Let me guess.

You've been wanting to book a family session for a while now, but every time you get close, a little voice in your head whispers: "But what about the kids?"


Maybe your toddler won't stop moving. Maybe your two-year-old is in that stage where they refuse to smile on command — or refuse to do anything on command, honestly. Maybe you've already apologized in your head for how your kids are going to "ruin" the session.


I want you to take a breath, because I'm about to tell you something that might change everything:

I don't expect your kids to sit still. I don't want them to.


I'm a family photographer based in northern Idaho, and the sessions I love most — the images that make parents actually smile when they see their gallery — almost never involve a perfectly posed family staring into the camera. They look a lot more like the photos you're about to see.

Parents swinging their happy toddler girl by her hands outdoors in a sunlit forest setting.
A joyful toddler girl in a floral dress runs toward the camera outdoors, with her smiling father in the background.
A happy family of three enjoys a sunny day by a mountain lake, with parents smiling at their toddler daughter.

The "Perfect Session" Is A Myth - And An Exhausting One


Here's the thing about those stock-photo-perfect family portraits: they look beautiful in theory, and stressful in practice. Getting a toddler to sit still, smile naturally, look at the camera and not pick their nose at the same time? That's basically asking for a small miracle.


And when parents come into a session focused on achieving that — when the energy is tense, when mom is whispering "look at the camera, please" through gritted teeth — it shows. The kids feel it. The parents feel it. And the photos feel it.


What I'm after isn't a performance. It's you — the real, loud, beautiful, slightly chaotic version of your family that exists on any given Tuesday.

Movement Is Where the Magic Lives


Some of my favorite frames happen when kids are walking away from me. Or running. Or spinning in circles for no reason. Or when dad scoops up the toddler mid-tantrum and it accidentally turns into the best photo of the day.


Candid, in-motion shots are where the real connection lives. The way your kid reaches for your hand without thinking. The way you both instinctively crouch down to their level. The way your partner looks at your child when they don't know anyone's watching.


That stuff can't be posed. It just happens — and my job is to be ready when it does.


Here in northern Idaho, we've got incredible backdrops to play in: pine-covered hillsides, glittering lake shores, wide open golden fields. The landscape practically invites movement. So let your kids run. I'll be right there.

Family of three walking hand-in-hand on a sunny forest trail, parents guiding toddler in white dress.
A smiling man in a white t-shirt carries a happy little girl on his shoulders outdoors with hills in the background.

Here's How I Actually Work With Kids



I don't direct kids. I follow them.


My approach is pretty simple: I let the little ones take the lead, and I redirect the parents into moments around whatever the kid is naturally doing. If she's obsessed with a stick she found, we work with the stick. If he's only interested in running from one parent to the other, we make that a game and I shoot from the middle.


I bring a lot of energy. I'm not above making completely ridiculous sounds to get a real laugh. I've been known to pretend to fall down. I do what works.


And here's the secret: kids warm up fast when nobody's pressuring them. The moment you stop trying to get the smile and just play, it shows up on its own.

Here's How I Actually Work With Kids



I don't direct kids. I follow them.


My approach is pretty simple: I let the little ones take the lead, and I redirect the parents into moments around whatever the kid is naturally doing. If she's obsessed with a stick she found, we work with the stick. If he's only interested in running from one parent to the other, we make that a game and I shoot from the middle.


I bring a lot of energy. I'm not above making completely ridiculous sounds to get a real laugh. I've been known to pretend to fall down. I do what works.


And here's the secret: kids warm up fast when nobody's pressuring them. The moment you stop trying to get the smile and just play, it shows up on its own.

Your Job Is Simpler Than You Think


Parents always ask me: "What do we need to do to make this go well?"


My answer is honestly pretty short:

Show up. Be present. Forget about the camera.


That's it. You don't need to manage your kids for me. You don't need to prep them with a big speech about being on their best behavior (that usually backfires anyway). You don't need to stress about nap schedules, though timing around them is always smart.


Bring a snack they love for a mid-session reset. Wear something you feel good in. And then just — be together. Talk to each other. Play with your kid. Let the morning or evening feel like a family outing that happens to have someone photographing it.


I'll handle the rest.

Black and white photo of a smiling woman holding a young girl in a floral dress outdoors.
A smiling mother crouches outdoors holding her happy toddler daughter, both wearing casual outfits near a scenic lake.
A happy family with a young toddler girl posing outdoors on a sunny mountain trail surrounded by trees.

The Shot You'll Treasure Most Probably Happened During the "Chaos"


Every single time I deliver a gallery, parents tell me the same thing: their favorite image wasn't the one where everyone was looking at the camera. It was the one they didn't even know I took.


The moment dad caught her mid-tumble and they both cracked up. The toddler who refused to cooperate for 20 minutes and then suddenly grabbed both parents by the hand and took off running. The quiet moment where mom pressed her nose into her baby's hair and closed her eyes.


Those are the ones on your wall five years from now. The messy ones. The real ones. The ones that smell like sunscreen and pine trees and the particular summer your kid was two.


I've been photographing families across northern Idaho — from Coeur d'Alene to Sandpoint and everywhere in between — and I can tell you: the "imperfect" sessions almost always produce the most stunning galleries. Because imperfect means real, and real is what makes a photo last.

Ready To Book? Here Is What We Do Next.

A couple smiles warmly at their toddler daughter outdoors near a lake surrounded by trees.

If you've been putting off booking because you're nervous about how your kids will do — that's exactly why you should reach out. That's my specialty. That's what I'm here for.


I'd love to hear about your family, chat through the best location and timing for your littles, and take all the pressure off your plate so you can actually enjoy this.


→ Click here to inquire about your family session


Sessions are available throughout northern Idaho, including Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Rathdrum, Sandpoint, and surrounding areas.

You don't need perfect kids for beautiful photos. You just need yours.