Story Sessions

For grandparents, elders, and the people who love them.

A Story Session is part portrait, part conversation. I come to you (their home, their favorite chair, their garden), usually with a second person from my team, and instead of directing poses, I ask questions. While my partner keeps the conversation going, I stay behind the camera, which means the photos stay candid and the answers show up on their face before they show up in words.

We also photograph the things — the objects and spaces that carry the story just as much as the face does. The handwriting on a recipe card. The chair he's sat in for thirty years. The doorknob she's touched ten thousand times.

Solo, as a couple, or as a family — whichever fits. Some want one grandparent photographed on their own; others want a couple together, or kids and grandkids brought into the session too. For couples, especially long marriages, the conversation shifts toward the shared story — how they met, what's carried them through fifty-plus years, what they'd tell someone just starting out. If grandkids are part of it, expect the same real, unposed approach — no forced smiles, no perfect lineup, just what actually happens when everyone's together. Let me know what fits your family when you inquire.

The Legacy Photo Album

For families who want more than a gallery, I design a hardcover photo album from your Story Session. I choose the strongest images and the most meaningful quotes from the conversation, so their own words appear alongside their portraits.

When the design is final, you can have me place the order for you, or I’ll send you a link so you can order as many copies as you’d like. Family members can order their own, too.

Perfect for…

A milestone birthday: 80th, 90th, 100th!

A big anniversary: 25th, 50th, 60th and beyond.

A recent diagnosis, or just a season that feels different than it used to.

Before a move to be closer to family, into assisted living, or anywhere that means less day-to-day time together.

Or simply: no occasion at all, just the realization that you don't have enough real photos of them.

Home & Heirloom Sessions

For the house before it's sold. The things before they're divided up.

Some stories live in a person. Others live in a place. The kitchen where every holiday happened, the porch where the kids learned to ride bikes, the room that still smells the same way it did thirty years ago.

A Home & Heirloom Session documents a house before it changes hands. Before a sale, a move to assisted living, a downsize. Not real-estate photos. I'm not trying to make the place look good for a listing. I'm photographing what actually made it feel like home: the worn spot on the stairs, the marks on the doorframe where the kids got measured, the view out the kitchen window someone's looked at every morning for thirty years.

And the objects living inside come along naturally: the quilt, the recipe box, the piano nobody plays anymore but nobody could ever get rid of either. Every object in a home carries its own story, and photographing the house means photographing those too.

Especially useful when a family's dividing things up and only one person gets to keep the actual object. Everyone else still gets their own piece of the memory.

Perfect for…

Selling a family home.

A parent or grandparent moving to assisted living or memory care.

Downsizing after a loss.

Before renovating a space that's about to change forever.

Simply wanting a record of a house and the things in it before life moves on.

  • While I love to travel, right now it can be challenging as a mom with a full-time job outside of photography. Still, if you’re interested in somewhere outside of the Indianapolis area, reach out and I’ll try my best to make it happen!

  • Honestly, most people don't (and that's kind of the point). I'm not asking anyone to perform for the camera. The conversation does the work; the camera just happens to be there. Most people start to feel more comfortable once they realize I'm not asking them to smile and hold it.

  • Absolutely! Your first payment is due at the time of booking and locks in your date/time. It’s usually around 30-50% of the final cost, depending on the type of shoot. The rest is paid about two weeks from the session date. If something else works better for you or your family, let’s talk about it!

  • That's okay. We'll go at whatever pace works, keep a family member nearby, and follow their lead rather than a script. If certain topics are difficult, just let me know beforehand and we'll steer around them.

  • I usually bring a partner with me. While they chat with your loved one, I focus on photographing, which keeps the moment natural and lets the stories flow. If you or your loved one would prefer just me, let me know when you inquire.

  • Absolutely! Sometimes it even helps. A familiar face in the room can put someone at ease, and family members often remember details that spark even better stories.

  • That's completely fine. I'm happy to come to them, wherever home is right now.

  • I record the conversation during your session so your loved one’s words are captured accurately. The recording is used only to create the album and is kept private. It isn’t delivered to you, and it’s never shared or used publicly.

  • You'll receive a digital gallery with a print release, so you're free to print anywhere you'd like.

  • Sure do! Reach out and I’ll make that happen. This is the perfect gift.

  • After the design is finalized, you can either have me place the order and ship it to you, or I’ll send you a link and you can order directly. Printing costs are paid at cost, and there’s no markup.

FAQs