Hello and Welcome
I wanted to sum up some things I found useful to tell my clients. These tips and tricks will not only help me, but also help the session go super smooth for you!
Coordinate Outfits
This is by far one easy step you can take to elevate your photos to the next level. It doesn’t have to be crazy Pinterest worthy. It can be as simple as matching colors or complimenting colors with pattern. Another idea might be Mom and sister wear matching outfits while the boys match. Or Mom and Dad wear similar colors while kids wear their own similar colors. It doesn't have to be rocket science. But I guarantee you'll love the way it looks.
See my blog on "What Do I Wear!?" for more on this subject. If you ever have questions on what to wear, please reach out! I can help guide you to what will work for your family. Email is the best way to get ahold of me.
Bring someone to Hold Your Pet
I LOVE having furry babies in pictures. However, your fur babies won’t be in all the pictures. Having to keep track of your pet can add a stressful factor to our session that we don’t want. Bring someone to hold Rover so we can take pictures without the extra worry.
Let me know about specific poses you want
I aim to please. While I have a whole plethora of poses up my sleeve, I also want to know what YOU want. It’s okay if you don’t know, part of my job is to guide you. But! If you have even an inkling of interest in a certain pose, let me know and let’s try it! I want you to be blown away by your photos, and knowing specifically what you want will help me do that.
It’s okay to send me inspiration photos! These are soooo helpful. Remember when sending me photos, comment on exactly what you like about that photo. For example, “I like how their hands are placed.”; “I like how they are standing.”; “I like the tree in the background.” ; “I like the white house they are posed in front of.” My eyes may not be drawn to what your eyes are drawn to, so the comments on the photos help a lot.
It can be in a messy email or messy text. I know it’s hard to send inspiration photos in an organized way. Trust me, I get it. As long as the pictures are there (can be various sizes and shapes) and there are comments either above or below, I will get the message. Easy Peasy.
Don't be shy to bribe
First I want to preface.. I am not telling you how to raise your children. What I am telling you is the best and easiest way for our photo session to go smoothly and for you to get the best photos. I want you to get the best value for your money.
So, as I said, I know this sounds wrong, but hear me out.. During our session, I often only get a few milliseconds to catch a child’s genuine smile or laugh. With a child who doesn’t listen well or just loves doing the opposite of what we say during the session, I may not get those opportunities at all! Photo sessions are not the time to discipline kids. We want happy, fun, and genuine.
Make it a day! Plan to go out for ice cream afterwards if they are good. Or perhaps bring cookies or treats along which they can get right after. All in all, make the session as fun as you can that’s reasonable for you. Set your child up for success for the shoot.
Last but not least... Ask Questions!
Are you feeling uneasy? Do you have an embarrassing question? Do you feel like I did not fully explain my expectations or what I will provide to you? Ask me! Ask the question. I am here for you. No question is dumb. If you have a question about the shoot, you deserve an answer.
Thanks for reading
I hope this was helpful for you and gives you an idea of how to prepare for our photo session. As the last tip says, always feel free to reach out with questions. The best way to get ahold of me is by email. That's all for now! I'll see you in the next post.
