family session welcome guide
Hello! I am so excited for our session! My lifestyle approach to photography will be used to capture you and your family the way you are. My goal during our session is not to get everyone looking right at the camera and smiling saying “cheese”, however, capturing your family and your beauty in a naturalistic way with light posing.
I look forward to providing you with a gallery full of storytelling images to share with friends and family.
location:
We will decide together the best place to have your family session. For in home sessions, we will use the available natural light in your home and we will use natural elements in your home to be the “backdrop”. For outdoor sessions, we will incorporate environmental park/water/urban elements to capture your family beautifully.
time:
For outdoor sessions, it is best to shoot within an hour of sunrise or sunset. Please plan to arrive about 10-15 minutes early, to have enough time for parking and finding the location. If there will be young children at your session, plan to give them a late nap and we can be a little flexible with our session time for the best lighting during the evening golden hour. Midday lighting is harsh and will not be flattering for photos. For in-home sessions, the natural light is usually best during late morning around 9:30 or 10:00 am.
length of session:
Family sessions typically last about 45 minutes to an hour.
what to wear:
During this session I’d like you to be comfortable. We may move around a bit so allow some room to move when deciding on your outfit. Wear anything that feels natural to you. It's helpful to pick 2-3 colors and coordinate outfits around those colors, without being "matchy matchy". It might be best to stay away from too many textures or patterns and clothing with large logos or distracting photos. Feel free to add pops of color. I would encourage you to not all dress the same (i.e., white shirt and khaki pants) because you are your own and we want that to show in these photos!
Head over to my Pinterest Board for complimenting outfit ideas.
props:
I do not bring props to my sessions other than a blanket depending on the weather.
your children:
It might be a good idea to let your child(ren) know that a friend will be coming to take some photos and play so that they are not surprised when I get there. I have found that the best photos happen when natural moments unfold. It can tend to get chaotic to ask your child to stand there and look at the camera and say cheese, so it’s best to give them some time to warm up to the idea that we will be playing and listening, and I’ll be there to snap away! Please be mindful of your child’s eating schedule and bring a snack if need be. Dry, non-messy snacks are ideal and a little easier to keep those faces clean.
please arrive on time or be ready to start on time:
It is important that we start on time because we will be working with available light. Please plan for traffic or parking.
I am excited to capture you and your loved ones! Please let me know if there are any additional questions you may have.
Helpful links:
Family Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
next steps:
You will receive a family questionnaire closer to your session that will help me prepare to photograph you.