There is a feeling I have been chasing since I was a child.
It is not a specific memory, exactly. It is more like a combination of things — the way warm light looked against dark windows, the smell of something sweet and spiced in the air, the sound of music coming from another room, the particular heaviness of a wool blanket and the safety of being somewhere that felt entirely like home.
That feeling is what I try to build inside my studio every holiday season. And after twenty years of doing this, I think I am getting closer.
What the Studio Feels Like in November and December
When you walk into my studio during the holidays, I want you to feel it before you see anything.
The scent hits you first — holiday candles, something warm and familiar. Then the light, soft and intentional. Then the details: the decor, the textures, the little things that signal that someone thought carefully about this space before you arrived.
I have coffee and cocoa waiting. Not as an afterthought, but because I know that a client who feels welcomed and unhurried is a client who relaxes in front of the camera. And a client who relaxes is a client who gets photographs they will love for the rest of their life.
The whole experience is designed around one idea: slow down. You are not rushing through a mall portrait studio. You are spending time in a space that was built for you.
What I Do Before You Arrive
Before every holiday session, I set the room the way I would set it if someone I loved was coming over.
The holiday scents are already going. The decor is in place — warm, nostalgic, carefully chosen. The drinks are ready. The music is on at the right volume, low enough to feel like atmosphere rather than noise. Everything is prepared so that the moment you walk in, you can just be present.
I do this because I believe that great portraits do not happen in a vacuum. They happen in an environment. The environment I create is part of what you are paying for, and I take it seriously.
A Background Nobody Else Has
Every year I create a new holiday backdrop — one that I design and make myself.
This matters more than it might seem. When you see holiday portraits from my studio, you are seeing something that does not exist anywhere else. My clients are not standing in front of a backdrop you can order from Amazon or find in a thousand other studios across the country. They are standing in front of something original, something made specifically for this season, in this space, by me.
It is one of my favorite parts of the season — designing that set, building something new, creating the environment that this year’s holiday portraits will live inside.
What Clients Say When It Works
The thing clients say most often after a holiday session is some version of the same thing: it felt so cozy. It felt so warm. I did not want to leave.
That is exactly what I am going for. When the session feels that way, the photographs feel that way too. And photographs that feel warm and cozy and safe are the ones that end up on walls and in frames and in the hands of grandparents who carry them everywhere.
That is the whole point. Not just beautiful images — but images that carry a feeling. The same feeling I have been chasing since I was a child, finally made permanent on paper.
Frequently Asked Questions About Holiday Sessions
When should I book my holiday session?
As early as possible — holiday availability fills quickly. If you are hoping for photos in time for Christmas cards or gifts, reach out now to see what dates are still open.
What should we wear?
I always recommend layered, textural pieces in warm, muted tones — creams, taupes, deep greens, burgundy. Avoid large logos or overly trendy pieces. Think cozy and timeless rather than matchy-matchy.
Do you do holiday mini sessions?
I offer a limited number of holiday portrait sessions each season. Reach out to ask about current availability and what is included.
Can we get prints made after our session?
Yes — and I strongly encourage it. Prints, wall art, and holiday cards are all available through my studio. There is nothing like having your holiday portraits actually printed and in your hands before December arrives.
