Family Photographer in Southwestern Michigan | At-Home Backyard Session in Niles
Why Home is the Perfect Setting
Encouraging families to choose their home as the backdrop for photos is a no-brainer for me. Home isn’t just where you live — it’s where your family’s quirks, milestones, and everyday joys happen. And trust me, that translates beautifully into photos.
So, here are my top three reasons why at-home family sessions in Southwestern Michigan (like this sweet session with the Ketchums in Niles) are pure magic.
1. Outfits Are Easy
Picture this: you flip the calendar and realize family photos are only a couple weeks away. Instead of stress-shopping for perfectly coordinated (and often uncomfortable) outfits, you can simply pull your everyday go-tos with a slightly dressed-up twist. Bonus: no tugging at itchy sweaters or convincing toddlers to “just wear the shoes for one hour.”
At-home sessions celebrate you — not your matching outfits.
2. Everyone Is Comfortable at Home
Kids at home = relaxed kids. They don’t have the sensory overload of a brand-new park or the temptation to eat sand at the beach. Instead, they’re already in their safe zone.
I notice it immediately during sessions — yes, little ones still need a few minutes to warm up to me, but they skip the overwhelm of a new environment. The result? More natural smiles, easier transitions, and way fewer meltdowns.
3. You Get to Show the Real Stuff
This is my favorite part. At-home sessions preserve the quirks and details that define your family’s “right now.” Current toddler obsessions, that favorite backyard toy, hopscotch chalked onto the driveway — they’re all part of your story.
You end up with a mix of lightly posed family portraits and candid real-life captures. And honestly? That blend is unbeatable.
The Ketchum Family’s backyard in Niles, Michigan wasn’t just the backdrop for their photos — it was the heartbeat of their story. From hopscotch to sprinkler runs to that legendary purple ball, these are the details that will matter most years from now.
If you’ve ever thought, “I just want to bottle up this stage,” an at-home session is your answer. Scroll through their gallery for a peek at their real-life moments, and when you’re ready to capture your own story, I’d love to be there with my camera.
Client Love
“These all make me so dang happy. There are little details in each photo that capture things I have etched into my memory about this time. Like the one with L playing hopscotch. He’s really into identifying numbers (especially 8) and he’s always collecting things, and is holding the stick in the photo. Even the posed family photo in the lane: D always wants ‘up’ and L always wants to be independent. Or running through the sprinklers with that silly deflated purple ball. We can’t get rid of it! They wear it around like a hat outside and use it as a play prop. Anyways. That’s a lot just to say thank you, again, from the bottom of my heart! We appreciate your vision and your talent to capture the raw, day-to-day of this moment in time.” - Mom
Cue me tearing up. This is exactly why at-home sessions matter.