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. 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.

ON GETTING EJECTED FROM VALLEY FORGE PARK

Still spots open for Toronto during the last week of October — get ‘em while they’re good for the gettin’, rockstars!

As some of you know, I heart *heart heart heart* abandoned properties and the vintagy, weather-beaten look. Of course, this leads to trespassing more often than not, and clients are generally willing to comply with my desire to ignore the signs in order to get the perfect shot.

For the first time, I was asked to leave a property. The Valley Forge Park Ranger asked the family shown here (and me, of course) if we were part of the construction crew. I wanted to scream, “Yes! The three-year-old passed masonry and engineering last Thursday!” But I didn’t. He asked us to vacate the premises.

We had a fabulous shoot despite him. Turns out, not all the fabulous buildings in Valley Forge Park live behind ‘authorized personnel only’ signs. Neener, neener, Ranger Man!

I promise I got a mantle-worthy family shot, but I love this one more.