Notes from the Studio | April 2026

Spring always brings them to my inbox.

Photos taken on a phone in the backyard. Kids in muddy boots. A grandparent sitting in a lawn chair squinting into the sun. Parents asking is this good enough? Did I get it?

You're always trying to capture it. That's one of the things I love most about the families I work with — you're paying attention. You notice the way the light looks at 5pm, the way your kid laughs with their whole body, the way your mom looks at your children like they're the best thing she's ever seen.

You're already doing the most important part. I just want to help you do it a little better — and make sure what you capture actually lasts.

So this month, a couple of tips, and two pieces of news.

📷 Spring Tip for Parents: How to Photograph Your Kids This Season

Spring light is genuinely magical — soft, golden, forgiving — but it moves fast. Here's how to make the most of it:

Shoot in the hour after sunrise or the hour before sunset. Midday light is harsh and unflattering, even on the cutest faces. That golden-hour window gives you warmth without squinting.

Get on their level. Crouch down. Sit on the ground if you have to. Photos taken at a child's eye level feel intimate and real — photos taken from adult height make kids look small and the background look cluttered.

Stop directing, start observing. Give them something to do — dig in the dirt, water a plant, chase the dog — and then step back and watch. The best expressions happen when they forget you're there.

Chase the shade. Open shade (under a tree, on a covered porch) gives you even, beautiful light without the harsh shadows that direct sun creates.

And if you ever want a professional session this spring — I'd love to make some images with your family that are a little more intentional than a phone snap. Just reply and we'll talk.

🗂️ How to Preserve Old Prints — and Your Kids' Artwork — At Home

This one comes up constantly, and I think about it more than most people realize.

For old photographs:

• Store prints in acid-free sleeves or boxes — never in magnetic or "peel and stick" albums, which damage photos over time

• Keep them away from basements and attics where temperature and humidity fluctuate

• Digitize anything fragile now, before it deteriorates further — a flatbed scanner gives you much better results than photographing prints with your phone

• Handle old photos by the edges, or wear clean cotton gloves

For kids' artwork:

• Photograph or scan pieces before they fade, curl, or get lost in a move

• Apps like Artkive or Keepy can help you organize and even turn artwork into printed books

• Choose a few truly meaningful pieces each year to frame or store flat in an archival box — you don't have to keep everything to honor everything

• Write the date and your child's age on the back of anything you save

The goal isn't perfection. It's making sure the things that matter to you are still around in 20 years.

Two New Things I'm Offering This Spring

Speaking of making things last —

Photo Restoration

If you have old family photos that are fading, damaged, or falling apart, I can help. I'm now offering professional photo restoration services — bringing deteriorating images back so your family has copies that will survive another generation.

These aren't just old pictures. They're evidence that someone was here, that they were loved, that their life happened. If you have something that needs care, I'd love to take a look.

Legacy Sessions

A legacy session is a portrait session designed for someone who is aging, ill, or nearing the end of life — and for the people who love them. Unhurried, gentle, entirely focused on connection and presence.

If there's someone in your life — a parent, a grandparent, a dear friend — and there's a quiet voice saying not yet, we have more time — I want to gently say: this kind of session isn't about goodbye. It's about I see you. You matter. I want to remember this.

Spring feels like exactly the right time to begin.

As always, thank you for being part of this community and for trusting me with your family's story over the years. It means more than I know how to say.

Hit reply anytime — whether it's a question, a photo you want to share, or just to say hello.

With warmth, Giliane

Giliane E. Mansfeldt Photography | Saint Paul, MN