preparing for your milestone session

Welcome! I am so excited about your upcoming photography session at Reverie Images! Thank you for trusting me to capture your family’s memories. It is an honor and a privilege. It is my hope that you love the experience working with me, and that we will see each other many times over the years! It is such a joy to see families grow and change, and to document their milestones in a natural, timeless way. I love knowing you have beautiful artwork and images to enjoy every day and to pass down to your children. Below you will find some tips and information to help you prepare for your child’s milestone session and ensure that it runs smoothly! Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns not covered here. I want you to feel comfortable and prepared when you bring your child in for their session!

Scheduling Tips:

Schedule your session during your baby’s “happy time”. This is different for every baby and will change depending on age and nap time. Often this is during the first half of the day, when baby is well-rested and fed. This can also be after a mid-morning or afternoon nap if your child is a reliable napper. Just make sure not to schedule any other activities prior to the photo session that could possibly tire your baby out or cause nap disturbances (doctor’s appointments, play dates, etc.). We want them to be as happy and refreshed as possible!

What to Expect

Milestone session are quicker than newborn sessions, lasting approximately 30-45 minutes. The session length and number of images created vary depending on the individual child’s attention span and interest. My goal is to capture your child while content and engaged, which is often a short timeframe at this age! Your child will be in a new, unfamiliar environment, so it may take a little time to warm up. When you arrive, I will gauge your baby’s comfort level and proceed accordingly. I strive to capture a range of honest, natural expressions, and will do my best, with you help, to make sure your little one feels comfortable and and has fun. Some babies are ok being set down, and others like to be held, so just know that you might end up in some of the images holding your child and dress accordingly.

What to Wear?

This is the easy part when it comes to baby! I’m a minimalist, as you can tell by my work. I like to keep it simple! That way the focus is on your child, their sweet expressions, and their new-found abilities like grabbing their feet, pushing up, sitting, crawling, and standing! A simple white or neutral-colored onesie is always timeless and looks so sweet on a baby. You are welcome to bring other outfits as well, just keep them simple, neutral or light-colored, and without any distracting elements. White, cream, grey, blush/pink, light blue, taupe, light lavender and pale green always look good. I have a collection of simple outfits available in a range of sizes, so let me know ahead of time if you think you would like to borrow one for your baby’s session.

Feel free to bring multiple outfits, or you can send me snapshots of the clothes you have in mind ahead of time, and I’ll let you know what I think would work best. Most young babies are photographed barefoot (because who doesn’t love baby feet!), so avoid dressing your child in socks that can leave indentations. You’re welcome to bring the clothing and change your child into them when you arrive if you’re concerned about drool, spit up, etc.

If siblings or parents are being photographed, keep the same ideas in mind when it comes to colors. Avoid anything really dark, like black, or with strong, bold patterns. For men, a good fitting neutral colored t-shirt, henley or button-up shirt with a nice pair of khakis works well. For moms, a loose-fitting blouse or pretty dress looks nice, keeping with the light/neutral color theme. Avoid sleeveless tops, if possible. Even if you will not be in the images, your hands may make an appearance, so I recommend neutral-colored or no nail polish. For siblings, choose a simple dress or romper in a light color for girls, and for boys, a nice pair of neutral-colored pants, shorts or jeans with a simple top with no collar. Please make sure to remove brightly-colored nail polish and temporary tattoos before coming, and avoid large hair bows as they can be distracting and look dated over time.

What to Bring?

-formula/bottles if bottle-fed, sippy cup with water for older babies

-pacifier if your child uses one

-snacks in case they need a break and a bite to eat

-extra change of clothes (because babies spit up, drool and have accidents!)

-favorite loveys, blankets, stuffed animal, toys, books (sentimental items you might want included)

Studio Location

The studio is located on 4th Ave in downtown Olympia above Olympia Fireplace and next to Well 80 brewhouse. There is metered street parking on 4th Avenue and on the side streets nearby. The studio is located upstairs and has a locked entry from the sidewalk, so please text/call me when you arrive and I’ll come down to meet you and walk you up to the studio. There is no elevator, so let me know ahead of time if you are unable to use stairs.

Studio Address:

506 4th Avenue East, Suite 207, Olympia WA, 98501

*Text/call me at 360-359-3134 upon arrival.

Please let me know if you have any questions or need any extra help preparing for your session! I am so excited to see you soon!

Andrea