exact same color. If that’s really your jam, I can work with that! However, pictures are more aesthetically pleasing and allow everyone’s personalities to shine through if you coordinate your outfits, not clone them.

Think About Where The Photos Will Be Displayed.

Here’s an idea a lot of people don’t think about: You want your family photos to look great in whatever space they’ll be displayed in. If you’re going to put them up in your modern living room full of neutrals, you probably don’t want everyone wearing hot pink.

Side note: We ran into this issue with pictures of our newborn daughter. When I went to choose which pictures to print on canvases for a gallery wall, I realized she was wearing pink or green and yellow (Go Pack Go!) in many of the photos. And my living room is very white, grey, and calm. I ended up re-shooting photos of her that wouldn’t disrupt the vibe and color scheme I’d already established.

So think about which rooms you plan to put them in, and use that to help inform your color choices. If your plans or paint color change, I can always get you black and white options—which goes with everything!

One Pattern For Every Two Solids.

I love it when families break up solid colors with tasteful patterns. If you do, I recommend having one person wearing a pattern for every two people wearing solid colors. This isn’t an exact formula, but the best-looking photos seem to have that type of mix. And remember, you can always mix and match solid colors on one person using layers: A vest, a scarf, a jacket, etc.

Consider Your Comfort.

The most important thing, of course, is that you feel most like yourself in what you’re wearing. For some people, posing for family photos is out of the ordinary and uncomfortable enough—so be sure your clothes don’t make you feel self-conscious.

I hope this helps, and I can’t wait to see you at our photo session!