Summer Session Availability 2018 {Edited}

Summer is approaching at almost an alarming pace! I decided to make a post of highlighting some of the places where I will be shooting this summer, so if you had wanted to book a session, you can refer to this one post.

In May I have very few sessions available in Vero Beach, Florida (area). I can squeeze one Day in the Life Session (all day) in, and one more Short Story Session (~1.5 hrs). My Storytelling Mini Sessions have been very popular, and if you can book a week night session, those are still available.

I will be in Maine for the last part of June, and can fit a couple of sessions in during that time (maybe even in New Hampshire). I hope I'll make it before the lupines are done, so if you'd like pictures taken with these beautiful flowers, let me know! And from second week in August to the end of the month I am on vacation in Maine, but ask about a New England session then, too!

In July 2018 I have opened up six sessions in Finland (read more here). I had so much fun shooting there last summer, and can't wait to do a few more this summer, too!

If you'd like to be notified of my fall availability in Florida, please let me know.  I would love to work with you and your family!

Best Easter Photos!

This has to become an annual tradition! Hands down, we had the best ever Easter Mini Photo Sessions!

Sarah from Sarah's Party Animals brought over her horse, pony and petting zoo, and they were such a hit!

I dare claim our Photo Sessions were most fun ever for all the children! They sure loved on all the animals.

If they had any complaints, it was that the sessions were too short! Or that they couldn't bring the animals home:)

If you'd like to be notified of the next time we'll be doing photo shoots with Sarah's Party Animals, please let me know or sign up for my (rare) newsletter. Subscribers get first dibs:)

We can also set up a 45 minute Storytelling Session, or a Short Story Session (~1.5hrs) with Sarah's Party Animals for a private professional photo session. Maybe for a Birthday?

Contact me for details! These Sessions make fantastic gifts, also {wink, wink}!

NEW: Storytelling Mini Sessions!

I don't know what happened to January, do you? I know I was busy with two wonderful Day in the Life Sessions, and my sister came for a visit with her family, but still - blink, and we're in February. But February is the new January???

My intention is to start blogging about the various sessions I've had last fall and this year so far, but I decided to start with one from this week, since Valentine's Day is coming.

I had two Storytelling Mini Sessions this week, and I am so in love with all the pink and red deliciousness of our pictures!!! I am thrilled to be documenting moms doing mom things with their kids, and there's is something so sweet about a Valentine's Day Craft Session :-)

I think documentary family sessions are the best. I am so passionate to document real life. Sure, there's a purpose for traditional posed pictures, and I sometimes do them, too, but I think the value of ordinary real life is so overlooked. Love and real life happens between all the special milestones, and why not remember both?

So at this session mom and the two oldest girls made Valentine's Day boxes together for school. Grandma had found the cutest kits last year, and the girls had a wonderful time putting their mail boxes together! Baby sister's job was to give hugs throughout our session :-)

Mini and Short Story Sessions are a great way to explore documentary photography. If you've followed me for a while, you might be intrigued about a Day in the Life Session, but not sure you are ready to commit to an entire day. Maybe try a Storytelling Mini Session first?

Storytelling Mini Sessions are only 45 minutes long - perfect for one craft or baking, or some other short activity. There is no posing for you, nor any directing from me - I am strictly there document your time together with your children (or grandchildren!), plus I'll do a little visiting too :-) Even in 45 minutes I can capture many wonderful, sweet, crazy or chaotic moments that will be so meaningful years later, when you have forgotten a lot about these busy years....

These sessions will be offered periodically throughout the year, and there are only a few spots available. The cost of a Storytelling Mini Session is $250, and it includes one 8x10 print, and a minimum of ten social media (low resolution) digital images. After your session you will have the option of having me make a beautiful 8x8 softcover book of the images, or you can purchase the gallery of high resolution digital images.

These sessions would make a wonderful Valentine's Day gift, so feel free to forward this post to your spouse, parents or just go ahead and purchase a session for yourself! You know it's time to get in the pictures, too <3

Gift cards are also available! Click button below:

No coupons or other offers can be applied to these sessions.

Available Sessions are:

Monday February 12th at 1 pm (Vero Beach and surrounding areas)
Thursday February 15th at 9:30 am (Vero Beach only)
Thursday February 22nd at 9:30 am OR 1:45 pm (Vero Beach only)
Tuesday February 27th at 9:30 am OR 1:45 pm (Vero Beach only)
Thursday March 1st at 10 am OR 1:00 pm (Vero Beach and surrounding areas)

Send me a message to find out more details and to book your session!

Let's make pictures of your beautiful ordinary life!

A Gift of a Photography Session?

One of the best gifts we can give to our loved ones is our time and our presence.

The next best? Photos of us together with our families. With mommies and daddies and children, grandparents and grandchildren, aunts and uncles and cousins, great friends. Pictures to be framed and displayed, photo books to be looked at again and again.

I have had a few clients tell me they have hinted to the parents and grandparents they would love to receive a Day in the Life Session as a special gift. Often grandparents are invited to be a part of the day documented. Or families will send a photo book of their day to grandparents and great-grandparents to share the joys and challenges of their life right now.

My three main sessions I am offering for winter 2018 are:
Day in the Life Sessions - all day, either at home or a vacation day like a Disney day
Birth Story Sessions
Short Story Sessions, like Beach Session or Fresh 48

I am offering gift cards for sale, starting at $250, and going up to $2,000. These can be digital gift cards, or you can purchase a physical gift card, like this one pictured in this post.
 

You can securely purchase Gift Cards in person or online from Stories of Joy Facebook page (not available on mobile facebook), or GiftFly through this button:

Stories of Joy Day in the Life Photo Books are sturdy and gorgeous! They have a linen hard cover, thick flat pages in a beautiful pearly finish. They come with twenty spreads, filled with approximately 100 images from the Day in the Life Session, both in color and in black and white, in various sizes, with the family name and year embossed on the cover.

This is what one Day in the Life mom shared:

“My family didn’t want Sennu to leave. She was instantly like family. I have watched the video from our day in the life session more times than I can count and the book she made from our photos is one of my most valuable possessions. The kids still talk about the day Sennu came.
Most importantly, if we hadn’t done it...I wouldn’t even remember that day. I can’t tell you a single thing we did on January 6th or 8th 2017. But I can tell you just about everything we did January 7, 2017...because we documented it. 💗 Otherwise it would just be another forgotten day. The memories the pictures give us are priceless.
My only regret is not having met Sennu earlier so I could have done it sooner.”

— Amanda

Please let me know if you have any questions. I would love to help you surprise your loved ones with a a gift that will be treasured for generations to come.

Let's preserve a day in 2018 in a beautiful photo documentary of real life.

*** Two Thanksgiving Specials ****

I am going to jump ahead and post part one of my Thanksgiving Special: All January and February Day in the Life Sessions are 30% off!

I will come and spend the day with your family, and make a photo documentary of what this season of life is like right now. I will help you preserve this time in your family’s life in a meaningful collection of professional and artistic images for you to keep forever. And this is not just for you - it is for your children and for their children. It is almost like a time capsule. You can read more about Day in the Life Sessions here.

This is what one of my Day in the Life families wrote:

"My session with Stories of Joy Photography changed the way I saw my job as a mom. When you get to peek at your day from behind the lens, it can kind of take your breath away. These days with my five kids are traveling by at breakneck speed. I loved having Sennu snap photos of what I had considered to be everyday moments. But after seeing the moments from her vantage point, I see them as surreal moments. Special moments. Once in a lifetime moments. I highly recommend this session. A day in each of our lives is truly a gift."

And another:

"My family didn’t want Sennu to leave. She was instantly like family. I have watched the video from our day in the life session more times than I can count and the book she made from our photos is one of my most valuable possessions. The kids still talk about the day Sennu came.
Most importantly, if we hadn’t done it...I wouldn’t even remember that day. I can’t tell you a single thing we did on January 6th or 8th 2017. But I can tell you just about everything we did January 7, 2017...because we documented it. 💗 Otherwise it would just be another forgotten day. The memories the pictures give us are priceless.
My only regret is not having met Sennu earlier so I could have done it sooner."

Please let me know if you'd like to take advantage of this 30% off special!

My second offer is to expectant mommies and families. I'm offering 50% off of three Birth Story Sessions in 2018. Message me to find out if you can be one of these families (families will be chosen based on the due dates, and the order of inquiries).

This is what Baby R's mommy wrote about her Birth Story Session:

"Sennu is absolutely fantastic! She photographed our birth story and I was completely blown away by it. It brought tears to my eyes seeing all the wonderful moments she captured between my significant other and I bringing our baby into this world. She was so respectful, and attentive. I am so happy I had her there to capture those special moments. I will definitely be using her again in the future to photograph our family!"

Please contact me for details and pricing.

And spouses and grandparents - these sessions make the most meaningful gifts! For your children and grandchildren, and for you. My packages all have an option to include a professionally printed photo book made by me (like this one).

Please contact me for details!