Bay Area Documentary Family Photographer
I had the pleasure of photographing their first baby soon after he was born. Now it’s time for him to be a big brother! And it’s going to be amazing because since they’ll be so close in age, they’re going to be the best of friends. We had such a fun time together eating snacks, playing in the background, cuddling and tickling. This beautiful family is simply a joy to work with and I’m so honored to watch their family grow!
It's that time of year again! Time to book your holiday storytelling session. This year I'm doing things a little differently. Because I am so passionate about capturing the beauty in the unique rhythm and rituals of your family, I am only offering in-home sessions this holiday season. And don't worry, we will get a nice posed photograph suitable for holiday cards and all that good stuff. Here are some FAQs that you may be wondering about:
Tell me again, why are you only offering in-home sessions?
The short answer is: your home is where your story is. There is no more perfect a backdrop than the home that your family has made together. These are where your memories are made. The paint on the walls, the furniture in the dining room, the kids art posted on the fridge are all beautiful details that are uniquely yours. Five, ten, twenty years from now when you look at the photos from your session, your marvel at how small the children once were and chubbiness of their cheeks and toes, but you'll also notice your old beloved cat snoozing in the background or the art on the walls or the glider you used to sit in each day to nurse. Another reason I prefer to shoot in your home is that this where your family, especially your children, are most comfortable. They feel safest there, and because of that, they are usually much more open to being photographed than outside at a park in the middle of the fall. In your home, I photograph your family on your terms.
You call yourself a documentary photographer. How does that work when photographing families?
I follow the action. It's really as simple as that. I don't pose you (unless it's for the holiday card shot I mentioned above). When I come into your home, I get to know you and your children. I get down on the floor with them and play. And as I start build trust and comfort, I begin to photograph them doing what they do-play, laugh, cuddle, and even cry at times. I don't direct you, unless you need a little help getting an activity going. My job is to stay out of your way and capture you doing what you do as a family.
But my house is a mess!
You might already know what I'm about to say. Your stuff is part of the story. And don't worry, you and your family will be the stars of the show, not your stuff. I have a few camera tricks that I use to minimize any distractions in the photos. But at the end of the day, your house is lived in and I fully expect it to look that way. And your stuff provides texture and color to the pallet.
Can you show me some examples of in-home sessions so I can get an idea of of the type of images you'll capture of my family?
Of course! Just click on the links below to be taken to a few recent in home-sessions:
http://www.halonaphotography.com/blog/2015/2/9/oakland-family-documentary-photographer-the-t-family
http://www.halonaphotography.com/blog/2014/12/17/8bjogvqjjokfed0olm95yxkqzmo7sd
http://www.halonaphotography.com/blog/2015/2/27/tf0x9btyosc5bj17241vl2k0y3xvz2
When are you scheduling sessions and how much do they cost?
I am scheduling sessions from September through December. Most session openings are during daylight hours on Saturdays and Sundays, but I can also work to make a few weekday sessions work.
Sessions are $350. That includes the session fee, a web gallery of fully- edited story, and 5 high res images. Other packages are available should want to purchase a few additional images or your full story.
Ok! I'm ready to book. How do we make that happen?
Awesome! Just click the "Contact" link above and drop me a quick line to let me know you'd like to further explore booking a session. I will then send you pricing info and brief questionnaire that will help me get to know you better and plan for your session. I look forward to it!
It's that time of year again! Time to book your holiday storytelling session. This year I'm doing things a little differently. Because I am so passionate about capturing the beauty in the unique rhythm and rituals of your family, I am only offering in-home sessions this holiday season. And don't worry, we will get a nice posed photograph suitable for holiday cards and all that good stuff. Here are some FAQs that you may be wondering about:
Tell me again, why are you only offering in-home sessions?
The short answer is: your home is where your story is. There is no more perfect a backdrop than the home that your family has made together. These are where your memories are made. The paint on the walls, the furniture in the dining room, the kids art posted on the fridge are all beautiful details that are uniquely yours. Five, ten, twenty years from now when you look at the photos from your session, your marvel at how small the children once were and chubbiness of their cheeks and toes, but you'll also notice your old beloved cat snoozing in the background or the art on the walls or the glider you used to sit in each day to nurse. Another reason I prefer to shoot in your home is that this where your family, especially your children, are most comfortable. They feel safest there, and because of that, they are usually much more open to being photographed than outside at a park in the middle of the fall. In your home, I photograph your family on your terms.
You call yourself a documentary photographer. How does that work when photographing families?
I follow the action. It's really as simple as that. I don't pose you (unless it's for the holiday card shot I mentioned above). When I come into your home, I get to know you and your children. I get down on the floor with them and play. And as I start build trust and comfort, I begin to photograph them doing what they do-play, laugh, cuddle, and even cry at times. I don't direct you, unless you need a little help getting an activity going. My job is to stay out of your way and capture you doing what you do as a family.
But my house is a mess!
You might already know what I'm about to say. Your stuff is part of the story. And don't worry, you and your family will be the stars of the show, not your stuff. I have a few camera tricks that I use to minimize any distractions in the photos. But at the end of the day, your house is lived in and I fully expect it to look that way. And your stuff provides texture and color to the pallet.
Can you show me some examples of in-home sessions so I can get an idea of of the type of images you'll capture of my family?
Of course! Just click on the links below to be taken to a few recent in home-sessions:
http://www.halonaphotography.com/blog/2015/2/9/oakland-family-documentary-photographer-the-t-family
http://www.halonaphotography.com/blog/2014/12/17/8bjogvqjjokfed0olm95yxkqzmo7sd
http://www.halonaphotography.com/blog/2015/2/27/tf0x9btyosc5bj17241vl2k0y3xvz2
When are you scheduling sessions and how much do they cost?
I am scheduling sessions from October 15th through Dec 15th. Most session openings are during daylight hours on Saturday and Sunday, but I can also work to make a weekday session work for a few clients.
Sessions are $350. That includes the session fee, a web gallery of fully- edited story, and 5 high res images. Other packages are available should want to purchase a few additional images or your full story.
Ok! I'm ready to book. How do we make that happen?
Awesome! Just click the "Contact" link above and drop me a quick line to let me know you'd like to further explore booking a session. I will then send you pricing info and brief questionnaire that will help me get to know you better and plan for your session. I look forward to it!
I've been in a photography rut. It happens. I've experienced it enough times in my journey to not fear it. I actually embrace it. Many times I'm typed the url address of my website and looked around at all the pretty pictures, but didn't feel an innate connection to the images. It was almost as if I was admiring the work of someone else. And that was ok with me because I knew that with time I would reconnect. And I have. In fact, if I really think about it. I haven't really stopped taking images. I shoot a lot still. But the difference has been that I've simply dumped the cards onto my hard drive and walked away. So now I am working through the pile of raw photos enjoying the discovery of a few gems.
So here we are, back in the summer of 2015- late July to be exact. A week in San Diego surrounded by sand, surf, the ones I love most in the world. The light was golden, as was our skin. The moods were light (as light as can be when you have a 3 year old in your pack), and the living was easy. I am looking forward to our next summer time get-away where our only job is to have fun. Until then, I have these photos.
I had the extreme pleasure of photographing this beautiful family the day after their second child was born. I met them for a Fresh 48 hospital session. What made it particularly special was that this was the very first hospital session I'd photographed. And it couldn't have been a sweeter family. They we so at east, so welcoming, so sweet to each other and to each other. Check-out their hospital newborn session here.
So when they asked me to come to their home the following November to photograph their family in time for the holidays. They welcomed me in to their adorable home with the same smiles I remember from their last session. This time, the baby boy was now deliciously round and alert and as happy as could be. And their sweet little girl was eager to show me her room and toys. As you can see in the photos, they really enjoy each other. You can almost hear the laughter coming through the images. This is definitely my kind of family.
There are few manifestations of the bond between mother and child sweeter than the breastfeeding relationship. When I think about my children as infants and young toddlers, it's the thing that comes to mind first and the that which I miss the most. When my client, Rachel, inquiring whether I would be interested in photographing a mama and baby breastfeeding session, I couldn't say yes fast enough. So, I spent a beautiful afternoon with them hanging out at their house, chatting about babies and life, watching them bake scones, and witnessing their precious. Here's their story.
Week 24 of my 365.
I love color. The brighter, the better in my book. So, when I drove up to this family's home, and certainly when I stepped in the door, I felt right at home. They have such a bright and happy home and it is a total reflection of the people they are.
And boy, did we have a good time during their shoot. I following the super sweet and energetic boys around as they played with cars, blocks, balls and everything in between. It was such a beautiful day, so we also spent some time in their backyard swinging on the swing set and blowing bubbles.
One of the things I love about the families I get to work with is the strong partnership amongst the parents. And these two were no exception. They love each other deeply and it's evident in the gentle way they interact with one another. Those interactions are one of my favorite things to photograph.
I'll stop talking and let you scroll through the photographs to see more of this super fun family. Enjoy!
