A client’s photo of me in the pool making underwater images.

A Real Answer, Using Real Client Experiences

One of the most common questions families have before booking a documentary family photo session is one they often hesitate to ask out loud:

“Will it feel awkward to have someone there while we’re just… living?”

Especially when moments are personal, quiet, emotional, or chaotic, it’s a valid concern. Many of my clients felt exactly the same way before their session.

Here’s what they discovered instead.

Right before I dove in with the kids underwater.

“I was afraid it’d be awkward…”

Several families have shared this exact fear after their session.

One client wrote:

“This was our first time having documentary style photos so I was afraid it’d be a bit awkward, but she made it a great experience.”

Another shared that posed photography had never felt right for them:

“As a family we have never had professional photos taken because having posed and staged photos just didn’t feel right to us.”

These families weren’t looking for perfection. They were looking for something honest — and they were cautious about how it might feel.

It starts with calm, not cameras

Trust doesn’t begin when I walk through your door.
It starts well before the session, with clear, calm communication and connection.

With every client, I now begin with an in-person consultation, usually in their home. We talk about your family, how you spend time together in ways that feel most meaningful, and what you hope to remember from this chapter of life. We also go over practical details — timing, location, and whether you’re drawn to wall art, art books, or photo boxes — so nothing feels rushed or uncertain later.

By the time the session day arrives, we’ve already broken the ice. You know what to expect, I know what matters to you, and the experience feels natural from the very beginning.

One client described how talking things through first made all the difference:

“After the initial consultation, I was sold… she was very calm and explained everything very well.”

That understanding creates ease. When you know what to expect — and what won’t be asked of you — your body relaxes. And that sets the tone for everything that follows.

Present, but never intrusive

I want to be very clear about how I work, because this matters.

I’m not invisible.
I’m not directing or staging.
And I’m not hovering.

Clients often describe my presence like this:

“She makes you feel comfortable from the minute she steps into the house. The calmness and professionalism and even the slow walking and doing her own thing is amazing.”

Another family put it this way:

“Her approach is gentle, which we so appreciated… allowing us to carry on with our daily family life while capturing those true moments.”

That balance — being present without disrupting — is intentional.

What about kids, partners, and camera-shy people?

This is where documentary photography really shines.

Parents often worry about how their children, partner, or extended family will feel. Time and again, clients share that everyone settled in naturally:

“My kids felt at ease to be themselves.”
“She was patient, calming, and amazing with our girls.”
“Even though we don’t like having photos taken, she made us feel so at ease.”

One parent summed it up beautifully:

“I was able to just focus on my littles.”

When you’re not performing for the camera, you can actually be present with the people you love.

Why the photos feel different afterward

Many clients say the same thing when they see their images:

“She captured moments I didn’t even realize were happening.”
“The photos bring me back to the moment they were taken.”
“They give real insight into our life, our family, and our home.”

These aren’t just pictures of what things looked like — they’re photographs of how life felt.

That’s why clients describe albums as:

“one of our most prized possessions”
“images we will treasure forever”
“photos you have never ever taken”

So… is it awkward?

For most families, the answer is no — not because I disappear, but because I show up calmly, respectfully, and with care.

You don’t have to act differently.
You don’t have to perform.
You don’t have to make life look a certain way.

You simply live your day — and I gently document it with intention.

Is It Awkward to Have a Photographer in Your Home? What a Tucson Documentary Family Photo Session Really Feels Like