Behind the Headshots: Photographing My Sister, Author Mallory Wanless - Houston

Most of my photography sessions look a little different from a traditional headshot session. As a family and newborn photographer, I spend much of my time in homes, photographing families exactly as they are. I love capturing the connection between parents and their children, the tiny details of a new baby, and all of the beautifully imperfect moments that happen in everyday family life.

So when I had the chance to photograph author Mallory Wanless for her headshots, it was a fun change of pace. And there was an extra layer that made this session especially meaningful: Mallory is my older sister.

Photographing your sister is a little different from photographing a client you've just met. I already know her personality, her expressions, and the little things that make her who she is. But when I picked up my camera, I still wanted to approach the session as I would any other professional portrait session—with the goal of creating images that felt authentic to her while also representing her as an author.

A Change From My Everyday Photography

One of the things I love about photography is that no two sessions are exactly alike. My normal work focuses heavily on families and newborns, often photographed in their homes. Those sessions tend to be relaxed and documentary in nature. I'm looking for the little moments: a parent rocking a baby, siblings laughing together, tiny newborn fingers, or the way a child naturally interacts with their family.

Headshots require a different mindset.

Instead of photographing relationships and interactions, the focus is primarily on one person. We were thinking about expression, posture, lighting, background, and how Mallory wanted to show up professionally. There was more intention behind each image, and I loved getting to step into that different kind of creative space.

It was refreshing to slow down and focus on creating portraits rather than waiting for a moment to happen naturally.

Photographing My Sister

There is something particularly special about photographing someone you have known for most of your life.

I wasn't meeting Mallory for the first time and trying to figure out what made her comfortable in front of the camera. I already knew her. That familiarity made the session feel easy and fun, and I think it allowed us to relax and enjoy the process.

At the same time, photographing a family member can make you notice things in a different way. I wasn't just seeing my sister through the camera—I was seeing her as an author, a creative person, and someone stepping into a new chapter.

That was one of my favorite parts of the experience.

Creating Images That Feel Like Her

When I photograph families and newborns, my goal is always to create images that feel genuine and timeless. I wanted that same feeling for Mallory's headshots.

Professional headshots don't have to feel stiff or overly posed. They can still show personality. For Mallory, I wanted the images to feel polished and professional while allowing her personality to come through.

As an author, her photographs are part of how she introduces herself to readers, publishers, and the people who will discover her work. Her headshots needed to feel like an extension of who she is—not like she was trying to become someone else for the camera.

That made the session more than simply taking a few nice portraits. It was about documenting this particular moment in her journey.

A Fun Creative Detour

I genuinely enjoyed stepping outside of my usual work for this session.

I love photographing newborns and families, and I don't see myself giving that up anytime soon. There is something incredibly rewarding about being invited into someone's home and entrusted with documenting such an important season of their lives.

But doing something different creatively can be just as valuable.

Photographing Mallory gave me an opportunity to think differently about posing, expression, and personal branding. It reminded me that the skills I use in family photography—creating a comfortable environment, noticing authentic expressions, finding beautiful light, and helping people feel relaxed in front of the camera—translate into so many different types of photography.

And having my sister as my subject made it even more meaningful.

Proud to Call Her My Sister

More than anything, I'm proud of Mallory and excited to watch her pursue her work as an author.

Getting to photograph her headshots was a small but meaningful way to be part of this chapter in her life. I loved seeing her step in front of my camera not just as my sister, but as an author with her own creative work and story to tell.

As photographers, we spend so much time documenting other people's milestones. We photograph engagements, weddings, growing families, newborns, birthdays, and all of the moments that become memories.

This time, I got to document something for someone who means a lot to me.

And while photographing author headshots may have been a departure from my usual work of photographing families and newborns in their homes, it was a change I thoroughly enjoyed.

Sometimes stepping outside your normal routine is exactly what you need creatively. And sometimes, you're lucky enough to have your sister there in front of your camera to make the experience even more special.

I'm so glad I got to capture this season for Mallory—and even more excited to see where her writing takes her next.

Learn more about Mallory and dive into her books here.

See behind the scenes from my session with Mallory on Instagram here.