Family Photography | Lake Arrowhead GA

Planning their family photography session

Tracy and I had multiple conversations over the phone, text, and in person about her upcoming family photography session. Where we would go. What to wear. Trying to plan around kids’ sports schedules and work, it took a lot of calendar scanning to get their session scheduled. We decided staying close to home would be easier for them, so we chose their Lake Arrowhead neighborhood. We also discussed what she wanted to do with her photographs after their family session. Tracy knew she wanted to update their living room with new wall art and thought they might also like to have an album filled with their images.

The day of their session

Chris, my lighting assistant, and I arrived a little early at Tracy’s home. While Chris hung out with Tracy’s husband Blake to talk about man things. I sat on the floor in their bedroom while Tracy finished getting ready. She was wearing the same dress she wore on her first date with Blake from years earlier. It was a fun surprise for Blake as he didn’t know what she was wearing and he loves seeing her in this dress.

Tracy and I talked while she was curling her hair. Throughout, she was yelling at her boys to finish getting dressed. Hello Mom Life. This seems to be a normal part of getting ready for a family photography session as I see it unfold prior to many of my sessions. I also took photographs of their living room walls. Then I could show them their own family photographs on their walls in different sizes at their ordering appointment. This is a fabulous way to know we’re designing the right size and not going with wall art that’s too small, which is a common occurrence for many families these days.

Family photography shoot at Lake Arrowhead

Once Tracy’s whole crew was ready, Chris and I followed them to the lake from their home. We traipsed around trails. Walked out on the dock. Climbed down a ravine and next to a creek feeding into Lake Arrowhead. Then walked back to the lakeshore for more family photographs right at sunset. The sky did not disappoint. It threw out all kinds of gorgeous pinks and purples that reflected beautifully off the lake behind Tracy’s family.

Ordering appointment

At the end of their family photography session, we scheduled a date for their ordering appointment. Based on our schedules, it worked out for all of them to come to my home as it was on their way to a family dinner. Tracy and Blake’s boys had fun petting my dogs and cat, while simultaneously annoying each other. Like brothers do. They all packed onto my couch and watched a slideshow on the tv above my fireplace. Their family photographs were super sized for them to see. I heard lots of sighs and “Awwwww” as their images flashed across the screen.

After the slideshow, we went through the images one by one to choose their favorites, talk about wall art, and decide on which photographs would go in the albums they wanted. The next day, I sent a link to Tracy to review the album design and got them ordered. It wasn’t long before I was putting two 20×30 metals, 10×10 albums, and a USB in her hands. Everything was ready for her family, as well as surprise Christmas gifts, well before the holiday arrived. Suhweet!