There’s no better feeling than receiving the final email from your family photographer. After all the work it takes to prepare for the session, you’re so ready to spend an hour or two viewing, sharing, and celebrating your gorgeous gallery. Browsing the gallery, your family is bright and beaming, just as you’d hoped. There isn’t a smile lost on anyone. As a family photographer in Dallas, I understand the reality kids can bring to a shoot. Nothing makes for a more beautiful photo than a happy kid, while a tired or hungry kid has the power to distract from an entire session. While my life’s work is dedicated to capturing the joyful, harmonious moments, I understand that — between each shutter release — moods can change in an instant.

The lead-up to a family portrait session is as exciting as it is (sometimes) nerve-wracking. Yet, after the final shots are taken and we say our goodbyes, there often comes a period of relief for families, while I, as I begin to edit your gallery, go into full-blown hermit mode. So, I want to take you behind-the-scenes with me. What goes on during the course of those seven days between your shoot and receiving the link to your final gallery? In this post, I'm sharing my process, and the tools I use to edit your family portrait gallery.

One of the most commons questions I get as a family photographer is regarding what to wear for family pictures. After booking, it’s common for clients to ask for family photoshoot outfit ideas. To this, my reply is always the same: if your family photoshoot outfit makes you feel good, you’re doing it right. Whether you’re looking for unique family photo outfits or something more classic, there are outfits for family pictures that universally photograph well.

We may look forward to it all year, but somehow the Christmas and holiday season never fail to sneak up on us. I may be partial here, but I honestly believe there’s no better way to celebrate the end of another great year than by getting the family all dressed up for your annual family Christmas portraits.

Among the many upsides of being a family photographer in DFW is getting to meet families throughout the metroplex, as well as getting to explore various photoshoot locations in DFW. From the refined greenery along the Trinity to the stunning natural landscape of Arlington and Forth Worth, DFW is a family photographer’s dream.

If you’ve ever booked a session with me, you know I don’t do a ton of “posing” in the traditional sense. That isn’t to say I don’t use direction during our shoots — in fact, I am super hands-on, and will remedy any stiff arms or misplaced hands. Instead, whether you booked a family, maternity, or child portrait session, you can expect a series of guided prompts and activities to bring out those natural expressions.

What are photography prompts? Prompts are poses brought to life. There is one major difference between prompted and posed photography: instead of giving you a position to stand, I will give you a thing to do. For example: a family photographer may pose a family by indicating the order the family should stand in, directing them where to stand, and fixing anything that looks awkward or out of place. A pose like this would likely create an objectively nice photograph; however, it’s likely that the final result may seem a bit stiff. The smiles won’t seem natural because, well, they aren’t.