FAMILY PORTRAITS THAT FEEL LIKE YOUR FAMILY

I'll be honest, most family photos feel like a chore. Everyone lined up, told to sit still and smile, holding it until somebody's face starts to twitch. That's not how I do things.

A family session with me is built around your family just being your family. The kids who won't stay put, the dog who tagged along for the walk, the partner who agreed to this very reluctantly. Those are the moments I'm actually watching for, and they're the ones you'll want to keep. You don't need to know how to pose. You just show up and be together, and I take care of the rest.

What if someone in our family hates getting their photo taken?

Every family has someone who'd rather not be photographed, and that's completely fine. My family sessions are built around those people, not in spite of them. There's no pressure, no staring down the lens, and no fake smiles, and the person who didn't want to be there is usually the one who ends up loving their photos most.

You know the ones — the partner who's only here because they were asked nicely, the teenager who'd rather be anywhere else, the little one who melts down the second a camera appears. I promise it's okay. I work in a way that lets everyone relax and be themselves, and those real, unguarded moments are exactly what I'm watching for. And if your dog or cat is part of the family, they're welcome to come be part of the session too. :)

Where do you shoot family sessions?

I photograph family sessions across San Francisco and the Peninsula, at spots like Filoli in Woodside, Half Moon Bay, the Palace of Fine Arts, and the Dutch Windmills in Golden Gate Park, plus the greater Bay Area. If there's a place that means something to your family, we can build the whole session around it.

The right location does so much of the work. It gives everyone something to do, somewhere to wander, room to breathe and relax into it. A few of my favorite spots for families:

• Filoli Historic House & Garden (Woodside) — formal gardens, beautiful golden light, and plenty of room for the kids to roam

• Half Moon Bay — coastal bluffs and beach, easygoing and open

• Palace of Fine Arts (San Francisco) — gorgeous architecture and soft, reflected light

• Dutch Windmills, Golden Gate Park (San Francisco) — tulips in the spring, quiet and green the rest of the year

I photograph family sessions further south and across the bay too when it's the right fit — Vasona Lake (Los Gatos), the San Jose Rose Garden, and Roberts Regional Recreation Area (Oakland) are all favorites of mine. See a recent rose garden session

Some families would rather stay home, and that works just as well. I photograph in-home sessions for newborns, usually around one month old, and for any family who'd simply rather be in their own space than out at a park. Same relaxed approach, just inside your living room instead of under a tree. See a recent at-home session

What does a family session actually feel like?

Relaxed, mostly. We walk, we talk, the kids do their thing, and I photograph what really happens — real expressions instead of held smiles, with a mix of close-up, in-the-moment frames and some airy wider shots that show off where you are. No stiff lineups unless you genuinely want a few. You'll walk away with photos that look like a really good afternoon with your people.

Because that's exactly what it'll be.