THE EXPERIENCE

Let's Get Started!

  1. Contact me here to get the ball rolling.
  2. I will send you my questionnaire so I can provide the best possible experience for you.
  3. We will pick a date.
  4. I will send you a contract and an invoice for a deposit.
  5. A couple days before your session, I will check in to see if you have any questions and to look at the weather forecast. If the weather looks good, we are all set!
  6. The day of your portrait session, you will receive an invoice for the balance.
  7. Relax, have fun, be yourself.
Two girls and a boy snuggle together in their backyard while sitting in the green grass with the sun behind them
Three brothers wear matching outfits and have fun at a Pittsburgh playground during a family photo shoot

What Should I Expect?

For a family portrait session, we will spend about an hour to an hour and a half together. I will start with whatever pose is most important to you (usually this is an all-family shot). We will then do smaller groups, like one parent with the child(ren), just children, just parents, and each child alone. By now everyone is relaxed, and I will take some “playing” shots. I will bring everyone back together at the end, just to make sure we get lots of variety with the all-family shot.

I tend to keep things relaxed and playful. If your children are active, I make it work! I am not judging anyone’s behavior or parenting skills. Trust me! I have my own kids, and I know family photos can be high stress. You never have to worry about what’s going through my head. I let active kids take the lead, and I always get great photographs.

When Should We Do This Thing?

We want to pick a time that strikes a balance between having good light and ensuring that kiddos are fed and well rested. For outdoor sessions, generally the two hours before sunset or the hour after sunrise is best. For in-home sessions, depending on the position of your house, mid-morning or mid-afternoon works best.

A morning photo shoot provides a hazy backdrop for mom and dad to hold their toddler in front of the fountain in Frick Park
The beautiful hazy glow of the morning creates soft, quiet images
Family of four plus their gray dog stand in height order with the setting sun behind them in the grassy area in front of The Frick Environmental Center
"Golden hour" - the hour before the sun sets - creates dramatic, bold images

Where Should We Go?

For family portrait sessions, some of my favorite places to photograph are The Frick Environmental Center, Mellon Park, and The Frick Pittsburgh. I am happy to make suggestions based on your location and the feel you’d like your photographs to have. Lifestyle sessions are done in your home.

What Happens Next?

After about a week, you will receive an email with a link to your online gallery. You will have the ability to download your entire gallery of high-resolution images, in both color and black-and-white.

How Much?

The fee for a family portrait session includes my time and talent and all of the high-resolution retouched digital images. No need to make hard decisions about which images to select. You, my friend, get them all. I do not include any prints, but I have a print store built into my website which makes ordering professional-quality prints really easy. I also offer beautiful custom designed albums, if you are interested in displaying your images in a long-lasting, compact way.

Cover of a family album showing a group photo

FAQ

Pregnant mom in a flowing dress lifts her toddler into the air on Washington Landing

"Carey was incredibly friendly and professional, and was great with handling my toddler and adapting to keep up with him. We felt very comfortable in front of her camera. Photos were delivered so quickly and captured so many great moments."

-Katie, Mom

Mom is kissing her toddler girl on the cheek as she laughs

"We loved working with Carey! She was so engaging with my kids, kind, professional, fun, flexible, and the photos turned out amazing!"

-Shayna, Mom