Our First Family Portrait: By Jennifer King Photography

Getting great family shots can be difficult when there are kids involved (I share some tips and tricks in my article "The Perfect Portrait") but Jennifer King of JKP Photography somehow managed to bring out the best in us.

Although Frannie is already four and a half, this was the first time we've ever had a professional family portrait taken! We've gone to the chain studios for shots of the girls, both together and separately, but never a picture of all four of us.

If you're in the Peterborough/City of Kawartha Lakes area, you should definitely check Jennifer out. She was so terrific with the kids (which could be because she has four of her own) and patiently allowed them to make silly faces and to help take some photos, and she even took a couple of pics with their toys just to keep them happy!

Maggie wasn't too sure at first!

My 'teaser' shots arrived by email just a couple of days later, and the CD with all of the images, many edited, arrived after a couple of weeks. Jennifer signs away the rights so that purchasers can print whichever photos they choose, which is wonderful, since I never use the 10 x 13 that comes with a studio package, and I always seem to need more 5 x 7's.

I'll even save one of these shots for Christmas, eliminating the need for another (stressful) shoot. (Just so you know, I'm the only one who made it stressful. Hubby had to remind me, as I ran around the house attempting to perfect myself, our girls, and our property for the session, that we can always get more pictures. Of course he was right, not that I let him know that in the moment.)

The total cost of our photo session? $90 plus tax, and the cost of whatever prints we make (which will be done inexpensively at the Loblaw's Photolab!) Our package was the Autumn Colours Special, which was kind of ironic since we have very few autumn colours on our property, and the day was so incredibly windy that most of the best shots came when we moved things inside).

JKP also does beautiful maternity, newborn and wedding portraits, samples of which are available on her website.

My next problem? Where to put the pictures! The downside to an open concept house with lots of windows is the noticeable lack of wall space. I may have to confront my clutter phobia and get some matching frames to arrange on our living room half wall. Although that space will be taken up by the Christmas garland in just a couple of weeks. Believe me, I thank the Lord every night that something like this is my idea of a 'problem'.