Fun Fact: My first ever photoshoot was an extended family session right near a willow tree! I have come quite a ways from my first extended family shoot to this one. Some how I’ve been very lucky to have lots of requests for extended family sessions. I’ve noticed over the years that many local photographers won’t take on extended family sessions. I get it, it’s a lot to juggle! Especially when you have very large groups of over 20+ family members

I recently had a client reach out asking how to prepare for her Fall mini session. She has a three and four year old and wants to know what to expect. I’m so glad she asked because I’m sure there are many people out there who have never had a mini session and don’t know what they are in for. I had to think back to my first mini session with our first daughter back in 2018. I didn’t know what to expect but I knew we weren’t going to have a lot of time. Here is what I wish I had known.

I’m not sure how I held on to these photos all winter and spring without sharing but as I’m working on my fall calendar to release dates I thought it was about time! This is not only one of my favorite families in the Treasure Valley it’s also my favorite location. This mama rocked the outfits so well and their color palette was perfect for these lovely fall portraits.

When families reach out to me to photograph their families for the third time I am so honored. Really, I am! It feels so special to watch a family grow. I’ve been taking Olivia’s photos for a few years now and to watch her growth has been such a pleasure. This sweet family of three usually brings along the paternal grandmother but this session they also brought along the maternal grandmother which was so incredibly special!

During spring I get a lot of questions from clients on what to wear for their family photoshoots. Trees are blooming, grasses are bright green and sometimes overgrown. There may also be lovely light purple wild flowers in June! Everything is coming alive and we don’t want our outfits competing with mother nature.

I recently had the pleasure of hosting some spring mini sessions at Gem Orchards in Emmett(https://gemorchards.com/), Idaho. The photos were taken in the peach orchard. The bees were buzzing and so happy. Some of the kids were nervous of the bees but they wanted nothing to do with us as they were extremely fulfilled with polinating those peach blossoms. It was really cool to see all the peach pits on the ground next to the trees.

I love when my clients have new locations for me! Certainly the Boise River is not a new location but this particular spot was. It was within walking distance to their home and it was so lovely! I loved how quiet, peaceful, and remote this section of the Green Belt.

My favorite family sessions are when the family brings elements of what makes them unique to their session. For this family in the past they have brought a cooler of beverages and a football to throw around. This session started with a shot of bourbon to knock the edge off! This isn’t uncommon as many people feel shy in front of the camera or maybe they share a love of bourbon!

One of my favorite photo locations is the Dry Creek Historical Society! The reason being is that the Treasure Valley has a lot of beautiful locations for family photos but most aren’t private and you will run into other photographers pining for the best spots. You don’t have to do that here at the Farmstead Gardens because photographers are required to have a yearly pass to photograph here. I’ve made the investment to support the historical society by purchasing the pass. This allows my clients a very special location.

Reid Merrill Park in Eagle, Idaho is one of the most popular photoshoot locations in the Treasure Valley. It’s pretty much guaranteed that every time I have a shoot here I will see other photographers. It’s for a good reason since this area of Eagle has amazing access to the green belt as well as the Boise River. It looks good all year long and it is a very convient location for most families.