Couple’s photoshoot in beautiful Los Angeles home

 Do you remember your first home with your significant other? Moving in together is a big step for many couples and the first home they share holds a special place in their hearts. So as a wedding gift, I made sure my friends, Carla and Margot, have photos to remember their beautiful LA abode -- their first home together --  before they move out.

Carla and Margot got married in New Orleans last August. It was the first wedding I’d been to where I didn’t work as a photographer since the pandemic started! 

This isn’t the first time I took photos of Carla and Margot. In February 2020, just before the pandemic forced us inside, I visited Los Angeles. Nothing was planned. I had my camera with me. The weather was gorgeous. So we had an impromptu couple’s shoot in Venice Beach, CA and ended up with really beautiful photos. Apparently, they loved them as much as I did and even used them for their wedding website!

Located in Silver Lake, Carla and Margot’s home is a light-filled bungalow with windows on all sides, wooden floors, and the most charming pink kitchen. They shared their home with Roux, a snuggly German Shepherd who likes to squeeze in between them in bed. 

As a wedding gift, I offered to take photos of their little family at home before they move out later this year. This place literally housed a lot of precious memories for my friends and I wanted to them to have something to look back on.

Here are some of my favorite photos from the day:

Tips for at-home photo shoots

For authentic slice-of-life photos, I love doing family sessions at home. I understand how some people can be nervous about sharing such a personal space with a photographer. Here are three things to help you prepare:

Clean your home - It doesn’t have to be exactly spick-and-span but make sure to clean the floors, vacuum some, and dust off surfaces. We can always edit out the mess later but it can push getting your final photos back.

Clear the clutter - A normal home has a lot of clutter, especially if you have kids. That’s fine! But for your photoshoot, store away items that you don’t want to end up in the photos. Don’t overdo it to the point of removing details from your home though. The books on your bedside table are fine but your bottle of multivitamins is better kept in the drawer! 

Change your sheets - If you plan to have photos taken in your bedroom (and if it has natural lighting then you definitely should!), make sure to have fresh sheets on. Not only will they look better, they’ll feel nicer for you too.

How to prepare your dog for a photo shoot at home

It’s always fun to include your furry pal in your family portraits! As with kids, some preparation is involved if you want it to be successful. Before the shoot, make sure that your dog:

Knows basic commands - This is, of course, not applicable to cats (they do what they want anyway!) or most pets. But if you have a dog, basic commands like “sit” and “stay” are helpful.

Has been walked and fed- Again, this is mostly for the pooches. Dogs can get antsy if they haven’t had the chance to do their business outside. Walking them before the shoot also helps manage their energy levels when it’s time for us to click away.

Is comfortable with strangers in the home - Some dogs can be territorial about their home or humans. If this is the case with your dog, then it might not be possible to include them in the session. However, there are also dogs that are territorial only over a specific space in the home or over a certain object. In this case, remove the triggers or let your photographer know which areas to steer clear from. You can only proceed with the session if both you and your photographer are confident and comfortable.

In this photoshoot, Roux was a total sweetheart and loved the camera so we got some cool pet portraits too!

Thank you for allowing me to capture your little family, Carla and Margot! 

Thinking about gifting a photography session to your loved ones? We have gift cards here! It’s one of the most meaningful gifts you can give. Not only will they have a portrait for their wall, but they’ll also love the experience of it too.