Valentine’s Setups Got Me in My Head This Year…

To say Valentine’s Day setups got me in my head this year would be an understatement.

I was not ready.

Last year, I put so much into Valentine’s that this year I honestly planned to take a break. And I guess that’s a learning point for me. I’ve been doing Valentine’s Day setups for the last couple of years and, if I’m being real… they don’t sell that well. I do them because I love Valentine’s Day. It’s my second favorite holiday, right after Halloween.

Which—fun fact—we never do setups for. You simply can’t compete with Mother Nature and Michigan fall colors, and honestly? I’m totally okay losing that battle. If there’s ever someone you want to lose to when it comes to beautiful photography backdrops, it’s Mother Nature.

So when I started getting texts days after Christmas asking what we were doing for Valentine’s Day, I panicked. I had planned nothing. I truly thought no one would miss it.

I was very wrong.

Another life lesson. Or business lesson. Hard to tell sometimes when you’re an artist running mostly on intuition—which, thank you intuition, you possibly failed me this time. But when you’ve been building something consistently for a few years… maybe Valentine’s Day setups aren’t something you just quietly drop.

Oh well. You live and learn.

The past couple of weeks were a struggle. I shouldn’t say I planned nothing—I did have an idea for stunning red drapery for boudoir shoots. But for kids? I had absolutely nothing. Then I watched other studios start posting Valentine’s promos, and that struggle turned into full panic.

I convinced myself I was going to go out of business if I didn’t get Valentine’s photos up. Naturally, my brain went straight to this is the end of You’re So Fancy Studio. Insert depression. Insert the five stages of grief. Very dramatic. Very on brand for me.

And then… I said fuck it.

I stepped back and reminded myself: what’s meant for me will be, and what’s not won’t. Once I stopped paying attention to what “everybody else” was doing, I could finally ask myself the right question: What do I want to see? What would actually bring joy?

Specifically—what would bring joy to kids who just sat through Christmas photos?

And that’s when it hit me.

I love books.

My mom was a working mother, and she always made sure we had money for books. Looking back, maybe it wasn’t the most practical thing—but I think she knew, in some way, that I needed them. For years now, I’ve incorporated books into setups at You’re So Fancy Studio. Why? Because reading is becoming a lost art, and it honestly breaks my heart.

So this Valentine’s Day, I’m pushing books again.

And art.

Instead of forcing kids to sit still and look cute, what if we gave them something fun to do? Something that feels playful instead of performative?

I took one of my favorite Valentine’s kids books, I’m Bananas for You by Sabrina Moyle and Eunice Moyle, and turned it into a coloring experience. I created a custom coloring page, grabbed oversized crayons (because yes, they photograph better), and built a heart wall that matched the book’s vibe.

Now sitting for photos won’t feel so boring this Valentine’s Day.

Maybe some of these kids will even remember it—going to a magical place with hearts on the walls, coloring, and reading books. And honestly, if that happens, that’s more than enough for me.

I guess the message here is this: take a breath. Remember what you want to give to the world. Stop worrying about what everyone else is doing.

If you’re being you, you can’t go wrong.

Why This Valentine’s Setup Actually Works for Sessions

This setup wasn’t designed just to look cute—it was designed to work.

Kids aren’t meant to sit still and perform on command, especially after months of holiday photos. By building a setup around books and coloring, the focus shifts from “pose and smile” to engage and play. That’s where the real moments happen.

Here’s why it works so well for photographers and families:

• It gives kids something to do.
  Coloring and flipping through books keeps little hands busy and nervous energy low, which leads to more natural expressions and fewer forced smiles.

• It creates genuine moments.
  Parents reading to their kids, siblings coloring together, or a child proudly showing off their artwork—these moments feel real and emotional, not staged.

• It photographs beautifully from every angle.
  The heart wall, oversized crayons, and intentional color palette were chosen to photograph well no matter your experience level. You don’t have to hunt for a “good spot”—the space does that work for you.

• It’s beginner-friendly.
  This setup allows newer photographers to focus on timing and storytelling instead of stressing about posing. The environment naturally guides the session.

• It keeps sessions moving.
  When kids are engaged, transitions are smoother and sessions feel fun instead of rushed or overwhelming.

At the end of the day, this setup is about making sessions easier—for photographers, for parents, and especially for kids. When everyone feels relaxed and present, the photos take care of themselves.