Sonoma County Children’s Portraits
My name is Jason Guy and I capture children’s portraits in Sonoma County. My goal is to capture the unique personality and moments of your child’s life in a fun, comfortable setting. Whether it’s a milestone or just a special day, my passion lies in creating quality heirloom images you can keep and remember forever.
Infant Portraits
Infant photography covers every stage up until your baby starts walking. In those earliest days, I love wrapping them in unique fabrics and playing with intricate lighting to highlight those squishy little faces.
Because babies change so quickly, I always recommend monthly portraits through their first two years. Even if most are quick phone snaps, you’ll be so glad you have them later. Once they start crawling and moving around I start to think about capturing their sessions like toddler portraits.
Toddler Portraits
Toddler portraits are ridiculously fun. This is the stage where your baby starts walking and exploring everything like it’s brand new. Getting great expressions? Easy. Getting them to follow directions? Not so much. When captureing children’s portraits, I’ve had the best luck dressing them in something ridiculously cute and then just letting them be toddlers. Candid shots almost always win—mostly because that’s all they’ll give you.
That’s why I rely on modern camera bodies with cutting-edge autofocus when capturing your children’s portraits. A few years ago, getting sharp photos of toddlers in motion—especially with shallow depth of field—was a serious challenge. Now, these systems lock onto fast-moving little humans with a crazy high success rate.
Mommy and Me Portraits
If you’re dreaming of mommy-and-me children’s portraits, don’t forget that I also offer professional hair and makeup before your session if you want it. Keep in mind that a makeover takes up to an hour and a half. Then, once you’re all glammed up, dad or a family member can bring baby to join us for pictures.
Timing is really key for these sessions. For best results, I recommend that you schedule your pictures for right after your baby’s nap and feeding for best results. Just remember that children have a short working time, so if you want solo pictures of your child, and mommy and me portraits and family portraits with siblings and dad, we may not get to everything depending on how much your baby tolerates.
At this stage its most important that your baby is fed and rested to give them the most energy and maximize the chance that they’ll be cooperative. In any case, we have to remember that they’re the ones in charge here so just do the best you can and be ready to pivot with whatever they decide.
My Process For Capturing Your Child’s Portraits
Capturing your child’s portraits involves more than just a camera. It’s a collaborative, thoughtfully planned experience consisting of three main events. Through this process, I skillfully and reliably capture your children’s spontaneous smiles and genuine moments, just as you see on this page. The following is an overview of my dedicated approach to ensuring you receive the best possible portraits of your kids from their photoshoot.
Planning Call
Every session starts with a planning call where we’ll talk through which images from my portfolio you love most. This helps me understand your style and plan the best approach for your child’s session.
It’s also the perfect time to talk about how you want to enjoy your portraits—whether that’s wall art, an album, or just digital files. How you plan to use the images actually shapes how I shoot them.
For example, if you’re creating an album, I’ll focus on variety and storytelling. If you just want digitals to share, I’ll shoot with that in mind instead.
Your Child’s Photo Shoot
Your child’s portrait session usually takes place on a date we set during your planning call. Because kids have a short attention span for photos, I plan for about two hours of actual shooting time—though that’s often best-case scenario.
That might sound like a lot, but if you’re hoping for solo portraits, a mommy-and-me set, sibling shots, and full family photos, it adds up fast. In most cases, that’s more than a little one can handle in one sitting.
That’s why I recommend prioritizing the shots that matter most. If your budget allows, scheduling separate sessions—say, one for family portraits and another for solo shots—can reduce stress and lead to stronger results all around.
If all this feels overwhelming, don’t worry. I’ll help you build a realistic plan during our planning call so you’re lined up for a successful session. The truth is, your child sets the tone on shoot day. That’s normal—and with a solid plan, we can adapt and still capture something beautiful if the unexpected happens.
Download Your Images
You’ll be able to download the images from your child’s portrait session within a few days of the shoot. All files come globally edited and delivered as web-optimized JPEGs, sized at 2000 pixels on the longest side.
If you’re interested in high-resolution files, a custom album, or framed prints of your favorite images, those can be purchased separately after your session.
But if you’re happy with just the web-sized digital files, there’s no extra charge—they’re included with your session.
Book Your Children’s Portrait Session With Jason Guy
Honestly, I never imagined I’d enjoy photographing kids—until my wife and I started a family of our own.
Since then, I’ve felt incredibly lucky to be able to capture those fleeting moments with my own children. They grow fast, and once those moments are gone, there’s no getting them back.
Photographing them helps me hold on to the magic of those early days—when everything was new and full of wonder.
If that matters to you too, tap the button below and tell me what moments you’d love to capture. I’d be honored to help you create something meaningful for your family.
Children’s Portraits FAQ
How Much Do Children’s Portraits Cost?
Children’s portraits start at $600 and include a full set of web-optimized digital files—perfect for sharing with friends, family, or on social media.
High-resolution files, albums, and framed prints are available for an additional cost. If you’d like a custom quote or want to explore those options, you can contact me here and I’ll walk you through it.
What Should My Child Wear For The Photo Session?
first and foremost I recommend styling your child’s outfit for the location of the photo shoot. The location will dictate the style and colors your should consider. You can learn more about how to color coordinating your child’s outfit with their surroundings here. Once I know where you want to have your child’s photo shoot, I can help you hone in on a color scheme during your planning call.
How Long Does a Typical Child’s Photo Shoot Last?
My sessions typically last 1-2 hours, depending on your child’s comfort and engagement level. I take breaks as needed to ensure your child stays happy and relaxed.
What If My Child Is Camera-Shy?
That’s totally okay—many kids are at first. Bring their favorite toys and a few snacks to help them feel at ease. When I capture children’s portraits I take a patient, playful approach and give them time to warm up. We’ll keep things relaxed and fun so their natural personality can shine through.
Can We Include Family Members In The Portraits?
Absolutely! Family members are encouraged to join the session. Including siblings or parents can add a special touch to the portraits and create memorable family photos. Just make sure to make me aware of your plans so I can help you color coordinate a look for your family so the photos feel professionally stylized.
What Is The Turnaround Time For Receiving My Photos?
You can expect a link to download your images within a couple days. If you want an album or prints these can take a couple few weeks to a month depending on what you want and my current work load.
How Can I Prepare My Child For Their Photo Session?
Make sure your child is well-rested and fed before the session. Bring along their favorite toy or something that you notice that they love to interact with. I’ll also provide specific guidance once I learn more about your family and the type of photos you want during our planning call.