“Every year around this time, I get some version of the same message: ‘We’ve been wanting to book Seattle family photography… but I don’t know if this is the year.'”
So let’s actually talk about it. Not the salesy version — the real one. Here’s an honest Q&A on whether this is your year for a Seattle family photography session, or whether it’s okay to sit this one out.
Do we actually need photos every single year?
Short answer: no. Genuinely, no.
I tell my own clients this all the time — you don’t have to do a full session every year to have a meaningful library of your family’s life. A lot of my favorite long-term clients work on a rhythm instead: a full, real session every other year, and a shorter, simpler session in the off years. Think 30 minutes instead of an hour, real quick and simple, rather than a storytelling session.
It still gets you real images of this exact season of your kids’ lives — the gap teeth, the still-chubby toddler hands, the height your fourth grader swears is “almost as tall as mom” — without the full investment every single year. If money or time is the hesitation, this is usually the answer, not skipping photos altogether.
What’s the actual case for booking a full session this year?
A few honest reasons it might be your year for Seattle family photography:
Something is changing. A baby on the way, a move, a kids starting school, a last year before a kid hits double digits, a season that’s ending whether you photograph it or not. Photos don’t pause time, but they do let you walk back into it later.
It’s been a while. If your last real session was pre-pandemic, your “current” family photo on the wall is doing some heavy lifting it probably can’t hold up anymore. Studies show that photos on the walls of your home, creates more confident kids- but the key is, it has to be current. Your kid needs to see how they look right now being supported by the family unit.
You actually want to. Sometimes the most honest reason is the simplest one — you’ve thought about it more than once, and that’s usually your gut telling you something.
What’s the honest case against booking this year?
I’d rather tell you the truth than book you and have it feel wrong later.
Money is genuinely tight. If a session would stress your budget right now, it’s not worth it. A shorter off-year session, or simply waiting, is the right call — and I’ll still be here next year.
You’re in a season you don’t want documented yet. Sickness or family arguments, a recent move, a hard stretch — sometimes you want life to feel less heavy, and that’s valid. But your weight is not one of these valid reasons….
You’re doing it out of guilt, not desire. “Everyone else seems to be booking” is not a reason. If you’re not feeling it, don’t force it.
What does a “full” session vs. an “off-year” session actually look like?
Full session (every other year): Full hour-ish, laid back, go with the flow — this is the one that gives you the big, gallery-wall, “we really did this” images.
Off-year session: Shorter, simpler, one location, one or two looks. Still genuinely beautiful, still real photos of this year — just lower investment, lower time, lower pressure.
Neither one is the “lesser” option. They just serve different seasons.
How do I know which one is right for us this year?
Ask yourself one question: if I skip this year entirely, will I regret not having anything from this season?
If the answer is yes, but a full session feels like too much right now — book the shorter version. The answer is genuinely no — it’s okay to wait. Should you answer yes, and you’ve got the bandwidth — this might be your year for the full thing.
Okay, I think I’m ready. What now?
If you’re feeling like this is your year — for the full session or the shorter one — I’d love to talk it through with you. No pressure, no upsell, just an honest conversation about what makes sense for your family right now.
[Reach out here to start the conversation →]
And if this isn’t your year? That’s completely okay too. Save this post, come back to it next year, and I’ll still be here.
Lauren Mitchell Photos is a Seattle newborn and family photographer based in Kirkland, WA, serving Seattle, Bellevue, and the surrounding area.
