The session
Every session is unique, and the unexpected is what adds energy to these precious moments. I want your session to reflect your family, its quirks, its jokes, its smiles. To ensure I get to know you the best I can before our session, I send you a form with a few questions about your family. I am happy to chat on the telephone as well, learning about each member of your family and what you are looking for helps me capture your unique personalities!
Bring an activity that you enjoy doing together as a family. Is there something you love to do together? Do you have any family games, or activities that would bring an authentic smile to your children’s faces? Bring books, card games, sports equipment anything that will be fun for you to play while we loosen up! Some examples include: football, piggy back rides, races, bike riding, hiking, singing, picnics, the ideas are endless. We will hike, be silly, talk and enjoy each other while making amazing memories.
Choosing your clothing
While looks aren’t everything, in photos they way you look helps portray your mood and style! It helps to have your clothing chosen in advance, but don’t stress about your clothes. If you are stuck on ideas, it often helps to start with Mom’s outfit first and plan the others to coordinate. Coordinate… not matchy-matchy! It is nice to have a complimentary color palette, but we don’t want to look like we all bought the same Christmas sweater.
It helps to have your clothing chosen way in advance to ensure sure that your outfit choices are comfortable and stylish. Kids in uncomfortable shoes or clothes won’t be happy no matter what we do. When we feel good in our clothes, we are more likely to show it off for the camera!
If you are still stumped on what to wear… you can peruse my Pinterest board. Think about what your dream family photos look like. Are they a tonal palette of neutral colors…. think creams, very soft pastels, oatmeals, light browns, tans, grays, and slate blues. Sometimes it helps to look around your home to see what colors you surround yourselves with. If you want your family to come across as fun, modern or sassy choose colors with bold accent colors, such as hues of gray with yellow or bright red accents. Textures, accessories and layers will add flair to your photographs giving them added style! Please bring a spare change of clothes for littles, just in case!
Have fun!
Our busy schedules don’t often leave time to devote our entire families to just making each other happy for an hour or more! Our shoot will be a time to play games, joke around and reconnect as a family, making memories to hand down to your grandchildren. I have plenty of jokes, tricks and distractions to keep everyone in the mood, but every now and then tears, tantrums and frustrations get the best of us. Kids become hangry and parents become frustrated. This is to be expected (I’m a mom!), it can be hard to be ‘on’ in front of a photographer, and we can’t control everything. We factor in breaks, refueling and regrouping. And honestly, sometimes those tears are some of my favorite photos. Every emotion is part of your family, and it defines who you are, together!
You can set the tone for the session by cheerfully participating in the shoot. These images are a gift to leave with your family, and your smiling, happy face is sure to encourage the kiddos to open up!
Don’t SAY CHEESE!
Our goal is to capture real emotion from you and your family. Forced smiles where your cheeks ache, aren’t going to do it here. So, please leave the “Cheese” at home. Standing behind me distracts the child’s eyes and they will be looking to you for approval and interaction instead of at the camera. I get the best response from your family when I interact and create genuine laughter and smiles. I might ask you to step back and pretend to not watch, to allow your children a bit of breathing room to be themselves. You can help bring out your child’s personality by talking with me, so I can coax out the smiles naturally. That’s when the magic happens! We connect about something fun, and those eyes sparkle! Don’t be afraid to chase your children, or pick them and toss them in the air. Give your wife a sweet kiss on the cheek. Tell your husband how much you love him and appreciate him for being there for your family. Have fun. Laugh. Giggle. Joke. Embrace. Kiss. Snuggle. Play. I will capture the true beauty of your family.
How do I capture you when you aren’t looking at the camera? Some of the best photographs aren’t when everyone is looking at the camera. The moments where you are engaged with your family are the moments where your love truly shows! I strive to capture that love and interaction!
Timing
I prefer to shoot during the magical ‘golden hour’ which is the two hours before sunset. This time changes daily and has huge swings by the season. Please be sure to talk with me about your family’s schedule when booking your session. It is best if everyone is well rested and fed before the session. Please factor in naptimes, bedtimes and meal times. Cranky, hangry kids won’t be interested in exercising patience, even with our best tricks! It is a good idea to bring a healthy snack in case of an emergency (but don’t let the kids know that!).
I am looking forward to getting to know your family and creating memories!