I came to photography through film. I studied TV and film production, so I shoot a session like a story: the wide shot that sets the scene, the close-ups, and the moment right after everyone thinks we're done. That last one is usually the keeper.

Before Afar, I art directed photo and video shoots for outdoor brands, planning around light, terrain and weather so nobody stood around waiting. Your session gets the same planning, minus the production budget.

I also have a toddler at home, so I know how fast a good mood can turn. Snacks are a strategy. Bribery is allowed. And when someone lies down in the dirt and refuses to move, I'm not going to flinch. Some of my favorite frames start exactly that way.

I lived in Breckenridge for almost a decade, working every winter at the Breckenridge Ski School. My job was getting other people's kids down a mountain safely, in whatever weather rolled in, dodging all kinds of obstacles along the way . It's not the most glamorous line on my résumé, but it taught me to stay calm while responsible for a group of small, cold, very opinionated people in a wild place. After that, a toddler refusing to wear the outfit doesn't rattle me.

The families I photograph best would rather be outside than in front of a backdrop. If your kids won't sit still, good. Neither will we.