You'd love to have a family portrait session that fully captures who you are, how you connect, and how much affection surfaces when all the members of your family are present within the camera frame.

We're happy to capture your family in our studio, complete with gorgeous light and minimal distractions, or in your comfy-cozy home full of familiar toys and routines. No matter where our session takes place, we'll delight in your delight. And we'll encourage you to pay attention to one another instead of the camera, because there's no 'add happy' button in Photoshop.

We don't care whether you're barefoot or wearing fuzzy slippers, and we won't be sending over a twenty-page list of suggestions about what to wear. (We can make you look beautiful in sweat pants if you love each other.) We just want to capture your family. Your habits, your quirks, and your love. Die-hard beach goers? World travelers? Animal lovers? Trekkies? We wanna see it. And when you view the images we've created together for the first time, we want the depth of love you feel for your family to grab you by the collar and bring tears to your eyes.

The video below provides a peek at how portrait sessions unfold. If you have questions or would like to schedule a portrait session, click on the 'Contact' link above or call 215-206-3689. Oh -- and thanks for stopping by, lovely!

-- Kristen & Haunani, Essential Imagery owners

P.S. That's Kristen up in the header -- Haunani is camera-shy.

FIVE THINGS I’M LOVING TODAY

I thought I’d try a little something different for the blog today: a list of five things I’m loving that I can pass along to you, dear blog readers! Since I’ve spent much of the past few days snowed in, and it isn’t all sipping hot chocolate for ten hours at a clip, I’ve had some time to discover new and nifty things…

#1.) The Inbetweeners

By far my favorite discovery of the past week: The Inbetweeners. Since I loved the short-lived Freaks and Geeks, this is right up my alley. It makes me laugh out loud, and takes me back to my days studying in Worcester and Cambridge, England. The accents, the pubs, and the adolescent hijinks — love! Go watch an episode!

The Inbetweeners, image copyright BBC America

#2.) Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby

Nick Hornby had me at High Fidelity. The English theme continues with this author’s latest release, which is witty and introspective. This story of a washed-up musician’s attempts to regain his footing in life after a twenty-year absence from the music scene is a unique take on the standard middle-age-crisis tale. No BMWs are purchased, no hair plugs implemented… Read it! (Bonus points for getting it from your local library!)

#3.) The new Totally Rad Lightroom Presets

I didn’t think I could enjoy Lightroom, ever. The tedious adjustments of fine detail that RAW processing requires have never appealed to me. Enter Eddie Would Go, Phil’s Shadows, and a host of other witty names for the Lightroom presets, and boom. Lightroom has never been so fun, and the Doug Boutwell has outdone himself yet again with this product release. Buy ‘em if you have Lightroom 2.0 or later!

#4.) Girl Scout cookie season

Yep, you know I love cookies. Just plain ones. Add cute little girls in outrageously green uniforms covered in badges, and I’ll take seven. Caramel Delites (Samoas, to the misinformed among you) are my favorite, if you feel like sending a box to the loft…

#5.) Pet portraits!

To be honest, I didn’t know if I’d enjoy getting tackled, licked, and loved by people’s dogs in the midst of my Pets for Haiti campaign. Turns out I LOVE LOVE LOVE meeting puppies, loving on them, and watching them rip giant stuffed toys to shreds in my presence.

If you haven’t yet signed up for a Pets for Haiti portrait session, get on it! $65 for a thirty-minute session and double-matted gift print. All proceeds are donated to Doctors Without Borders!

Buy your Pets for Haiti session below:

Haunani will give you a call to set up your appointment in the coming weeks!

See what I mean? Expect destruction of epic proportions.