Between school pickup, practice at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus and a Saturday stop at The Shops at Wiregrass, family time in Wiregrass Ranch tends to happen in the car. A family session is the rare hour when nobody is late for anything and everyone is in the same frame.
Karissa Leigh Designs is based in Wesley Chapel, a short drive from Wiregrass Ranch, so getting to your session is the easy part.
When the Kids Are a Little Older
Photographing school age kids is different from photographing toddlers. They have opinions, inside jokes, and a strong sense of what looks awkward. Karissa leans into that. She gives them something to do rather than a pose to hold, lets siblings tease each other a little, and saves a few minutes for a portrait of each child on their own. Those solo frames are often the ones parents end up printing large.
Studio, Park or Beach
The studio is the easy answer in the heat of summer and for families who want a clean, classic look. Outdoor sessions are best in the hour before sunset, when the light softens and the temperature finally drops. And if your family would rather be barefoot in the sand, the beach session is a full hour on the Gulf, usually at Pass a Grille, though Clearwater Beach, Sand Key or a favorite beach of your own all work. The client closet is available for beach sessions if you need something to wear.
Time It for the Holidays
If holiday cards are the goal, aim for October or early November. That leaves time to choose favorites, order cards, and still get them in the mail before December fills up.
Plan the Wall First
Before your session, decide on the one photo you would be heartbroken not to get. Everyone together? The kids mid laugh? Then decide where it will live: above the sofa, in a family album, or on the front of this year's card. Share that with Karissa and she will build the session around it, so the image you care about most is planned for rather than left to chance.
Tell us who is in the family, how old the kids are, and whether you are picturing the studio, a park or the beach. Which one sounds most like you?
