preparation
FAMILY SESSION
A little bit about what to expect.
My style of family photography would be considered Lifestyle. The term lifestyle in reference to photography speaks to the casual environment in which the photos are taken and what they hope to depict. Lifestyle photography seeks to tell a story about you; to capture you and your loved ones enjoying each other and being yourselves. Lifestyle uses natural posing and instruction from the photographer so that your family can get comfortable, have fun and let your personalities take center stage.
When photographing your family, I focus a lot on your interactions; trying to capture the natural moments between you as they unfold. I hope to encourage fun and genuine interactions and to shine light on the beauty and uniqueness of your family.
If there are any specific moments or details that you hope to see during our session, (just the kids, mom and the girls, the baby on dad’s shoulders, parents interacting etc.) please let me know! It’s my goal to give you exactly what you want and these insights are invaluable!
first..
This is my best piece of advice- Wear what feels good! This is incredibly important for your new baby and for your rowdy little boys but moms and dads, this tip is for you too. If you aren’t comfortable in what you’ve chosen to wear, it will show. I want you to feel great when you look back at these photos!
My biggest piece of advice - Wear clothes that fit. And fit well. I know the thought of buying clothes for your kiddos that don’t leave some room for growth is hard to swallow. They grow so fast, it’s hard to keep up! However, keep in mind that for photos, an outfit that’s too big could easily look sloppy. If you are purchasing something specifically for our session, choose something that fits perfectly, or even just a little bit snug. This will translate to clean lines and little distraction in your photos. This goes for you too, moms! Treat yourself and go get that dress or outfit that you feel like a million bucks in but don't want to splurge on. You deserve it.
what to wear..
Avoid matching, but try to coordinate. Our goal here is to capture realistic, natural photos of your family. While we’re going for a little more polish than you might see on an average Saturday morning, we don’t want you to look like you’re in a uniform. So how do we achieve that? Coordinating color is what really brings a family wardrobe together. I find that coordinating tones or color shades is a flawless option. I strongly recommend sticking to neutral, light colors as they not only create beautiful tones and highlights but tend not to distract from the reason we're all here - your beautiful family. A few of my favorite tones are blues, greens and neutrals (ivory, oatmeal, linen). Try choosing one main tone and building the rest of your outfits around that tone!
I don’t recommend black, red, busy prints or graphic patterns as they are distracting and don’t photograph well. Red tones in particular tend to create a color cast that does not photograph well. Subtle stripes, neutral florals and textures are great options! They add some wonderful depth and dimension to the photos. And don’t forget, expression is key! We want to be able to see your personality through your wardrobe.
Shoes are a very important part of wardrobe and often get overlooked. My recommendation for shoes are boots, flats or sandals or simple neutral sneakers. Or, weather permitting, barefoot is always an adorable option, especially with babies. There’s nothing like those little baby toes!
I absolutely love wardrobe styling and am happy to help! Please don't hesitate to reach out with questions!
Timeless looks will last. I am a sucker for the classics. A simple white dress on a baby girl. A well fitting sweater and jeans on dad. A baby in their birthday suit! The simple yet elegant looks will always stand the test of time, and will never go out of style. As much as your child may love his Disney character tee shirt, I recommend skipping trends like a logo tee and working toward creating outfits for your family that will look timeless and beautiful hanging on your wall for years to come.
