perfect way to spend the last days of summer
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.
I believe in messy hair.
Un-posed moments.
And tiny details.
I believe in capturing emotion over being picture-perfect.
Perfect is boring.
Authentic is you.
Real moments are worth remembering.
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.
Annual family portraits are so important. It’s a way to document your growing family and children year over year, creating a treasure trove of portraits to look back on. But I know that in the moment clients often wonder about what to expect and how to move forward. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about family sessions:
I hold all family sessions outdoors at one of my favorite locations in Leesburg, VA. Each location has been specially handpicked by me personally, selected because they offer beautiful light, scenery, and is a location with few distractions or other visitors.
When booking a session I send a complete package of what to wear information, along with personal wardrobe consultation. I recommend moms wear dresses (they’re the most flattering) and that the entire family wear outfits in a similar color palette.
It’s a universal truth that kids are unpredictable (and they’re more unpredictable than usual when photos are involved). I’ve seen it all when it comes to kids, and my best piece of advice is that no matter how your kids are behaving, parents should be upbeat, positive, and have fun. Your mood is contagious, and if you have fun your kids will too. Scolding and threats never go over well (I’m a fan of bribery instead - everyone gets ice cream after!) so make the most of your time together, even if it means letting things fall apart (because that can be great fun too).
I hold family sessions in the Spring and Fall months, when the weather is not too warm and not too cold. Virginia weather in the summer is just too hot to be comfortable (and no one wants to look sweaty in images) and too cold in the winter to have much fun either. Spring and fall offer the best color, light, and temperatures for beautiful photos.
Albums and wall art are the most popular options for family portraits. Everyone loves having a family portrait to display in their home to see everyday, and albums tell your family’s story from beginning to end, highlighting each unique relationship and personality. I recommend creating a combination of the two, so you can enjoy your portrait investment every day for years.
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 question I get with some frequency is about retouching. What exactly do I edit? Why? Where do I draw the line between reality and Photoshop? The answer is that it depends, but my goal is to always offer images that reflect the genuine connections between your family that you will love, and are consistent with the work you see on my website.
It all starts in my camera during your session. My aim is capture images as correctly as possible, so retouching isn’t necessary at all. I do this by utilizing three main things: lighting, posing, and technical expertise. Using light well is always a photographer’s first ambition. Light is the most important element in any image.
Next is posing. Making sure that the pose is flattering, showing the connections between your family, and highlighting the unique aspects of each personality. And finally, technical expertise. Knowing how to use my gear to properly capture an image. Getting it right from the very beginning is key to a beautiful image. You can’t retouch a terrible image into a good one. You have to get it right when you first capture it.
When it comes to retouching images, my rules are simple:
is it an accurate reflection of my vision?
is it temporary or permanent?
is it a purely distracting element?
Every image needs to accurately reflect what I was trying to capture in the moment. Things like color and composition are subjective, and I want my work to reflect what I saw in that moment. It’s not my always a literal view, but instead how I see mothers with their children, siblings with each other, and babies in the big new world. This element of retouching is my favorite. It’s enhancing my vision for my families’ portraits to give them something new and artistic.
The next element is all about permanence. Children play and bump into things. Babies can scratch their face and chest. Anyone can experience a blemish. Those are all temporary things that will quickly fade with time. They aren’t part of who you are or what you’ll see in the mirror everyday. They don’t need to remain in your portraits. Finally, elements that are purely distracting are removed. If a strand of hair is covering your eye or a stray sticker is stuck to big sister’s shirt, you don’t have to worry that those things will appear in your final images.
I want you and your children to recognize the people in your portraits, but include an artistic touch that comes with an experienced eye. Years from now you’ll look back and adore how far you’ve come, how much things have changed, as you look back on these memories.
mama’s wardrobe provided by the studio wardrobe, available to all clients for studio sessions
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.
It was so wonderful getting to see this beautiful mama for her maternity session. She chose to wear pieces from the studio wardrobe for her session and they showcased her perfectly. Getting to meet her and husband was a joy. Here are some of my favorite images from her session - enjoy!
“Amazing experience! Our studio session was simple, easy and I loved the studio wardrobe options. Our photos came out perfect. Lots of amazing photos to choose from and several different looks. My husband and I very highly recommend Kate Juliet Photography for a great experience and your perfect maternity photos!”
mama’s dresses available in the studio wardrobe, available for all studio sessions
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.
