Planning Your Family Photo Session
If you ask me what most influences the quality of an image aside from light?
Wardrobe. 100%.
Ask me what I consistency hear women stress out about during session planning??
Outfit selection.
How you dress yourself and your family is such a crucial element in building beautiful, impactful images that you can be PROUD of. Photos and memories your children will cherish after you pass. It's how generations to come will remember you and how your grandchildren will be in awe of looking back at photos from 2020.
I have no idea what to wear. Ideas?
I have all the wardrobe ideas, if you’d like to be paired with a stylist to curate an outfit just for you, I’d be honored to connect you!
I prefer texture (lace, velvet, etc.) and bold colors with limited prints, logos, brand names, etc. for a more on-trend style. I adore long dresses as they offer such flow and sense of whimsy and drama in your images.
I typically advocate that outfits complement each other with variety in color and style as opposed to matching perfectly in the same color polo or t-shirt.
I geek out over boho hats and floral crowns on women. I recently entered a photo contest and I think I voted for every photo where mom wore a gorgeous dress and an awesome hat or headband. See my favorite dress vendors here.
Should I bring anything to the session?
I welcome solid color blankets to sit on and suggest giving consideration to outfit selection and color cohesion. I keep seeing this really cute trend of making a blanket into a huge part of the session as a hammock swing, as a prop to engage the kiddos by tossing it in the air. Perhaps a stack of books to read, favorite toys, anything personalized or photogenic, accessories like hats, sunglasses for the littles or stuffed animals used for milestone sessions.
What location do you suggest for the session?
Thirty minute sessions offers one of three locations: Cheeseman Park, Washington Park, Cherry Creek North. See photos of my favorite locations here.
What timeframe do you suggest for the session?
Anything you see on my website, posted to social media, all the images (100%) were taken at sunset. Scheduling your session at the right time of day is the biggest impact on your images. If we stumble upon a cloudy day, I’d LOVE to shoot earlier, we can also elect an urban location with plenty of shade. Shooting sessions in the mountains outside of sunset time frame is not available.
Any advice for working with toddlers and children?
With social distancing measures in full effect, I will maintain more than a six foot distance from your crew. This means I can’t get close to your littles, tickle them or have them give me all the high fives to earn their trust. More than ever, it’s on parents to make the session enjoyable for the whole crew. Above all - HAVE FUN. Focus on the kids instead of smiling at the camera. My clients typically choose images from their sessions where they are interacting with their little ones and everyone is smiling and laughing. Cultivating real moments and smiles and aiming for candid, playful moments in your session is key. Having a plan of how to interact with them (game, ball, anything else they love or you do at home) while going with the flow and letting the them a lead a little. I’m alllll about getting smiles on everyone’s faces piled up on a blanket together or running around chasing each other. I’ve had a few clients experiment with arriving early and allowing the kiddos time and space to run around and explore the location for a solid 15 or so before the session time just to get them used to the location before diving in.
