Kinney in-home family session

I know I have had a lot to say about in-home motherhood sessions or in-home family sessions, but coming from someone who isn’t a mama, it is might not mean as much, and I get that. This past month, I had the honor of coming into a friends home to capture a day-in-the-life of their world which has taken on a new rhythm since the arrival of sweet little Kinsley. Shelby and I had rescheduled a couple of times—first for health precautions (I take it VERY seriously to come into someone’s home in this Covid-19 world) but the other was because she was feeling the pressure of having to make the home perfect. But that is the beauty of this session—it really isn’t meant to capture the perfect. After I shot the session and delivered the photos, I asked Shelby if she wouldn’t mind sharing with me her experience in hopes that other mamas on the fence would feel a little more confident about these sessions. So here is a little bit of Shelby’s perspective:

“As the time for our session with Joanna got closer, I was stressing out to the max over everything I needed to clean and put away in my house. The list in my head was miles long. Joanna then sent me exactly what I needed to read in order to relax.

(I do provide all my mama’s a concise PDF that will help you prepare and not feel overwhelmed).

I did basic pickup, but nothing crazy. Toys were still out in the open — because that is life around here anyway. I originally wanted everything to be void of anything less than the Pinterest perfect home. Letting that expectation of myself go, made such a huge difference. Once Joanna arrived, I felt even better. She’s so easy to feel relaxed with and gives only just enough direction, while she is capturing those perfectly imperfect moments that truly represented our family. We easily moved to a few different rooms (each lacking that “perfect” look in my mind).

The whole session didn’t feel long or tiring. As a mom, I certainly worry about how long my kids will last. This will never be a worry for me anymore ! I am so thankful for the whole experience and for the priceless pictures we now have from it!

-Shelby