If you're sitting there wondering why your photos don't look like anyone else's (or worse, why they look like EVERYONE else's), I totally get it. The whole "find your style" thing felt impossible to me for the longest time. But here's what I figured out, and trust me, this was a game-changer.
The goal is to capture the real story of this big transition in your kids' lives. Trust me, as someone whose kids are now in college, you'll be so glad you went beyond just that first-day photo and captured the whole beautiful, chaotic, exciting back-to-school experience.
The thing that makes these displays really special isn't just the photos themselves – it's how you make them feel connected to your current life. Start adding little details that make each display feel intentional and personal.
Teaching kids to photograph family history isn't really about getting them to master all the technical camera stuff. It's about helping them see Grandma and Grandpa as real people with incredible stories.
When I show potential clients my images that I create, one of the biggest compliments that I get is “ I love the details you put into your image. They create a story in itself.” And it’s true! It is the small details of the story that make the fairytale believable. For instance, the story Cinderella is a rags to riches story. The story centers around Cinderella and the prince. However, the details of the mice and their side story are what help bring the magic of the fairy tale almost tangible.
I have created a list of 5 every day objects you may have around your house that will bring extra magic to your storybook portrait! If you don’t have them, they are super easy to find either at thrift stores, antique stores, facebook marketplace or even yard sales! I will list the item, the story it tells, a visual idea and a creative tip for each item as we go through the list.
1. The Teacup
Inspiration: Teacups have a sense of elegance, nostalgia and references royalty
Visual Idea: A little girl hosting a tea party with barn kittens
Creative Tip: Look for patterns or colors that match the theme of your image. For example, florals for spring or a vintage room. Gold trimmed for a princess.
2. Vintage Books
Inspiration: Worn edges, old pages tend to take you back in time. There is a story in a story.
Visual Idea: A child using stacked books to reach another book while his puppy early awaits to hear the story.
Creative Tip: Use the book’s actual story or title as a prompt for your concept.
3. Old Suitcases and Trunks
Inspiration: Suitcases and trunks often are symbols of adventure, mystery and imagination.
Visual idea: A child finding treasures that have been stored in a trunk or suitcase located in an old attic
Creative Tip: Fill the trunk with props that hin at another story like lanterns, maps or a stow away puppy
4. Dress-up Boxes
Inspiration: Dressing up in costumes gives a pure, unfiltered glance at their personality.
Visual Idea: A royal portrait, a whimsical ballerina in the woods or a pirate on a ship
Creative Tip: Let the child pick their favorite costume and build the story around who they feel like when they where it.
5. Heirlooms (Even the Tiny Ones)
Inspiration: Heirlooms have their own story. They are perfect for family story portraits
Visual Idea: A child wearing a grandmother’s brooch or locket.
Creative Tip: Ask the client to bring “ one thing they’d want remembered.” Build a story from that object.
Inspiration is all around you. The best ideas often live in attics, closets, memory boxes or even in your garage. Look around where you live and as yourself, “what do I love that is laying around here?” “Why do I love it?” “ Does this (fill in the blank) have a story to tell?” Comment below and let me know what you find and how you are going to use it!
If you've ever stared at your camera or editing screen and thought, "I’ve got nothing," you’re definitely not alone. I’ve been there more times than I care to admit. Whether it’s the pressure to create something meaningful, comparing yourself to other creatives and feeling imposter syndrome, or maybe you are just overly stressed with every day life! Feeling creatively stuck is something every artist faces.
Guess what? I’ve got good news. I’ve learned a few things that gently nudge me out of that fog and back into a space of inspiration. So if you’re in that space right now, or just want a few tools to tuck in your back pocket for later, here’s what helps me when the ideas just aren’t flowing.
1. I Go Back to the “Why”
When I’m feeling blocked, I pause and ask myself: Why did I start creating in the first place? For me, it’s always been about storytelling. About preserving something tender and beautiful. I have always wanted to create something that deserves to last.
So instead of pushing forward with a forced concept, I’ll go back through old client galleries or even family photos. Sometimes, seeing old images that portray the feeling of nostalgia brings me back to that purpose. The “why” always reignites the spark.
Try this: Scroll through your own portfolio or albums—not to critique your work, but to reconnect with the feeling behind it.
2. I Step Away From Photography Entirely
Yep. I close my laptop, put down the camera, and do something completely unrelated.
I might bake a pie. I might reorganize a closet. I might read a children’s book or visit an antique store. Creativity doesn’t live inside the camera—it lives in how we notice the world. And sometimes, noticing it requires a break.
Magic tip: Flea markets, estate sales, and old bookstores are full of forgotten treasures that tell stories. I’ll often find an item that instantly sparks a new concept—a crumbling book cover, a vintage brooch, a tattered dress. Those little details give me ideas I never would have found sitting at a desk.
3. I Keep a Running List of “One Day” Ideas
Not every idea is meant to be used today. I have a list in my Notes app (and another scribbled in a very messy notebook) that’s filled with random things like:
“Little girl having tea with her teddy bears in a sunbeam”
“Old recipe passed down generations—capture as a still life with hands”
“Heirloom quilt fort—generations hiding underneath”
Sometimes the ideas sit for months or years before I circle back. But I know they’re there. When I feel stuck, I revisit this list like I’m shopping for my next story.
Creative nudge: Start your own notebook of ideas.That way when you have these quick ideas, you can jot them down until you are ready to bring them to life.
4. I Let My Clients Tell the Story First
When all else fails, I go back to the source: the people I’m photographing.
Instead of trying to create a concept from scratch, I’ll ask, "Is there something meaningful you'd love to include in this session? Something from your childhood, or your family’s story?”
More often than not, they’ll mention a grandparent’s hat, a favorite book, a music box that plays a song from their childhood. Suddenly, we’re building a portrait around their story, not something I had to pull out of thin air.
It’s personal. It’s meaningful. And it never fails to inspire something beautiful.
5. Children’s Books can be a great source of inspiration
Nursery rhymes that we all know and love can be a great source of inspiration. These little rhymes have been recited for generations. Find out if your clients have a favorite one and recreate it! Sometimes children’s book titles will ask a question. Answer it! You can answer it in the form of a portrait. I read a question from a child’s book about how many ties would a giraffe wear. I took that idea and ran with it. In my image, I had a little boy in a tree house with a suitcase full of ties. He picked his favorite one and was putting it on while a giraffe was peeking through a window and was wearing 4 ties!
Reading the synopsis of the book is also a great way. You do have to be careful to not copy the author of the book because it is their ideas, but you can build off the initial idea. For example, I picked up a book that was about a little girl in a pumpkin patch. That was it. That is all I needed. I started asking questions. What is the little girl doing in the pumpkin patch? My answer was having a puppy pose on a pumpkin for a photo shoot. It is one of my most favorite.
Creative Tip: Go to your local library or go online to goodreads.com and browse through children’s books!
6. I Revisit Childhood Wonder
One of my favorite ways to get unstuck is to think like a kid.
What made me feel magic when I was little? Fairy tales, forts, spinning in a dress, collecting leaves, getting lost in stories where anything could happen.
That childlike sense of wonder still lives inside us. And when I stop trying to be “clever” or “professional” and just let my mind wander. I think about things like “What would this character’s world look like?” “ What would you do with a collection of leaves?”
Story starter prompt: What would your 8-year-old self want to photograph?
7. I Talk to Other Creatives
There’s something so healing about saying “I’m stuck” out loud to someone who gets it.
When I open up to other artists (especially fellow photographers), I almost always leave the conversation with fresh eyes. They might share an idea, a technique, or even just say something offhand that sparks a thought. You don’t have to do it alone.
And if you’re reading this and thinking “me too”, just know: I’m cheering you on. You’re not stuck forever. You’re just in a quiet part of the process.
Final Thoughts: Inspiration Isn’t Always Loud
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s this:
Inspiration doesn’t always arrive with a lightning bolt. Sometimes it’s a whisper. A memory. A dusty photo in a forgotten box. A teacup from your grandmother’s shelf.
Trust that your creativity is still there, even when it feels out of reach. And when in doubt, come back to what matters most: the stories worth telling.
You've got this. And when your next idea arrives I just know it’s going to be a good one.
Have you ever asked a child to tell you a story? They have this uncanny ability to tell you a story and have details in it that make you wonder how their brain works. It’s truly remarkable how they envision everyday objects. I am a firm believer that how a child thinks is just as important as how they look when it comes to trying to capture who they are. Whether you capture memories of who they are with photography, or journal writing, capturing how they think gives future generations a glimpse of their personality that we enjoy.
So how do you “capture how they think?” It’s actually simple. Give them a piece of paper and something to draw with. When I have a client that wants a storybook image and they really don’t know what they want I ask them 5 questions.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO? No matter what age someone is, they have something they love to do. It could be as simple as reading a book or as adventurous as white water rafting down a river. What does this question do? It gives you your setting for the image. If they like reading a book, you can have the setting of the image in a library or a cozy room. If they like white water rafting, a beautiful forest landscape will be perfect!
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ANIMAL? When creating my storybook images, I always will have an animal in it. I feel that it helps bring a fairytale feel to the image. The best part is when you take what their favorite thing to do and have them do it with their favorite animal. When my daughter was little she was obsessed with tigers. Having a tiger in the image listening to her read a story tells me a little about who she is as a person at that age. When I see that image, it's a fond memory for me and I love that I am reminded of her love of tigers at that time in her life.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR? This question helps bring a color palette to your image. If their favorite color happens to be blue, you can be rest assured that if you use cool tones that they will love it more than if you used warm colors. The same goes the other way around. If they love the color red, then you have an idea that they like bold colors and going warmer in the image will appeal to their customized portrait.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO LEARN ABOUT? This question I will usually have older clients answer. Kids that go to school have a favorite subject they love to learn about. They may not know it until you ask them, but this question gives you a peek at their personality. If they are into space, then little details like books about planets in the image become hidden treasures to find. If they like English, then having books with classic titles such as Pride and Prejudice is a perfect way to place a clue of what they love in the image. P.E. might be a favorite school subject! Then you know that having a basketball or some sort of sporting gear in the image will make it more customizable and let the client feel more connected to you and the image.
DO YOU HAVE A PET? If the answer is yes, you just hit the jackpot! This is one of my most favorite things to add to my images. Let them tell you a little bit about their pet. Parents will also pipe in and tell you about the quirks that their pet has and the relationship between the child and the pet. Then instead of using their favorite animal you can sub their pet into the image! What an amazing way to remember a childhood pet in years to come! Once you figure out how the pet will be involved in the image you can ask the parent to take a picture with their cellphone and send it to you. You may have to guide them where you want the lighting to fall on their pet so it matches your lighting in the image. In the end, going that little extra mile will have the clients falling in love with their image. If the answer is no, a great follow up question is, “if you did have a pet what would it be?” And then you can refer back to question number 2. Either way they answer will give you some solid ideas to work with.
WHAT DO I DO WITH ALL THIS INFORMATION?
This is the fun part! If the kids are young, I give them a piece of blank paper and something to draw or color with. I have them draw a picture with them doing their hobby with their favorite animal (or pet). This gives me an exact vision to replicate. This is a glimpse of how their mind sees the world. This is a gift that you will be giving to this family that they will cherish forever! I have also encouraged parents to frame their child’s drawing and hang it next to their finished storybook image. It becomes such a beautiful conversation piece and cherished heirloom. If the client is a little older and doesn’t want to draw out their vision, that’s ok! Asking these questions sparks conversation and you can portray their shyness or their sense of adventure that they showcase when they are answering your questions.
CREATING A WORK OF ART
Capturing a child's imagination through these questions not only gives you a roadmap for creating personalized artwork but also unveils their unique perspective on the world. It's about more than just a pretty picture; it's about immortalizing a moment in time, a glimpse into the brilliant and creativity of a young mind. This is what creating a tangible piece of their story is all about. And the best thing about it? You have created a family heirloom for them that they will love for generations.
