It's tiiimme... 2025 Client Superlatives

Well, it's that time of the year again. The time when I write what seems to be my one and only blog post of the year: my Client Superlative list! I've spent some time this week going through all of my sessions from the past year and choosing my favorite images from across all different session types and locations. Some images you will have seen on my social media pages, and some will be never before shared (by me, at least). Read on to see this year's favorites!

Favorite Beach Photos

The beach remains my favorite place to shoot, even though this year people seemed more interested in scheduling their sessions for the fall, and therefore locations other than the beach. It was definitely a slower summer, and so I spent less time shooting at the beach this year than any other, but between the weather, the grass, dunes, water and sunsets, some of my favorite sessions were ocean side. Here are my favorite beach photos from 2025.

Favorite Family Photos

This is always a really hard category to choose, as I could share my favorite family photo from every single session this year. I don't have the space for that, so I did narrow it down! These are family photos from all different seasons and locations, and some are traditional photos, where everyone is looking and some are candid, where everyone is focused on each other. I love both types, so am sharing them here.

Favorite Sibling Photos

To go along with favorite family photos are favorite sibling photos. Sometimes they're funny, sometimes they're sweet. Both are always included in your galleries, especially if there's a great blooper shot! And as a mom myself, I know how much you want those sibling photos--even if they fight 99% of the time at home, it's one of the most important shots to get at sessions. Here are my favorites from this year.

Favorite Photos With Mom

Another important shot to get at sessions is one with mom. She's least often in the photos in your everyday life, and sometimes, sorry dads, the photos she IS in are not flattering. Like at all. That's where I come in. Here are a few that stick out from this year.

Favorite Photos With Dad

Can't leave out Dad! Dads get a lot of the really physical jobs during sessions: throwing, twirling, swinging and chasing their kids around to get those really joyful photos. I so appreciate the dads who show up ready to play and love on their family in front of my camera; I know it's not the way they'd necessarily choose to spend an evening or afternoon, but I hope that they all feel it was worth it when they see the photos.

Favorite Black & White Photos

When I first started out, I wanted to edit SO many photos in black and white. I just loved them so much more than my color images, but I think it was because I hadn't found my style of editing color photos yet, so images in black and white just felt so much more emotive. I've since changed my ways and I love color more. However, sometimes there's nothing better than a truly great black and white image. When the light and moment line up perfectly, black and white is just utterly stunning.

Favorite Newborn Photos

Hold on, because I have A LOT of favorites here. There is nothing more worthy of capturing, in my opinion, than bringing home a new baby. Whether it is your first or you have an older sibling that will snuggle the new baby, these are fleeting moments in time that you'll want to look back on forever.

Favorite Faceless Photos

Why do I even include photos in your gallery where no one's face is showing? Sometimes it's a detail shot and a face or faces would detract from the detail I wanted to capture. Sometimes movement is what I wanted to capture, so faces aren't needed. And sometimes the emotion or story of the shot doesn't need any faces, and is stronger for not including them. They're the more artsy shots, and they really round out the variety in your gallery, so I try to include them, always!

Best Twirl

Little girls in swirly dresses at sunset makes for some really fun and cute photos. Plus, they generally love to show me how fast they can twirl!

Most Personality

I hope it's no secret that I LOVE it when kids show me their personalities at sessions. Like, the more chaotic and crazy, the better. Truly, when kids feel at ease enough with me to want to show off or just be crazy, it makes for the absolute best photos. Here are a few kiddos who have personality coming out their eyeballs and some portraits that I think capture that personality pretty well.

Happiest Baby/Toddler

I started this category as a flip side to saddest baby, and had a clear winner last year, as I couldn't believe how happy he was the entire session. At sunset. During the summer when sessions are past bedtime. This year, he and his brother both win. They were just the more joyful kids, happy to do everything and be silly, even after there was a head-to-head collision. I could share every image from their session and they'd have giant smiles, but in the interest of saving space, here are two favorites!

Saddest Baby

I usually only have one of these every year--I promise that kids usually love me at some point during the session. Some take time to warm up, understandably, but I can win over most kids and get smiles for photos. Sometimes, though, typically with babies about one year old, there isn't a thing I can do to help them have fun. This session started off great, but it was COLD. And I think that did her in, even though she was bundled well. I do hope to see them again next year, because she was so stinking adorable for the 5% of the session she wasn't crying, and two-year-olds are a blast. In that time, though, I did get enough photos of her not crying to fill out the gallery for them, but here is her saddest face of the session.

Best Cake Smash

I don't offer studio sessions where we only capture a cake smash or one year old photos, but I do offer it as part of a family session if parents are interested. Parents will bring a cake, cupcake, donut, whatever sweet treat they want to give their almost one year old, and with about 20 minutes left in the family session, we break out a blanket, my cake stand, the treat and let them go to town. Sometime babies have no idea what to do, as it's their fist time seeing a cake like this, and it's always super cute to watch them explore the cake and learn what sugar tastes like. Some babies dive right in, though, and those are hilarious to watch. Either way, I love being a small part of that celebration.

Best Costume

This is a first for me, but the little boy in the cake smash above was having his first birthday party near Halloween, and mom and dad decided to make it themed, so they asked for a few photos of him in his costume... and how fun is this?!? Cutest hobbit ever.

Best Photos With A Dog

And last but not least, we have the dog category. Dogs can be tricky, especially when they're puppies and don't listen as well, or have oodles of energy, or when you add in toddlers, or a busy location. Don't take that to mean I don't like when you want to bring your dog! I actually love it, especially when older kids are involved, because the dog gives them something to focus on and interact with, and that can lead to much more relaxed and genuine smiles in the older crowd. With the younger crowd, we've already established that I do like some session chaos, and dogs can just add to the chaos in the best possible way.

I hope you've enjoyed the trip down 2025 memory lane! If you made it this far, thank you for reading to the end, and I hope to see you all in 2026! Happy Holidays, all.

xo,

Kristen