THE JULIANA SABO
FAMILY EXPERIENCE
Documentary family photography is where I began. It's why I became a photographer. Flipping through old albums, trying to put myself in that moment again. The old wallpaper behind the little girl rocking her babydoll, remembering the smell of your mom's famous cinnamon rolls by looking at an old photograph, the spot in the closet that a little boy once hid and drew his own scene of cowboys. All of these little things become the nostalgia of your life. It's my incredible job to help you keep these moments forever.
My goal with this Family Guide is to help you prepare for your shoot and get the MOST out of your experience. Your family session is a record of this season of your life and a documentation of a piece of your children's childhood…so it’s my job to be sure you are fully prepared! In this guide you will find everything from suggestions for outfits, hair and makeup, ways to customize your experience, what to expect the day of your shoot, how your final gallery will work and everything in between! Please take the time to read it thoroughly to ensure you have all of the information you need to make your shoot the absolute best it can be!
My promise as your photographer is that I will make you look and FEEL like the best version of YOU! I want your shoot and your images to reflect exactly who you are, and I’m here to help ensure we make that happen. Use the content in this guide as suggestions, but feel free to reach out to me at any point in the planning process to chat about how we can make it personal to YOU and create images that you will look back on and love for years to come.
Can’t wait to see you!
xoxo, juliana
documentary
I'M JULIANA!
Now that we've gotten to know each other, let's dive into the good stuff!
I am a wife to my husband, Stosch, and a mama of 2 young kiddos. We currently fill our days with rounds of hide-and-seek, making messes in the kitchen with our 5 and 2 year old, and doing our best to bring the silliness to childhood.
You can find me trying to lift heavy things at the gym, making fresh tortillas (GF & DF, of course), and playing the piano when I get a bit of free time.
Delicious gluten free food is the way to my heart. Food is the sixth love language, in my opinion.
in case we haven't met...
WHAT IS A DOCUMENTARY FAMILY SESSION?
great question!
A documentary family session is a photo session that focuses on real life as it’s happening—not posed, not styled, and not directed. The goal is to tell the story of your family exactly as you are right now.
Documentary photography is all about the slow, lived-in moments. This means it takes a bit longer to establish the comfort level needed to get those real, raw, unfiltered moments. Everyone (kids, mom, and dad) needs a bit of time to get comfortable with me in your space and to relax into the relaxed flow of this session. It's so easy to get caught up in the, "we're having a photo session, we need to pose and look perfect" attitude, so it's important to have time to bring that down and just enjoy your life as you, just with me as a fly on the wall. :)
I come into your home (or other meaningful location for you - more on that in a bit) and capture you in your life as you live it. You can plan to do a certain activity together as a family or not! The sky is the limit on what this session can hold for you, but what I want most for you is to feel comfortable enough to let go and be yourself so you can look at these photos and say, "that's us."
I won't be directing you on how you should pose or lead the session, I will simply let your lives unfold as they normally would. That being said, if there comes a point where you wonder what we should do next or if things are feeling a bit stagnant, I can make suggestions and you can choose to take them or not!
These photos aren’t about perfection. They’re about preserving this season of life so you can remember what it felt like, not just what it looked like. In short, a documentary family session captures the beauty of your real life—messy, meaningful, and wonderfully yours.
What to expect
Documentary style family photos is probably new to you (it's new to most!) - so let’s talk through the entire family experience, step-by-step! Your documentary family session experience starts NOW, and I want you to know what’s around every corner as you begin to prep for your shoot day!
01
We'll talk through your vision for your session and any special moments you'd like to capture. There are two ways to approach a documentary family session - one is to not plan any activities. I simply walk into your day as you would normally live it. Another approach is to plan a few activities (that you normally do) that you'd like photographed. This can be baking together, getting ready for the day, folding laundry, painting, etc....whatever is your family's thing! Either way, I will mostly be a fly on the wall as you and your family do your thing.
planning your session
02
the week before
As we get closer to the day of your shoot, you can expect to hear from me with our meeting time, location address and final check-in! This is also the time to finalize your outfits, if you haven't already! (More on outfits below).
Prep your kids about our session together! Hype it up like it's something you "get" to do instead of something you "have" to do! Tell them how much fun we're going to have and get them excited about them showing me their room or a favorite toy! This helps give them a sense of ownership and excitement over our time together and gets them excited to take photos!
03
the shoot day!
This section of the style guide could be its own book in itself! SO many fun things to talk about on the day of your shoot! Your shoot will be 2 to 8 hours in total (depending on the package you've chosen).
Let’s dive into how to prepare for your documentary family session!
You do NOT need a perfect home
Your home does not need to look styled or spotless.
Before your session:
Tidy only the spaces you naturally spend time in
Put away anything you wouldn’t want to see in photos later (mail piles, trash, random cords)
Don’t worry about toys, books, or everyday mess — that’s part of your story
If you’d naturally leave it out during a normal day, it belongs in the photos. If it feels lived-in, it’s perfect.
Wear what feels like you on a normal good day
This is not about coordinating outfits — it’s about comfort and connection. Think real life, elevated.
Choose soft, neutral, or earthy tones
Avoid bold patterns, large logos, or neon colors
Layers and textures photograph beautifully
Bare feet are encouraged
If you can sit on the floor and move easily, you chose well. Most importantly: wear something that feels like you.
You don’t need to plan anything
- Create activities just for the camera that aren't what you typically do on a normal day
- Ask your kids to “be good” or “smile”
- Worry about entertaining me
Just do what you normally do:
- Make breakfast
- Read books
- Play
- Snuggle
- Clean up together
The magic is in the ordinary.
Your kids do not need to cooperate
Seriously.
Big feelings are welcome
Shy moments are normal
Loud, silly, emotional, and quiet kids are all perfect
Please don’t apologize for your children. This is their real life, too.
You don’t have to know where to stand or what to do
“Am I doing enough?”
“Should I be moving?”
“Do I look awkward?”
That’s normal — and also not your responsibility.
I will gently guide you when needed. Most of the time, you’ll forget the camera is even there.
Let go of expectations
This is about connection, not perfection.
The house doesn’t need to look magazine-ready
Your kids don’t need to cooperate
You don’t need to feel “photo-ready”
Years from now, you won’t notice the mess — you’ll see the love.
You belong in these photos
Hold your babies. Sit close. Lean in.
You don’t have to look perfect — just be there.
LET's talk location...
Documentary family sessions take place in your home! BUT you can choose to bring me along on an adventure that is part of your typical routine. Need to run to the grocery store? I'll ride along! Does your daughter have a soccer game? Count me in! Don't be shy about including me in your regular everyday activities, even when it takes us outside of the home.
The beauty of a Documentary Family Session? You can wear whatever you want! Is your 3 year old daughter into dressing herself? Let her! It adds to the fun and memories! I've seen people take this both ways - dressed in their usual day-to-day attire, or leaning more toward a typical family session with clothes that complement each other. Whatever you choose to do - make sure you're comfortable doing your regular day-to-day things in it!
WHAT TO WEAR
1. be confident
The NUMBER ONE, most important thing to remember when planning your outfits: choose an outfit that makes you feel CONFIDENT. Our goal here is to make you look & feel as beautiful in your own skin as humanly possible, exactly as you are, so everything you wear should make you feel gorgeous. Oh, and DEFINITELY try them on before your session so you know everything fits the way you want!
2. be yourself
This is the MOST IMPORTANT of all of these points. At risk of sounding cheesy…staying true to yourself with your outfits is so important. When you look back at these images in 20+ years…you’ll want them to truly reflect YOU! If you aren’t someone who's into bright colors and patterns, then stick with the classic and ever-beautiful neutrals! Since I am such a fan of capturing each family in a way that showcases their uniqueness, I want to make sure that what you wear is who you are! This also means, your outfits will most likely also match the vibe of your house, which makes printing off your photos and hanging them up that much easier! If your home is full of color, choose outfits that have color that flows with your home and same goes with neutrals!
3. Patterns & Colors
If you're going for a simple vibe, keep those patterns to a minimum! I typically suggest choosing your outfit first, Mama, then planning the rest of the family around you. If you're wearing a pastel floral dress, keep everyone else's patterns pretty simple. A small polka dot on someone else might be fine, but no big bold stripes for anyone! If you're going bold and love all the patterns - either keep them in the same color scheme or consult color theory for complementary colors (this can be absolutely stunning!)
Do a little dive into family photos that you've been drawn to in the past or while scrolling Instagram. Does it seem pretty light and airy or bold and colorful? While choosing your colors, keep in mind that the color of your clothes can really determine the vibe of how your photos end up! Neutral or pastel colors (tan, white, light blue, light pink, sage green) usually end up looking pretty light & airy, with a nostalgic and, sometimes boho-ish vibe. Bright bold colors bring out the fun and exciting vibes! Both are incredible, but choose what works for you and your family!
Also think about the season you are taking photos in! Wearing Barbie pink in fall doesn't quite match with the backdrop of autumn colors, but makes those summer colors pop!
4. add layers
Wearing a scarf or jacket with your outfit can add a lot of interest to your photos! I'm not a huge layer person in daily life, so for me to add in a scarf would just look odd, so do what feels right to you. Wearing a sweater over another top can make for a really easy outfit change if you're looking for a variety of looks.
5. play with textures
Grab those cozy sweaters in fall and winter and slip on those breezy silks and linens for spring and fall! Mixing textures between everyone's outfits is a great way to tie everything all together! This adds so much dimension to your photos, especially if you're leaning toward the neutral, monochromatic vibe!
DOCUMENTARY
FAMILY portfolio
My documentary family portfolio contains images of gorgeous families making memories with their families! Not only can this serve as outfit inspo, but also gives ideas of what types of photos you can expect to see in your gallery!
click to see portfolio
THINGS TO AVOID:
Now, there’s a few important things to AVOID that are worth having their own section of this guide! As a general rule of thumb, these are the things to stay away from…
1. NEONS.
Neon colors reflect a color cast back onto your face and nobody wants to have a shrek green face in their photos!
2. Sports/Athletic Wear + Big Logos
3. Distracting Items
In a typical family session, I would have you remove your Apple watch and empty your pockets, but this is the story of your family and if you want these as real as possible, leave things as they are! These things can sometimes be a distraction to the connection that is happens, but can also add to your story, if that's who you are.
Buuuuut, are you a big Bears fan and it's your typical everyday wear? Do it. As a general rule, if it's a brand or team that is a part of who you are, then wear it! If it's not something you want to support in your photos for years to come, then avoid it.
KEEP IN MIND
GET CLOSE
I can't document your connection if you're not connected. That means, any time you have a moment to connect with your children or your spouse - do it. That can be as simple as a touch of the hand on a back or just getting close to your child as they play with trucks on the floor. Be intentional about showing love through touch during your session.
I mentioned this earlier, but it's important to state again! Kiddos do so much better when they believe their photo session is going to be FUN! Make sure dad is on board too and resonating anticipation rather than dread. ;)
IN-HOME ACTIVITIES
Having an in-home session? Activities you do at home are some of my favorite to photograph because your every day mundane secretly holds some of the sweetest and most cherished moments. My favorite photos of my family are the ones where I happen to grab my camera for crazy tickles on the couch or a hot cocoa date in the kitchen after playing in the first snow of the season. THESE are the moments you'll wish you could revisit once you're old and gray. Let's capture those moments so you can step back in time 30 years from now.
PRACTICE AT HOME
Practice taking your kiddos' photo so you can see their smile! Some clients even call the desired smile the "Juliana" smile! Make it a fun game and don't force anything. Keep it light! Let your kiddo take a turn and take some photos on their own. This helps them get interested in the whole photo process!
I've got you covered!
Now, for the slightly less fun part...let's address a few quick things that could go wrong at your session. These are some frequently asked questions that I get about common problems that can pop up...and I want you to feel as prepared as possible! I've been doing this for a decade....so I've seen it all! And I'm confident that we will get you amazing images no matter what gets thrown our way!
frequently asked questions:
Here are some questions that I get often, and what to do if anything goes wrong leading up to your shoot date!
Click to view the answers to each FAQ.
This is by far the most asked question I get about things that could go wrong, which makes total sense...because bad weather happens all the time! If there is bad weather in the forecast for your shoot, rest assured that you have options and I am MORE than happy to reschedule! I typically wait until we are 12 hours out from the session to make a final decision about weather because it changes so often.
If there is a 70% chance of rain or LESS: It is TOTALLY up to you whether you want to move forward with trying to shoot, or if you'd prefer to reschedule to another date. If we shoot and it DOES rain...we will have to finish the session despite the weather (we can't do two shoots if you decide to move forward but the weather doesn't cooperate). But we can make some REALLY cute photos happen in the rain!!! However, if you have your heart set on glowing light and bright images...I'd recommend rescheduling to be safe.
If there is over a 70% chance of rain: My professional recommendation in these scenarios is to reschedule. Even if it doesn't end up raining, it's always better to be safe than sorry, especially if you are really excited about bright light in your photos!
Wind: There has only been two times I've had to reschedule a session for bad wind...and it was CRAZINESS! Typically, we can shoot despite the wind because we'll mostly be inside.
Cloudy: I have a lot of clients who get worried about cloudy days because they think their images won't be as bright and beautiful...but rest assured, that's not true!! Cloudy days are actually AMAZING for photographers...because it means there are no harsh shadows!! Unless it is a seriously grey day with heavy fog or severe storm clouds...cloudy days are our friend!! AND they aren't as hot!!
That is COMPLETELY okay! We will make the final call 12 hours (or less if we have a our hearts set on a certain date) before your session. Part of the reason I only take 3 sessions per week is to leave TONS of room open for rescheduling if we need to for reasons outside of our control (i.e. sickness, weather, emergencies). Typically, you won't have to wait longer than a week if we have to move your date!*
*This does NOT include needing to reschedule because of poor planning, running late or any other reason. These reschedules are required to book for my next available Tuesday/Wednesday date - which is typically 2-3 months out.
MY CHILD JUST GOT A CUT ON THEIR CHEEK...HELP!
Mama, we've ALL been there! Don't worry one bit. I am happy to remove any large blemishes in Photoshop on your favorite images - you won't even know it happened! Promise! Now if it's a badly bruised eye or large gash, please send me a photo and we'll assess if it's something we need to reschedule for!
GALLERY DELIVERY
YAY! It takes about 3-4 weeks to edit your images, then you'll get an email with the link to your full gallery - AH!!! This is where you will be able to download, share and print all of your high resolution digital images. There will be many more images in your gallery than the amount included in your session package. You can choose to stick with the included amount or add on more! You can download individual images or the entire gallery at once. The next few pages of the guide will walk you through how to use your gallery and the best ways to print and display your new favorite photos. Be sure to come back and reference this after your session!
After your shoot, one of my favorite parts of the process is posting a sneak peek on social media within 3-5 days of your session. I truly get just as excited about your images as you do…and I go home straight from your shoot to edit a handful of my favorites and get them in your hands ASAP! You can expect 1-3 sneak peeks to be shared within a few days! If this is something you are uncomfortable with, please let me know as I always want to ensure your privacy!
The Sneak Peeks
Editing your final gallery typically takes about 3-4 weeks, and gallery delivery day is THE MOST EXCITING!!! I will send you the link to your final gallery in an email. This gallery is where you can easily select your images, download, share and print all of your high resolution digital files. Your gallery is SO easy to use, and my hope is that it makes sharing your images easy. Here’s a peek into what it will look like:
The Gallery Delivery
You will be prompted to log into your gallery with your name and email. This is for your safety and my records! This way, I know exactly who is viewing your gallery and downloading your images...and you know that random people can't get access to it without us knowing! Additionally, you can favorite images and I can see them on my end...which makes it easy for me to help you order prints and products!
Logging In
You will have a set number of images that are included in the family package you have chosen. I will send a coupon code and download instructions in the same email with your gallery link to give you full access to download that number of images. You will also have the option to purchase the entire gallery or add on images individually. If you purchase the entire gallery, you will be given a mobile app to easily access your images from your phone and the ability to download your images as many times as you'd like.
DOWNLOADING YOUR IMAGES
printing your images
I truly believe so deeply in the power of printing your images and holding them in your hand. There is something so special about having a physical copy of these memories to cherish and relive this phase of life every time you pick up your photos. I have physical photo books of my engagement photos, and yearly family albums...and I flip through them ALL the time (and so does my daughter)! You took the time to invest so much money into your family photos..why not print the images and have a physical way to cherish them and share them?
As you know, I do not have any purchase minimums or requirements in terms of printing your images. They are yours to share and print from whenever you prefer! But there is the option to purchase professional-quality prints and products through your online gallery. This is the ONLY printing option that I personally and professionally recommend in terms of quality and durability. If you print somewhere else, I can NOT guarantee that the quality of the images will look the same as they do online, or that the products and prints themselves will be durable.
My honest suggestion is this: if you want to print your images larger than a 4x6…the professional printer through your online gallery is the best way to go.
In the next few pages, I am going to walk you through the "shop" portion of your family gallery. This is where you can find prints, photo books, canvases, and more directly through my professional printer!
Photo Books
Prints & Canvases
accessing the shop
When you are inside your full gallery, you will see two options at the top: "GALLERY" and "SHOP". You can toggle between the two SUPER easily!
When you open up the shop, it should look like this! You will find all of the product options here. You can purchase prints, canvases, photo books, and more! I'll walk you through how to design each type of product over the next few pages!
When ordering prints, you will see all of the print TYPES in the left-hand column and all of the SIZES on the righthand column. Depending on which size you select, it will likely prompt you to "adjust crop" for each image.
It will open up a window that looks like this so you can customize the crop and be sure nothing important is getting cut off! I recommend centering the people in the photo for the best cropping.
ALBUMS + PHOTO BOOKS
One of my personal favorite ways to print your family images is in an album or photo book. They are such an elegant way to look through your images and make an amazing coffee table book! They are also the most customizable option - you can pick the cover material + color, plus you get to design all of the pages inside!
