PREPARING FOR YOUR SESSION
Here are some tips that other clients have found helpful to make picture day fun and easy going for everyone involved.
General Sessions
Wear clothing that compliments your physical features and represents your personal style. If trying to coordinate a large family, we have found that putting the children in coordinating prints and the adults in solid colors chosen from the prints works well.
Senior Sessions
Accessories such as jewelry, scarves and hats can be great assets to your photograph if incorporated appropriately.
If your session is going to take place in an outdoor setting, we suggest that you choose to wear "man-made colors such as purple, teal, orange, yellow - shades or colors that you would not be likely to find in the outdoor location you have chosen.
Girls, be sure to bring any make-up, hair products, flat irons, etc. that you may need during your session.
Don't forget your props! Sports equipment, jerseys, musical instruments, artwork, pets - you name it! We want to create images that are uniquely you.
Bring a friend along and your own music! The more fun you have the more relaxed you will be during your session allowing your true facial expressions and personality to shine through your portraits.
If you have any questions or concerns about your session, please do not hesitate to call. We would love to talk to you!
Maternity Sessions
This is a very exciting, beautiful event in life, and one of our favorites to capture. The best advice we can give you is to focus on relaxing during your session. Towards the end of your pregnancy, you will likely feel an urgency to make sure everything is ready and perfect for when the baby comes - and it's possible that you are feeling self-conscious of your new, and maybe you don't think, improved figure. The most important thing is to leave your worries at the door and take the next 1-2 hours to simply be joyful for this new little life. If you can do that, we promise you will feel and look beautiful.
When thinking about what to wear for your session, keep it simple. The beauty of a mother anticipating the arrival of her child is perfectly able to speak for itself. What we suggest you wear will depend on how clothed you prefer to be during your session. We would love to talk with you further about your interest in scheduling a maternity session.
The location of the session is an important detail to consider. There's something to be said about the privacy of in-studio portraits, especially if you choose a more natural session. Another option is having the session in your home. These photos will be very personal, and if you have younger children it may be easier to incorporate them into the images if you choose to do the session in your home.
And then there is the never-failing favorite, the great outdoors.
Newborn Sessions
We suggest that newborn sessions are scheduled for when the infant is between 4 and 10 days old. After this time frame, the baby starts to grow more alert and tends to sprawl out from his or her default fetal position which is what gives them the "newborn look". The session is easiest when the baby is still very bendy and sleepy. If you have special blankets or toys that you would like incorporated into your session, please feel free to bring them along.
For newborns we try to keep it simple. As small as they are, we don't want to overwhelm their physical appearance with too many props.
Please try not to plan outfits for them to wear. We know how cute the sleepers are that say "Daddy's Girl" across the front, but at this age they are not able to be posed in a flattering way and show the outfit at the same time. Outfits are not preferred until your child is able to sit up on his or her own. We have, instead, a variety of different props that are used to creatively cover your child. We would love to talk to you about some creative ideas that you could incorporate into your child's session.
Kids Club Sessions
Be creative! Think candid. Our goal is to bring out the personality of your child and catch it red-handed. If your child is happiest in a dress shirt and tie, then by all means - go for it! But it is when your child feels relaxed and comfortable that their true colors will show, and those are the images you will want to treasure forever.
The term "relaxed and comfortable" factors in quite a few things... Sometimes your child's environment has an effect on how your child will react. Depending on your child's personality, familiar scenes may be the best place in which to photograph your child. It might be your backyard, the family farm, or a familiar park. A lot of times just being able to get them outside with some room to run around will get them "warmed up" and feeling comfortable with what is going on.
If you are coming into the studio for your session, bring some familiar things along - favorite toys, books, etc... We might even be able to incorporate these things into your pictures to give them a very personal feel.
If you have any questions or concerns about your session, please never hesitate to call. We would love to take the time to talk to you!