The OHANA Experience

My process is designed to be collaborative and stress-free, ensuring I capture your story authentically. You'll begin by filling out a questionnaire that helps me understand your current stage of life and gives me ideas on how to best capture it. I'll then follow up with a phone call to chat through things more, where we can discuss your vision and any specific requests. Each session is truly catered to your individual family or relationship and its unique needs – I don’t push my own agenda, but I also have plenty of ideas and gentle guidance to offer if you’re feeling lost or unsure. I’ll guide you through every step to ensure your needs are met and we create the memories you’ll want to remember.

That's a very common feeling, and I promise you won't feel that way for long! My documentary approach is all about capturing authentic moments, not posed perfection. If you start to feel unsure, I'll gently guide you towards natural interactions and provide prompts based on your questionnaire, our planning call, or what's unfolding in the moment. My goal is always to help you relax, connect with your loved ones, and simply be yourselves, ensuring truly genuine photos.

This is perhaps the most common worry I hear, and I want to put your mind completely at ease. You absolutely do not need to worry about your kids 'behaving' in the traditional sense! I genuinely love working with children, and my sessions are specifically designed to allow them the freedom to be themselves, play freely, and explore. My goal is to capture them exactly as they are in this unique stage of life – their genuine expressions, their natural curiosity, and their authentic interactions, whatever that looks like. If your child is uncomfortable with strangers, I can certainly arrange a brief in-person meeting prior to the session so they can get to know me and feel more comfortable when I arrive with my camera. And if they're camera shy, I'm happy to take the time to talk with them, show them my camera, and interact with them first to ensure their comfort before we even begin capturing moments.

Choosing the right package depends on the depth of story you wish to tell. My best work thrives when I have ample time to let truly magical and honest moments unfold. This is about more than just an 'everyone smile at the camera' portrait; while I’ll capture some beautiful moments like that, your favorite photos will likely be the ones captured when you were fully immersed in your interactions – the ones that tell the authentic story of your life, exactly as you are in this season.

• The OHANA Essential (90 minutes - 2 hours): This is a great starting place to experience my documentary style. It provides ample time to let genuine connections develop, capturing a focused slice of your everyday.

• The OHANA Signature (4-8 hours): This is your best investment for comprehensive storytelling. You get to spend a significant portion of your day being fully present with your loved ones, while I'm there to capture all the moments – big and small – preserving the rich narrative of your life.

I work a full time job in addition to photography, and really value time with my own family. Local to northern Virginia sessions will get priority, but I am willing to talk about a session for travel. Sessions outside of 30 miles from 20164 will incur a $100 fee, and sessions outside of 60 miles will incur additional fees.

My best advice is to wear whatever makes you feel most comfortable and truly reflects who you are in this stage of life. Neutral and muted colors tend to photograph beautifully and keep the focus on your connections. I'm always happy to consult and help you decide on outfits during our planning call.

One of the beautiful aspects of documentary photography is how low-stress and minimal the preparation is for you. Your initial questionnaire will help guide me on any specific needs. Ultimately, your main preparation is simply to plan on being yourselves and engaging authentically with your loved ones. I’ll take care of capturing all the magic.

You won't find "mini-sessions" on my services page, and there's a profound reason for that. My OHANA belief isn't about rushing to capture forced smiles or generic portraits. It's about delving into the authentic core of your family or relationship, celebrating the honest moments, and embracing the natural beauty of your everyday life— exactly as it is. Whether you choose The OHANA Signature to fully immerse yourselves in the unfolding narrative of your life, or The OHANA Essential to capture the core, vital connections within a focused period, the common thread is time and genuine presence. Authenticity takes time. It takes time for little ones to feel comfortable enough to truly be themselves, for genuine laughter and quiet cuddles to organically emerge, and for you to simply forget the camera is there. My sessions are designed to provide that space—that unhurried freedom for your unique story to unfold naturally. I'm not chasing a checklist of poses; I'm creating a heartfelt visual legacy of this moment in your lives. And those irreplaceable memories, filled with the realness of your love, deserve more than a rushed timeframe. They deserve the space to breathe, to connect, and to be deeply remembered.