I always joke that when it comes to family portraits, you can only accomplish 2 of the following: 1) be on time, 2) be well dressed & groomed, or 3) be kind to your family members. It’s a lot to get everyone dressed and looking their best and to get out of the house on time. But an easy hack to eliminate stressor number 1 – have portraits taken at home!

Hosting portraits in your own home has several advantages:

1. You don’t have to rush out the door and factor in transportation time – your photographer comes to you!
2. You’re already comfortable in this setting. It’s easy to feel self-conscious or overwhelmed when you’re in a new environment, but comfort is a guarantee on your own turf. Your photos will reflect this ease.
3. Inside and outside are both on the table, which gives you variety.
4. It’s less walking. Any of my portrait clients will tell you that they definitely meet their step goals on portrait days. I tend to walk and wander a lot during sessions where we meet at public parks, gardens, or trails. But if we stay at home, it’s nice and easy.

Now I know what you’re thinking – indoor photos mean the house must be spotless. But I promise there’s ways to hack it! I’ve captured family portraits at a client’s home where we stayed outside the entire time – so there’s never an indoor requirement. For any session where we’re shooting inside – it’s all about rearranging. What you don’t see in the photos below are the stacks of wipes, diapers, and baby books that we strategically shoved in the corner. You won’t see bedside clutter or charging cords or stray dog toys. I’m a pro at shoving stuff to the side, and since we’re at home there’s plenty of time to quickly get each space into photo-shape. You can speed up our room prep by opening all curtains and blinds to let the light in, but don’t feel any pressure to clean, organize, or Marie-Kondo your home.

Lastly, I love at home portraits the most because they capture you in your everyday. When actions feel natural – snuggling on the couch, reading a book in the nursery – they look natural. And I think it’s beautiful to have memories preserved of your home – imperfections and all. There’s just something special about embracing your own space and capturing the love that lives there.