Preparing for Your In-home Heirloom Portrait Session

Ever since I was a little girl, I was fascinated with heirloom portraits of my mother as a toddler. The chubby little cheeks, the cute little curls… And when my son Timothy grew into a toddler, I recognized those same features in his face! Without those heirloom photos from 70+ years ago, I would have never noticed the family resemblance.

Heirloom sessions capture the features, expressions, and personalities you'll want to remember forever. Created in a classic portrait style with a soft white background and delicate fading edges, these images celebrate the beauty of childhood and beloved pets in a way that feels both simple and enduring.

Years from now, these images will become more than photographs. They become part of your family's story. They will be the portraits that future generations look back on to see familiar features, family resemblances, and the little details that might otherwise be forgotten.

In the Fall of 2025, I began learning how to create heirloom portraits using some of my friends’ children, and once I felt confident that I could produce a worthwhile product, I added them to my offerings!

Since I don’t have a photography studio, my process is to bring my white backdrop setup to your home, where we will identify the spot with the most consistent natural light. This can be near a big open window, on a porch or patio (as long as it’s not too windy), or even in a garage! I will set up my backdrop, and then we will get to work! This process usually takes about 45 minutes to an hour. Once we wrap up your session, I’ll pack up and head home, where I will create a “proofing” gallery of the best photos from the session. Then you will get to choose up to 10 of those poses for me to create as heirloom photos! You will receive the entire digital gallery of images (proofs and heirlooms) upon completion, and there is also an option to order other prints and gifts directly through your gallery.

FAQs:

What age is best for heirloom portraits? Heirloom photos are best captured between the ages of 2 and 5, when your child still has those chubby little cheeks and that imaginative, curious, and innocent personality. Children need to be stable enough to sit relatively still on a small stool or chair without toppling over.
What should my kids wear? Classic, timeless items in pastels or neutral colors work best for these types of portraits. Avoid loud colors, patterns, or shirts with graphics.
I don’t have a good space in my home to set up a backdrop. What can we do? Do you have a family member, friend, or neighbor who would be willing to let you use their space?
Can we include more than one child/pet in the photos? Heirloom portraits are typically designed for images of one or two people. I can add in more, but the more faces that are added, the more complicated it is to get the heirloom vignette to blend seamlessly.
What if my child is not usually cooperative for photos? Don’t worry! We will make sure they are comfortable in the space before we begin and have some fun while we work! I have worked with children my entire life, so I love getting down on their level and interacting with them. That also helps us create genuine photos! Being in their own home often makes them more comfortable as well. Having their favorite snack, treat, or toy handy can be helpful.