Details
Before the Photo Session
Location: Do you want images showing your life at home, the kids at play, or a day at the park. Think about what type of background you would like for your portraits and that will help determine both where and when to have the session.
Style: Look through magazines, online photos and/or my portfolio and pick out pictures you like. Whether it is the mood of the photo, coloring, or poses, communicating to me what you like will help me create photos you will cherish.
Must-Capture: Think about what shots you definitely want to capture (e.g. playing soccer together, grandma and child reading, 3 generations of boys, etc.)
What to Wear
Maternity: A black fitted shirt, white fitted shirt and any color solid pants always look great. Dresses that hug your belly are also beautiful in pictures. Avoid full panel pants, if possible as they leave lines on your belly and look bunchy in photos. Bring several outfits for photo variety. Also, your hands will likely be in the photos, so make sure you are happy with how your nails look.
Newborn Portraits: The baby will be naked for most shots, but can be in a favorite outfit or simple onesie for some shots. If you have favorite booties, hats or blankets, have those available. If you prefer black and white images, Mom and/or Dad should wear black as they will serve as a backdrop to show off their little one(s). If you prefer color, then wear solid, deep colors (avoid pastels if you would also like to see the images in black and white). Most new moms do not wish to have their healing body in the photos, so i will focus on the mom's face and hands when shooting images of mom and baby. If you have favorite cards in mind for newborn announcements, let me know what they are ahead of time so i can match the image orientation and colors (if applicable) to the card.
Family Portraits: Coordinating colors always look great. For best results, choose a color palette with 2-4 different colors and put the family members in colors from the palette. Avoid wording on shirts. If you plan on an outdoor shoot, avoid white shirts (they look too bright in photos). For example, you can chose your outfit first, then your spouse and then found the kids clothes that would match the colors your husband and yourself are wearing.
Childrens Portraits: Avoid wording on shirts an avoid white shirts. Bright or dark colors look great in both color and black and white shots. Pastels look fine in color but may look a little too muted in black and white. If your child has stunning eyes, select a color that sets off their eyes. Also, props (dress up clothes, sporting equipment, etc) are great as they document what the child was interested in at this age.
Headshots: Avoid distracting patterns and avoid white shirts, if possible. If you would like both formal and casual looks, have several clothing options to chose from.
What to bring
Change of Clothes: If you are unsure of what will photograph well, or you'd like to capture a few different looks , bring several clothing items or changes of outfit. There is no limit on the number of costume changes.
For Sessions with Children: Bring snacks and drinks (to keep their energy up), favorite toys and any props you'd like in the photos. Most children last about 1 - 1.5 hours and then tire of being photographed. Most dads last about 45 minutes so I'll do dad shots early. Also, in the event your child is not liking being photographed, think ahead of a bribe you'd like to offer. I'll have stickers on hand for just that reason. Special treats and/or promises of activities have worked well in the past