oh hey there...
Book Nerd
Caffeine Addict
Chick-fil-a addict
Playlist stuck in the 80's
F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Obsessed
Could i be more interesting1?
hot mess.
Creative Soul
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STORYTELLER AND FAMILY ADVENTURE PHOTOGRAPHER
Book Nerd
Caffeine Addict
Chick-fil-a addict
Playlist stuck in the 80's
F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Obsessed
Hey Ya'll
I'm Janel
I am also a single mom with two adult children who certainly keep me on my toes! I think having watched them grow up from babies it makes me super appreciate capturing all the moments when they are young. I know every parent with young kids thinks they would just love for their children to be able to do some things on their own but you really will miss them being young. Times when their head smelled like baby lotion when they started walking and still needed your help when they started talking and sounded so dag on cute! The times go by so fast it's easy to miss them as they are happening. As time wears on it is also super easy to forget some of the times you shared with them. I truly believe in the importance of capturing pictures all along the way. I also believe that one day you won't be here anymore and your kids will want to see you, hopefully, you got into some pictures along the way to help them reminisce.
I am also a single mom with two adult children who certainly keep me on my toes! I think having watched them grow up from babies it makes me super appreciate capturing all the moments when they are young. I know every parent with young kids
thinks they would just love for their children to be able to do some things on their own but you really will miss them being young. Times when their head smelled like baby lotion when they started walking and still needed your help when they started talking and sounded so dag on cute! The times go by so fast it's easy to miss them as they are happening. As time wears on it is also super easy to forget some of the times you shared with them. I truly believe in the importance of capturing pictures all along the way. I also believe that one day you won't be here anymore and your kids will want to see you, hopefully, you got into some pictures along the way to help them reminisce.
- Savannah Kairnes
“It was absolutely amazing! I felt so comfortable in front of the camera the whole time. The whole experience for me was just wonderful. I couldn’t stop laughing and smiling the whole time.
01 Say Hello
Send me a message or give me a call. So easy to do, you can even just click here and it will take you to a short questionnaire so I can better help you. Let me know what kind of session you want. We could also hop on a call if you have questions to help determine if we are a good fit.
02 Reserve your Date
After deciding that I am the right photographer for you I will send a link to your portal where you will pay a retainer fee to hold your date. Then I will send you a scheduler to pick your date and time.
03 Start Planning
We will start planning your session. This will include choosing a location. Planning your outfits, any props or extra things you need with you.
04 Celebrate your Day
We will show up and shoot your session. Try to relax as much as possible and don't get caught up in trying to make the session go perfectly. The more we go with the flow the more the more fun we will have. This will help to create those beautiful candid moments we are all hoping to achieve.
After the session you can expect to see sneak peeks within 1 week and your full gallery anywhere from 2-3 weeks after the session. I will go over how to download and print your images They are then yours to keep forever and enjoy.
05 Relive the Memories
“When people look at my pictures I want them to feel the way they do when they want to read a line of a poem twice”
― Robert Frank
We had a great experience! Janel, was flexible with our ever-changing schedules and gracious when we had to delay our pictures. However, the end result was totally worth the wait. She captured my family so well! I love the expressions she caught from my two pre-teen (aka: can be super moody) girls and illustrated the best of their relationship. I couldn't be happier with the finished products. She provided black and white options of some of the best photos as well. I am so glad we stuck with Janel and didn't completely give up on family pictures in the end. I will be contacting her to do photos again, down the road! If you are on the fence, this is your sign to book with her and leave regret behind!
Testomonial
-Rachel Kimbelton
What is a Family Session and
What does one look like with me?
I think a family session should be more than just a bunch of people staring at a camera saying "CHEESE". I love using prompts to get families to interact with each other. I love capturing the candid, real-life, showing emotional stuff. Let's be real for a minute... When a photographer says "CHEESE" how does that make you FEEL? I wouldn't assume that it would bring you joy. If anything when you have littles and you are trying to get them to all stand still and smile at the camera at the same time, would just really stress you out.
Let's face it, kids were made to roam, explore and be wild. Why should we try to stifle that from them? I think we should embrace who they are and capture that in pictures. After all the years have passed, and all the kids are grown, their actions and genuine laughter are going to be what you miss the most.
Life is crazy, chaotic and beautiful and I think memories should reflect that. Expect lots of fun. Lots of laughs. Lots of hugs, kisses, and snuggles. Whether booking a mini session or a full lifestyle session, I'm so excited for you to consider me to document this special time in your lives. I can guarantee you that having your family photographed in an authentic, lifestyle-like approach will help you hold on to these moments. I know how stressful having your family photographed can be, and I'm here to help make it a fun experience, but I'm committed to telling your family story as honest as I can, and how crazy it may seem ; )
I also know that no two families are the same and that is why I try to pick locations for each family that reflect who they really are. we live in one of the most beautiful areas in South Carolina so it's not hard to find a beautiful location that reflects each families personality.
I also offer several different packages since I know that different families need different types of sessions. I know that some families would rather be photographed in the intimate setting of their home so that you capture all the details that went into making it a home. These are also precious memories you will wish you had one day. Even if your house is not a photo from Pinterest... That is NOT the norm! You and your'e precious family are the norm.
Some families are super close and really big and that is why I offer Heirloom family sessions. This includes the extended family as well! No matter what you are looking for I know we can find just the right package for you and your family.
P.S. I cannot wait to get to know you.
Starting at $550.00
Starting at $400.00
Up to 1 Hour Session
High-Resolution Images
Private Online Gallery
Print Release
Location of Choice
Location Scouting
Personalized Location Guide
1 Outfit
Styling Advice and Inspiration
Personalized Client Portal
family
Starting at $600.00
lifestyle
Up to 2 Hour Session
High-Resolution Images
Private Online Gallery
Print Release
Location of Choice
Location Scouting
Personalized Location Guide
1 Outfit
Styling Advice and Inspiration
Personalized Client Portal
Up to 90 Minute Session
High-Resolution Images
Private Online Gallery
Print Release
Location of Choice
Location Scouting
Personalized Location Guide
1 Outfit
Styling Advice and Inspiration
Personalized Client Portal
heirloom
Collections
Pricing
Up to 2 Hour Session
70 High-Resolution Images
Private Online Gallery
Print Release
Location of Choice
Location Scouting
Personalized Location Guide
1 Outfit
Styling Advice and Inspiration
Personalized Client Portal
Up to 1 Hour Session
30 High-Resolution Images
Private Online Gallery
Print Release
Location of Choice
Location Scouting
Personalized Location Guide
1 Outfit
Styling Advice and Inspiration
Personalized Client Portal
Up to 90 Minute Session
50 High-Resolution Images
Private Online Gallery
Print Release
Location of Choice
Location Scouting
Personalized Location Guide
1 Outfit
Styling Advice and Inspiration
Personalized Client Portal
book now
Family Adventure Package
Maybe you are thinking that you would really love your maternity photos to be set under a waterfall or in front of a breathtaking mountain vista. Then you wonder how the heck you would get there in the current state of your body where tying your shoes is too hard and you generally need help standing up. Well in that case you have come to the right place. In my search for adventure elopement sessions and my love of hiking I have come across quite a few locations like this that have very minimal effort in getting there. Some you can just hop out the car and walk a few feet to and there are others that are within a mile walk a little more strenuous than a fast walk but way less than a hike. If you are super active and having an easy pregnancy and want to hike to a location that is always an option as well. Just know that this option is not cancelled out simply because you are pregnant if that is something that you have considered.
$800
Includes: Up to 2-4 hour session
1 Location
Location Scouting
Personalized Location Guide
2 Outfits
Styling Outfit Inspo
Print Release
Private Online Gallery
High Resolution Images
Brainstorm Session
Personal Client Portal
Becky Beaseley
“Janel is so great at capturing a sweet moment amongst what I imagine looks pretty chaotic. We have done two family sessions where we just play around with our kids and she catches the best pictures! She is also very generous in how many photos she edits and returns very quickly! We will definitely use Janel as we live local to her!”
When will the session take place?
I love to shoot families when the sun is working to my advantage, so usually during golden hour. In summer this means evenings work best, but in the spring and fall, both early mornings and evenings may be possible! I even book sessions in the winter (with snow!!) so if that is something you are interested in, don't hesitate to ask about scheduling for that! They are so much fun!For any of the lifetime sessions, I generally try to schedule in the middle of the afternoon when the sun is the highest. That way we get as much natural light as possible if the session is in your home.
Location, Location, Location
I love to shoot in a variety of settings and have favorite spots always picked out, and I am finding new locations constantly. If you have a certain preference as to the location setting, I will do my best to accommodate that. I generally base locations based on whether your pet is good off leash, needs to be pinned in and places that allow pets. Then I tell them to give me the feeling they are wanting for the session. After I get this info I will give some options that I think will work great to capture that. They will come in a personalized location guide.
If you have a certain location in mind that is absolutely fine with me just let me know upfront. Especially for larger animals that can't be moved from their pin.
There is a travel fee for any session that takes place more than 50 miles from my location in Blacksburg, VA. Inquire to find out more information. Mini Session Days will always be in a pre-selected location.
Other Tips...
A few other tips to help the session run smoothly...
- Relax! You may be stressed out and worried that your kids are going to cry, have no interest, or pull out their stranger-danger faces. But if you set the tone for your family that this will be a fun, relaxed, stress-free session, your kids will feel that vibe too.
- I'll get a few "everyone smile and look at the camera" shots, but if you've looked at my work (hopefully you have) you'll see that I love to capture authentic, honest family moments, and that's usually achieved when having fun and just playing and loving on your kids!
- Bringing snacks with you may help should your child need extra incentives, but only use them if they are needed! If you do bring snacks make sure they aren't sticky or make a mess. A great example to bring would be mini marshmallows or cheerios.
The Gram
that will last a lifetime
It's about raw emotions, natural connections, having fun and creating memories
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