If you want the answer to my all-time favorite family photo ideas, it’ll always be in-home sessions!! Especially in YOUR home. You might be asking yourself, “wait, Jackie does family photo sessions?” Yessss I do, but not very often. So when my schedule is free and a family reaches out who has a fun vision for their shoot, I always look forward to it!
That’s exactly what happened with Mandee + Hayden popped into my inbox looking with some sweet family photo ideas and wanted to know if I had time to squeeze them in. I’m a sucker for a cute Christmas card so we made it work with both of our schedules and I am so happy I did!!
Mandee + Hayden invited me over to their amazing home in Missoula, MT with only one simple request: capture a normal day as they hang out with their kiddos. Heck yaaaa I can do that!
They went on to tell me that they are big holiday people – birthdays, Christmas, any type of celebration. They spend a lot of time in the kitchen baking treats as a family. They love life on their little homestead, spending plenty of time outside and with their goats, pigs, and most notably their 13-year-old bulldog named Buzz. Even with my ideas for their cozy, in-home family starting to swirl around my brain, their day unfolded so effortlessly and naturally – just the way I like it!
I arrived at their house and immediately thanked the photography gods for their big windows beaming with natural light, but also their down-to-earth vibe as a family. They snuggled on the couch, danced around their Christmas tree, played outside in the snow. Their daughter was immediately loving my presence, ready for her time in the spotlight as she played the piano and snuggled with her younger brother, who was much less excited to be around the camera. But after a quick trip to the kitchen to snack on marshmallows and let the sugar do its job, they both were running around their house as if I wasn’t even there. Buzz got his time in front of the camera too, as Mandee + Hayden told me it would probably be his last Christmas with the family. A very special moment to capture as a self-proclaimed crazy dog lady myself!!
While weddings + elopements fill most of my calendar, I’ve always got some family photo ideas up my sleeve for updating the art on your walls, your holiday cards, planning a special occasion, or have a fur baby you want captured. (No seriously, I really am a crazy dog lady and 100% want to add your pup to your shoot, let Shannon, Jared, + Obie be more proof!)
Just head on over to my contact page, let me know what vision you have in mind, and we’ll see if I can get you on my schedule, what do ya think?! I’m ready when you are!
