Well I am back for my 6th year photographing beautiful Edmonton area families. I am so lucky to still see many of the same families year after year, a huge shout out the the amazing families that have already booked their 2021 session date. I absolutely love seeing your families every year and sessions naturally become easier and easier as we all get to know each other a bit better. While I am starting to transition my business more towards newborn photography, I am still offering family sessions to any Edmonton and area family looking for updated family photos. The good news is that once I have photographed your family once, you will always be able to book again, but at some point in the next year or two I plan on only taking new newborn clients. If I have photographed your family I want to remind you how much your referrals mean to me, if you have any friends of family looking for a newborn or family photographer I sincerely appreciate you sharing my info.
This year I have a couple new packages available for family sessions. My Heirloom package sessions are offered on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, are 1-2 hours and include 20 images of your choice. New this year I am also offering a Keepsake package which is offered weeknights only (Mon-Thurs), are 30-60 mins and include 12 images of your choice. Hopefully one of these packages works for your family.
Sessions all take place 1-2 hours before sunset. All sessions you can see on my updated website have been shot at this time, aka golden hour, and this is to ensure that your photos have the most gorgeous light, color and contrast that isn’t available mid-day. I know the thought of keeping your kids up 1-2 hours later than usual is scary, but trust me I will give you all the prep you need to make your session a success. My sessions are pretty laid back and fun and rarely do I get cranky kids I can’t get some genuine smiles out of.
Your photo delivery has also changed a bit in 2021. This year you will receive a soft proof gallery 2 weeks following your session. Soft proof means that your photos will be cropped and color corrected only. Once you place your order I will apply more hand edits, including skin retouching, and your final high resolution professionally retouched images will be delivered 3-5 days later via your private online gallery.
Choosing when you to book your session depends on many factors, including the season and look you want, what nights of the week work best, how late your kids and stay up. I hope the following images and tips help you choose the time of year that works best for your family. Don’t ever hesitate to reach out if your have any questions at all.
Winter Family Photos
Winter family session are offering in November only. The average temperature ranges between 0 and -6℃. The sunsets in November between 3-4pm which can be convenient for families with little ones who can’t handle staying up too late. All of my family sessions are within 1-2 hours of sunset and in winter we can get that beautiful golden light as early as 3pm in November. Temperature is usually the main reason for rescheduling as I tend to reschedule if it is really windy or if the temperature is below -8. Some of the reasons I love winter family sessions are the adorable array of touques I see on little ones or when families bring hot chocolate to share with each other during the session. There are also some amazing winter events in YEG that I would be happy to photograph your family at including the beautiful Ice Castles and Glow Edmonton; or we could hit up an Edmonton area rink for some skating or hockey themed family photos. In home sessions are also available this time of year, I’d be more than happy to come photograph your family baking Christmas cookies or snuggling up in front of the fire place. Snuggles to keep warm are what I love most and your kids will be more than happy to get nice and close during a winter family session.
Spring Family and Graduation Sessions
Spring family sessions are offered in May to mid June. Weather can be fairly unpredictable (it snowed the year my daughter was born on May 7th and then 30 degrees on her first birthday!) but the average temperature ranges between 15-21℃. The days get a bit longer but no too long for little ones. Sessions will take place between 7pm in May to 8:00pm in early June. Some of the reasons I love spring family sessions is the light - I always seem to catch the most beautiful light this time of year. Plus- no bugs! The mosquitos don’t generally get bad before late May, but spring brings the beauty of summer with green grass and cherry blossoms by mid to late May. Spring is also the perfect time for grad sessions; I can capture the new grad the afternoon of graduation between the ceremony and banquet or the week or two before or after. Book your graduation session today by contacting me directly, spots are already booking up.
Summer Family Sessions
Summer family sessions take place between mid-June and August. This short and sweet season can see temperatures between an average of 21-23℃ with spikes a lot warmer. Thunderstorms are the main reason for rescheduling. Summer days are long! On the longest day of the year in late June the sun doesn’t set until after 10pm. Session times will range between 8:30pm in June down to 7:30pm in late August. This can seem alarming to some families who’s kids are in bed by 7 (like mine!) but trust me, our session will be so fun and action packed that any kid can handle one later than usual bedtime - Don’t worry! I will also be sure to prepare you for this later session with my family prep guide that I send to every family when they book a session. I love summer family sessions! Everything is green, flowers are bloomed and we can dip our toes in the water in some locations. I find dressing for a summer family session a bit more laid back too (not as many layers and kids can even go bare feet!). I would love to go berry picking with your family ( I know a couple good wild spots) or even photograph you amongst the big blue sky and canola fields in mid to late July. The main con - mosquitos! I carry a good supply of repellent to every session and tend to avoid areas where they are particularly bad; you can definitely prepare for mosquitos but it is something to keep in mind if you have little ones who are really bothered by them. Families also tend to gather this time of year, so if you are looking at booking an extended family session book a date when every one is home. Overall summer is a very popular season for family photography for good reason, book early to avoid missing out!
Fall Family Sessions
Last but definitely not least - Fall. The ever popular fall family sessions take place between very late August to early November (if we are lucky - as we saw in 2018 fall can turn to winter very fast!). Temperatures are sweater weather nice with an average temperature that trends down from 17 to 0℃. Days start to get shorter which means earlier session times ranging between 7pm in late August to 5pm in November (prior to day lights savings), perfect for little ones. Cancellations are generally rare except for very cold days. The beautiful fall colors are the main draw, but they are honestly fairly unpredictable. My suggestion would be early to book between mid-September until early October - that would be the best bet in an average year. These session dates book up fast! In 2020 my fall was fully booked by April. What don’t I love about fall sessions! Bugs are generally gone, weather is fair and the warm tones really suit my editing style the best; mostly I love that I usually get to see the same beautiful families year after year. Book now - some dates are already booked!
I hope that this helps you decide when the best time is for your 2021 family session! It’s going to be an amazing year, I hope you will join me!
