You've done your prep. You've watched the walkthrough video. You knock on the door - now what? The first 10 minutes of an in-home session do more than most photographers realize. They're where trust gets built in person, the tone is set, and where you either make it feel like an experience or a performance.

I'm walking through five things that shift the energy in those opening minutes and two things I'm careful not to do in a session to help get it rolling on a good foot.

This is Part 2 of a four-part May series on practical in-home family photography tips. The guiding principles and recommendations for each episode can be found in the companion resource for free called : The In-Home Session Field Guide. You'll find swipe copy, pep talk language, and go-to moves for every stage of the session.

Find It Quickly:

2:30 - Why the first 10 minutes matter more than you think 5:00 - Tip 1 - hospitality 10:30 - Tip 2: Kid level 13:00 - Tip 3: Notice the good 15:30 - Tip 4: The loop 17:30 - Tip 5: The pep talk 21:00 - Transitional shooting before direction 22:30 - What not to do

Mentioned in this Episode: In-Home Session Field Guide (free): leahoconnell.com/home-field-guide Episode 72: Part 1 — The Walkthrough Video - https://leahoconnell.com/guide-to-in-home-family-photography-sessions-part-1-the-walkthrough-video/ Episode with Rachel Larsen Weaver: https://leahoconnell.com/an-interview-with-rachel-larsen-weaver-on-pursuing-the-love-of-art-business-and-people-photo-fuel-podcast-episode-13/