Roberts Family | Spring Family Session

I always ask my families to show up ready to be flexible and have a good time! Let me tell you…this family…understood the assignment. Their lighthearted and carefree attitudes provided for an incredible evening together. When Autumn first reached out to me she mentioned they hadn’t had any family photos taken in over 5 years. I never would have guessed because these kids showed up ready to show me their skills at being in front of the camera! We’re on the verge of spring but not quite there yet so it’s been hard to find great locations that don’t look brown and bare. This hidden gem provided the perfect backdrop to their session. I think the rocks and the evening light added some fun colors and depth to their family photos. But as you can see it doesn’t matter what location we were in…this family is clearly the star.

““Michelle was amazing! My two children just loved her! The pictures she took of my family turned out fantastic.””

— Autumn R.

Family Album Designs

I’m excited to start offering a new service! I talk to so many people who ask me what I do with all the photos I take or what companies I use for my yearly family albums. Building and creating photobooks can be daunting and overwhelming when you don’t know where to start. I’ve decided to start an album service where I will take your photos and build and design the album for you!

These albums are gorgeous and are such a stunning way to showcase your favorite family adventures. The layouts are clean and simple, allowing your images to be the focal point of each spread. These albums are perfect for family vacations, special events, family reunions, or a family yearbook album.

How does it work?

We will coordinate to have you send me or share with me a folder of your favorite images, and from there I will use my design software to lay out the spreads for your albums.

What size will my book be?

You can choose between two sizes for your album.

12”x12” (Large Square) or 13”x11” (Large Landscape)

Both sizes are hardcover, imagewrap front cover. Multiple paper options are available.

Layflat albums are also available but have a maximum of 55 spreads (110 pages).

Can I request changes to the layouts after seeing the book design?

Once your book has been laid out I will send you a proof to review. You can request up to five minor edits at the proof stage. (i.e. changing out images, rearranging an image or layout position, deleting a page, removing an image, etc.) I usually like to keep an open line of communication with you during the layout process and may reach out with a few questions as I’m designing your album.

Can I include text in my design?

This layout design service is for images only. If you would like to include text we can add a page or a spread of text either at the front or the back of the album for an additional cost. You will also supply the text you want on the front cover and the spine of your album.

How many pages will my album be?

I typically recommend an average of 4-5 images per spread (2 pages). To roughly calculate how many pages your album will be, divide the number of images by 4 or 5.

Layflat albums are available but have a maximum of 55 spreads (110 pages).

How much will my book cost?

Album costs start at $150* for 20 pages (10 spreads)

Each additional page is $1.50 (standard paper) and $5.00 (layflat).

(*After an initial consultation I will supply you with a more accurate estimate depending on album size, paper choice, and page count.) 

If you are interested in more information or more details about the albums fill out the form below and we will set up your initial free consultation to brainstorm together and get a better idea of what your album will look like!

Maggie's Senior Pictures | Olathe Kansas Photographer

I had the pleasure of meeting and photographing this beautiful girl for her senior pictures. It’s starting to get cold around here now that it’s November but worked through the cold to get her some beautiful images to celebrate her upcoming graduation from Shawnee Mission Northwest. The sunset was beautiful this evening and I absolutely love how her outfit mimicked the colors of the sky towards the end.

Williams Family Photo Session | Family Photographer in Olathe, Kansas

Due to rain their initial session had to be rescheduled. Luckily the fall colors stuck around for their rescheduled date! Savannah told me to expect a sassy little girl and silly family and they did not disappoint! I enjoyed some beautiful Disney tunes and the Mickey Mouse clubhouse theme song from dad during our session. It was amazing.

“Michelle was beyond perfect. She was so patient with our shy 11 month old and captured our family well! If you’re in need of a kind and professional photographer, don’t hesitate to book Michelle.

Thank you oh so much for the forever memories. We can’t wait to book you again in the future!”

— Savannah W.

My Favorite Places to Order Christmas Cards

It’s that time of year! Whether you booked a family photo session or you had a friend take your family’s photo at your most recent family outing…where to print your yearly Christmas cards?

Here are a couple of my favorite places to go to when it’s time to start looking for a Christmas card template.

1. Your Online Gallery

If you booked a family session with me this year, you have the option to order Christmas cards straight from your online gallery! This is a new this year and something I’m really excited about. It’s a super convenient option for families I’ve worked with this year to order Christmas cards.

2.. Nations Photo Lab

This has been one one of my favorite places to order our announcements. I have found their templates to really match my personal style and preference. I love their prices and their designs.

3. Etsy

Etsy?! Yes! There are a lot of small business owners or graphic designers that design beautiful templates you can purchase and download. I like this option whenever possible because I like to support small business owners for things like this. I like knowing that my purchase makes someone on the other end do a little happy dance. (Trust me…I know!)

One thing to keep in mind before purchasing your template is how much printing costs at your local Staples or Office Depot. Buying a Christmas template off of Etsy may not be as quick or convenient as your other options but it is still a great option. It may just require a little more research to find out what type of paper you would be printing on and double checking your online proof is important. Also make sure you look at which editing programs are needed (if any) after purchase.

4. Mpix.com

Mpix is one of my favorite printers. I personally have used them for prints, baby announcements, and Christmas cards. There are many options to look through and I find their prices to be very reasonable. One thing to keep in mind when looking at pricing is to look at price per card in your quantity range. Price per card changes depending on how many you are printing.

5. Mixbook.com

Mixbook has some fun template designs and I found them to be well priced. They also seem to have really good sales and deals around the holidays. .

Mixbook.com

At the time I am writing this post they currently have a deal for 50% off cards if you purchase 25+

6. Minted.com

Minted is one of my absolute favorite places to look for any kind of holiday, graduation, baby, or announcement card. They always have more unique designs and styles for their cards. Minted does a great job of sourcing and featuring designers and I’ve always loved their work. Because of this they do tend to be on the pricier side but their quality is incredible.

There are so many other places to use when looking for Christmas Cards these are just my top places I go back to every year. I’d love to hear where you order your cards from and which places have been your favorite!