Welcome Guide
About Me
Hi, I'm Sophie!
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I'm a lifestyle family photographer based in Seattle and serving the surrounding Metro-Area. I'm into capturing natural, beautiful and timeless photographs of the ones you love most. I believe a beautiful portrait should portray much more than just a smile, so it's my goal to make you and your loved ones feel at ease so you can relax, be yourselves and I can capture the real you. Together, we can create meaningful, heart-warming photos with real moments that you can cherish forever.
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I am a busy Mom of a 2 little boys, one who loves mud, bike and anything building, and a baby who loves to explore, eat and look at pop up books. I'm married to my best friend and am a grower of plants and veggies and keeper of chickens. I love being outside and calling the PNW home. Originally from London, I used to grey skies but sorry Seattle, I prefer tea to coffee!
Petite Session
Sessions are a taster of an All-Inclusive Session so they don't include all the series and combinations of a longer session but are a great way to refresh photos for a new stage, capture a milestone or test out a session for the first time. Sessions typically focus on capturing the family together in a few different ways and usually the children together and individually.
Includes:
- 10 Digital Photos of your choice from your gallery of 30-50 photos (high resolution, hand-edited)
- Online Gallery to view & share with family and friends and download straight to your device(s).
- This Welcome Guide to make getting ready a breeze.
- Pre-session Questionnaire so I can find out what's important to you these days, your hopes for your session and answer any questions. Click here to complete yours, if you haven't already!
- Option to Add Additional Photos - $20 each or $150 for complete gallery.
- Option to order from the Print Shop for archival quality prints, beautiful albums, greeting cards & design service straight from your gallery.
- All photos delivered within 14 business days.
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All-Inclusive Session
This is my most popular session. It's a one hour session, that includes all your photos from your photo session in color and black & white. That's at least 60+ photos, usually a lot more! We have time to explore, get all the combinations and even stop to change the baby - I never clock watch, we are done, when we are done! This session also includes a downloadable slideshow of your session.
Includes:
- 1 hour session.
- 60+ digital high resolution, hand-edited photos in both color & black and white (usually a lot more!)
- Online Gallery & Slideshow accessed by private password to share with family and friends and download straight to your device(s).
- This Welcome Guide to make getting ready a breeze.
- Pre-session Questionnaire so I can find out what's important to you these days, your hopes for your session and answer any questions.
- Print Shop to order professional quality prints, beautiful albums & greeting cards straight from your gallery.
- Option to order from the Print Shop for archival quality prints, beautiful albums, greeting cards & design service straight from your gallery.
- All photos delivered within 14 business days.
Your Gallery
Session galleries include a range of photos to capture this time in your lives.
Galleries will be a selection of
candid and posed photos, close-ups and full body photos as well as creative pics inspired during your session. All photo's will be available in color and black & white.
Family sessions typically include multiple family portraits (standing, sitting, moving) children alone, sibling photos and individual parent with child/children photos (when possible).
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Feel free to let me know if you'd prefer more or less of something in your session.
Each session is custom designed to suit your unique style, needs and schedule.
Planning for your Session
Step One
Schedule a date for your session.
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Step Two
Pay your deposit and fill out the questionnaire so I can begin to plan your session.
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Step Three
Decide on a location - somewhere special to you or one of my suggestions based on your questionnaire answers and location.
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Step Four
Plan your clothing for the session. Take a look at my Pintrest board for inspiration and some further tips below. Send Sophie photos of your space if staying home. Got questions? Let me know.
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Step Five
Check your route, parking options and typical time of day delays to make sure you arrive in time to get to the meet spot or just prepare your home if staying at home.
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Step Six
Relax, breathe and enjoy your session.
How to Plan Your Clothing
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Laying out your clothes together or standing together in front of a mirror is a great way to check your clothes don't clash, aren't too matchy-matchy and aren't too similar in color.​
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Having a 'color-scheme' can work nicely for selecting your clothing. Using different shades of the chosen colors to match as a group. (See color scheme inspiration on the next page.)​
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Don't forget your shoes - please make sure your shoes are clean and tidy!​
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Prepare a change of clothes for sessions with newborns, babies and tots, just in case they have an accident.
What to Wear
The most important thing when it comes to clothing is everyone should be happy and comfortable in what they wear.
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In general, I advise people to avoid the items listed below for optimal results but as long as you are comfortable walking, sitting and moving around for your session - that is my priority!
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Best to avoid:
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short skirts/dresses
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high heels
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colors that match your skin-tone
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branding (text, logos, graphics)
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being too matchy-matchy with eachother
Pintrest Inspiration
Visit my Pintrest board for clothing ideas and inspiration.
Ideally you won't have to buy anything. I encourage a parent to pick something they love to wear from your closet and build everyone's outfits around it.
For example, for a summer session with my family, I had a long blue dress I loved and some new sandals I just picked up for summer that would match. My husband had a complimentary shirt and khaki's. He also had clean casual shoes that would compliment my outfit colors and we bought a fresh white t-shirt for my son to wear and he had some beige shorts in his closet that still fit that we used to complete the look!
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Color Scheme Inspiration
Spring & Summer
Blues, Tan, & White
Pinks, Tan & White
Pinks, Blue, Creams & Tan
Pinks, Greens, Blues & White
Yellows, Pinks, Greens & White
Yellows, Navy, Light Greys & Tan
Light Purples, Beige, Greens & Yellows
Greens, Blues & Creams
Color Scheme Inspiration II
Fall & Winter
Browns, Creams & Greys Ochre,
Greys & Black Crimson,
Blues & Tan Blues,
Browns & Creams
Browns, Mustard Yellow & Greys
Navy, Warm Pinks, Yellows & White
Mid-Dark Oranges, Greens & White
Greys, Black, Red & Creams
Prop ideas
I don't use a lot of props in my sessions and when I do, I like to keep it minimal and simple. However, special items & personal touches like those mentioned below are always welcome to be featured in your gallery.
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Engagement / Anniversary - ​Close-ups of rings or bringing your favorite fresh flowers to include that compliment your outfit.
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Maternity - A change of jacket, cardigan or wrap is a great way to add variety. This can provide both a casual and more dressy look within a gallery or add a splash of color to the scene which can make these galleries extra special. Some expectant parents like to bring along sentimental items to a maternity session like tiny shoes, a special outfit or a baby scan.
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Newborn - Special blankets or swaddles, soft animals or wooden toys. Indoor sessions also use many parts of the home during the session.
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Family - A sentimental outfit item or accessory, a musical instrument, football, a special wooden toy, book, soft animal, ballet shoes, cheerleader poms are some items I have featured in the past.
In-Home Session Prep
What to Expect
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Once your date is confirmed - please take a few photos or video clips of the spaces you'd be happy to use for your session to help me plan your shoot. I'll send you an email to confirm which spaces we can likely use to minimize any prep for your session. It's usually 2-4 areas in your home, and not even full rooms, often just the main bed and side tables, the nursery or area by the patio doors.
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Please prepare those areas the night before or morning of, by clearing things like large piles of paperwork/mail/laundry as they can stand-out in a photo of your space. Please don’t feel like you have to ‘deep clean’ before your session - you totally don’t! A simple tidy up is sufficient in the spaces we plan to use.
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On the day, we will do a quick walk-through to talk about what we plan to do and we can confirm final choices on baby outfits and swaddles, if needed. Having a simple neutral blanket to wrap or swaddle baby is a great way to keep them feeling safe and secure during the session. I can help you swaddle them if you are unsure.
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For clothing, simple is best, for babies, something easy to take off and put on, so we can get some nude or in diaper photos, if they've just had a change shortly before my arrival, feel free to leave them unclothed in a blanket with their diaper.
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No need to overfeed baby to make them sleepy, babies can be awake or asleep and usually are a bit of both for the session. Feed baby just enough so they are comfortable shortly before my arrival. Nursing or bottle feeding photos are also typical during a newborn session as babies feed regularly.
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Baby comes first during the session, I never pose them in a position that makes them uncomfortable and never force a pose. When baby needs to eat, be changed, have a cuddle, be soothed or take a break, they can! - all these things are expected and typical in a newborn session and become part of the session. Babies do not need to be sleeping and quiet - I do not expect that of them.
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Again, please don't feel like you need to clear everything or make anything perfect - you don't, we are celebrating your space and your lives now, these days, and that's important to archive and cherish and not tidy away. If anything stands out as needing to be moved for a shot on the day - I'll just shift it over, if that’s ok, no big deal. I aim to make it an easy and relaxed in-home session so shouldn’t be a worry or feel stressful or give you lots of do when you have a newborn!
Tips for sessions with little ones
Going on an Adventure!
Younger children enjoy the session much more if you are excited about it too! - talk about the session like an adventure or discovery they are going to make. Include them in choices about their outfits and talk about what you might see at the location.
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Dress for the Weather
Don't forget sweaters/jackets when planning outfits!
Dress for the season to make sure no-one gets chilly on cold days or overheated on warm days. Cold kids tend to want to go home! Bring an extra layer of clothing to put on, just in case it's colder than expected.
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Day Before Prep
Get your outfits, bags and snacks ready the day before to ease the stress on the day. Plan your route and parking. Prep the kids.
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Don't Stress
If you're stressed, kids will feel it too. Relax and leave the worries of the photos to me! I've got you!
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It's ok to Play
We will start with group photos then we will open up and explore and stop along the way for photos. There is time to put the camera down, play, chat and then get back to photos and/or take them during play. Curiosity and games can turn into photo opportunities so don't worry
if they want to play or run around.
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Smile Expectations
Don't encourage children to be smiley for the camera. This can make children feel pressured and upset during a session. Instead
we will stimulate a smile or happy moment through playing with them, loving on them and joking around with them to capture a genuine smile that reflects the real them. It only takes a moment, they don't have to be smiling the whole session to capture these moments. I also aim to capture tender and sweet moments so there is no need to keep smiling during the entire session. Feel free to just love on your kids and make them feel good and secure. Lifestyle photography is more about your interactions and connections than everyone looking at the camera smiling at the same time, this translates into more natural-looking photos and less pressure for you and the children too.
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Praise & Rewards
Encouraging and praising their efforts can help children keep their attention and interest for longer.
A reminder about an ice cream shop visit, special meal or surprise when they get home can also help them power through when they are struggling toward the end of a session.
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Tips for sessions with
tweens & teens
Session Anticipation
Talk to older children about the style of the session - let them know to expect a relaxed session in the park or home where they can be themselves and don't have to worry about smiling and looking at the camera. This can help them reduce nerves and stress about the session. Let teens know how much you cherish this time with them and why you want to capture it.
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Clothing & Hair Choices
Older children can feel self-conscious or embarrassed about photo sessions. Having power and choice over clothing and hairstyles can help give them a confidence boost to make them feel good for the session.
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Day Before Prep
Get your outfits and bags ready the day before to ease the stress on the session day. Plan your route and parking. Keep talk about the session
laid-back to keep pressure off. Remind kids about the time they need to get ready and leave so they can plan and anticipate it in their day and activities.
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Praise & Rewards
Praise their efforts during the session, keep it positive, and don't feel defeated if they don't go for one of the ideas - that's ok - I have plenty of others up my sleeve! Rewards for the session can work for older kids too. 'Let's do a few more then we will go get/do'.
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How to look natural when you feel awkward...
Where to Put your Arms
I will guide you with this so you can feel comfortable in each sequence of photo's. Try your pockets, linked with a loved ones arms, around a loved one or tickling or playing within the photo. But don't worry - I'll suggest things as we go.
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Where to Look
Don't worry about looking at the camera, it can make you freeze up and create unnatural smiles. I'll let you know if I NEED you to look at the camera, if not, feel free to look and interact with your loved ones. If in doubt, (especially for teens and adult children) - looking out at the distance or scenery around works great for lifestyle photography.
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Something to do
We will move around a lot and try different backdrops to keep energy and momentum in the session. I'll also give you things to 'do' so you can focus on something else than being photographed. Many people think they have to stand still during photo sessions and that makes nerves skyrocket - we will move, play around, mess about and have fun to keep movement and joy in your photo's naturally.
Print Shop
I have partnered with a premier photography lab to offer you
beautiful printing options straight from your gallery.
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From simple and stylish greeting cards and prints to hand-torn deckled prints on cotton paper, gallery boards & wooden photo boxes.
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Simply select the product you would like, add your desired photos and checkout.
I review and proof all items for and then send them off to the lab for printing. Your items will be delivered to your door.
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New for 2023 - Luxury LayFlat Album Design Service.
Helpful Links
