family
when you see in each other, everything you have made
Kate Juliet Photography specializes in natural maternity, newborn, baby, and family portraiture in the Washington DC and Northern VA area.
All studio sessions include access to the studio wardrobe for mothers and babies to borrow clothing for your session.
Contact me to begin planning your custom portrait experience.
Photographs are a big event for families. And there are a lot of expectations. You spent so much time finding the right photographer, scheduling your session, figuring out what to wear, where to go, and then the big day comes and things don’t always seem to go the way you thought they would. It’s a universal truth that the more you plan for something, the more things seem to go sideways. But here’s the truth: while photographs are something you may only do once a year, it’s something I do all the time. There a few key things to making sure your experience is a memorable one and you get the images you’ve always wanted. Here are a few things I wish clients knew before their session:
If there's one single universal truth, it's that kids are unpredictable. Some kids love being photographed. Some don’t. Some explore. Some cuddle. Some, don’t. It’s all up to them. And it’s never my goal to force them into doing something they don’t want to do. Instead, the goal is to capture them as they are. As they want to be; as you remember them. Interacting with you and loving on you the way only they can do.
Don’t worry about your hair or saying “cheese!” In fact, you don’t need to worry about anything at all. When your session starts, let me do the work. I’ll direct you and your family, I’ll double check your hair, I’ll make your kids laugh. Spend your time focusing on your kids and I’ll take care of the rest. The best images happen when you’re enjoying the experience.
For many clients, wardrobe is the most daunting part of the photography experience. After all, it’s one thing you can plan and prepare for at home before you ever see me. And what you wear matters. I am picky about a lot of things, and, because it can effect the aesthetic outcome of your images, wardrobe is certainly one of them. But here’s the secret: what you wear pales in comparison to the emotion that comes through with genuine connections. Breath into the moment and let the rest fade away. Ultimately, the most important thing is connection.
I know that these images are meant to last you a lifetime, and I take that responsibility seriously. I want these images to live on in your home and get passed down from mother to daughter to granddaughter. I want you look back on them fondly and think of the silly story that it took to get the image. I want you to smile when you look at your children’s gap-toothed smiles and chuckle about how wonderful they are.
Moms, I’m talking to you now. You are beautiful. I know it’s not always easy to think of ourselves that way (I include myself in that group), but we are. When our families look at us, they see a mom, wife, friend. They don’t see the little things about ourselves that we’re always nit-picking. Don’t left self-consciousness get in the way. Get in the frame. Get portraits of you with your children. Then make sure you tell them how happy you are that you have them.
Kate Juliet Photography specializes in natural maternity, newborn, baby, and family portraiture in the Washington DC and Northern VA area.
All studio sessions include access to the studio wardrobe for mothers and babies to borrow clothing for your session.
Contact me to begin planning your custom portrait experience.
Kate Juliet Photography specializes in natural maternity, newborn, baby, and family portraiture in the Washington DC and Northern VA area.
All studio sessions include access to the studio wardrobe for mothers and babies to borrow clothing for your session.
Contact me to begin planning your custom portrait experience.
togetherness, captured
Kate Juliet Photography specializes in natural maternity, newborn, baby, and family portraiture in the Washington DC and Northern VA area.
All studio sessions include access to the studio wardrobe for mothers and babies to borrow clothing for your session.
Contact me to begin planning your custom portrait experience.
One of my favorite things in the world is to watch dance rehearsals. I have a great love for dance (I danced competitively for years) so I always enjoy a show, but a special treat is getting watch a rehearsal. It’s a completely different experience. Nothing is perfectly polished, they are rarely wearing costumes, and the set is haphazard. I love it though because you see the work. It’s a peek into how much effort it takes to be perfectly synchronized and land that leap.
I know I’m not the only one who likes to see what happens behind-the-scenes, so here’s a peek at some of the things I work on that you may never see:
My studio has been designed from top to bottom to be the perfect space for sessions, both to capture the best images possible and to be a comfortable place for clients. Everything - from the color on the walls to the furniture to the way I display wraps and artwork - was carefully chosen to ensure that it works for me and my clients. For newborn sessions in particular, I need to make the space quite warm while also keeping it safe and comfortable for toddler siblings. I move things around before, after, and during sessions to make sure that it’s perfectly suited for each session.
This is a big one, because I pride myself on creating timeless images, but that doesn’t mean my work doesn’t evolve. I believe in being a student at all times, my craft is never mastered so completely that I can’t learn something new. I take multiple educational opportunities each year, mentoring with some of the best artists in the industry. I’ve traveled to work with internationally recognized names and continue to pursue new opportunities every chance I get.
It may not seem like much in the moment, but every piece of posing direction I give is delivered with a specific outcome in mind. It isn’t enough to aim a camera in your general direction and hope magic happens. I know most people aren’t immediately comfortable in front of a camera, so my aim is to relax parents and help you lean into the moments with your family. Sometimes I tell ridiculous jokes and overshare my own stories (I know I do it at least once every session), but I want you to feel as comfortable with me in an hour that you do with someone you’ve known for years.
When a toddler becomes a sibling to a new baby I know it’s a big life change for them. Sometimes getting to the studio for the newborn session is the first time everyone has piled into the car as a family of four (or five). When they walk in the door I want to help them feel just as comfortable as anyone else. I make funny faces, tell silly jokes, play music and peekaboo. I have a treasure of stickers (and candy when mom and dad say it’s okay) to share with them. Toddlers are old enough to start associating having their photo taken with good things - and I want them to look forward to seeing me and having their photo taken every time.
I am an introvert at heart. I would happily stay home all day and never see another person all week. But I know that type of tendency isn’t going to build relationships with the clients who mean so much to me. I adore my clients, and I work to make sure that you know it. I chatter throughout sessions (again, too much maybe sometimes!) and want you to know me as well as I get to know you.
My work isn’t done when the session is over. I individually retouch every single image you see. Each gets my personal attention to ensure it looks its very best. And much like posting, I’m always learning new techniques to ensure that your images have the very final outcome, and that they’ll look beautiful on your walls and in an album.
Kate Juliet Photography specializes in natural maternity, newborn, baby, and family portraiture in the Washington DC and Northern VA area.
All studio sessions include access to the studio wardrobe for mothers and babies to borrow clothing for your session.
Contact me to begin planning your custom portrait experience.
