What to Expect
If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve booked me to capture your adorable fam bam! Let me start out by saying, first of all, that your shoot is going to be awesome. 99% of the time the first 10 minutes of any photoshoot can feel a little awkward until you and your fam can relax into it and feel confident in front of the camera. I will help you guys do this! Trust me, I do it all the time. I'll always prompt and direct you, and I’ll never ask you to do something that feels wrong or weird or leave you hanging with no idea what you should be doing next.
We’ll cycle through a few different prompts, but there will be lots of room for you to express yourselves too. I promise it will be fun and by the end of the session you'll be total pros in front of the camera. But my objective isn’t just to take pretty pictures – it’s to capture your family in it’s truest form!
What to Wear
Look, I get it. Dressing yourself in the morning is tough enough when you don’t have to stand in front of a camera and be your best self. Add having to dress a couple of kids and perhaps even your partner (ok likely your partner), and things can get a little complicated!
But the number one thing I want you to remember is that being comfortable is everything. It’s normal to want to shop for new fancy clothes to wear to a photoshoot and that’s totally fine if that’s your jam and you’re comfortable with that! But usually the best route is to go with something that’s tried and true. When selecting the right footwear, think about what’s appropriate for the location, and what presents the lowest risk of a sprained ankle. Maybe it even makes most sense to ditch the shoes altogether!
Wear something that’ll keep you cool in summer, warm in winter, and that’ll make you feel like the sparkly human you are on the inside! Bring a couple outfits so that we can play with different options and combinations. If you have anything in your wardrobe that is textured, sheer, or billowy, just know that fabrics that flow show up so beautifully in photographs. Try to avoid starchy, stiff-seeming garments that get crumpled in weird spots and need adjusting.
If you feel like getting a little glammed up, there’s absolutely no reason not to get your hair and makeup done. Just try to keep it as natural as possible. Fancy and intricate hairdos can sometimes look a little out of place if we’re tromping around a field, and I love the motion that is captured with hair blowing in the wind.
Be careful with prints, logos, and bright colors as sometimes these detract from the most important parts of the photograph – y’all!
Avoid matching and blending together into one monochromatic blob. In order for the components of your photograph to really sing, you’ll want to find complementary outfits that showcase a controlled variety of textures and colors so you can look good together, but without looking exactly the same. And of course you are welcome to run any ideas by me if you want some help/an extra opinion.
Timing
If you have time the day before the shoot, get all of your things ready. Allow plenty of time for showers, baths, and getting ready before you head out. Give yourself lots of time to get to the location so you don’t feel frazzled and rushed on arrival. When a family shows up to a shoot having had to drive illegal speeds to get there, it sets the tone for a rushed and disorganized session.
While I can shoot in any lighting, I do love to shoot outside when the sun is low in the sky (just before sunset or just after sunrise) if possible because the kind of natural light that fills the sky at this time makes everything look magical. Depending on when the sun rises and sets, this window of time might not work for everyone. If you’re doing an indoor session, time of day is not really of that much concern so let’s have a chat about when the kids are most alert and work according to their schedules!
how to prepare
In the leadup to the shoot, get the kids excited about what’s to come. Show them some photos that I’ve taken, let them know that you’re really excited, that we’ll be playing lots of fun games, and there might even be delicious snacks on offer. This brings me to my next point: bring snacks. There are lots of variables in family shoots that are beyond our control. When photographing kids, I’ve learned relatively quickly that every plan is contingent on their mood. But snacks are an almost entirely failsafe mood booster for the little ones (and lots of adults too lol!). Packing a stash of treats to bust out right when the kids need that slice of motivation buys us a lot of precious time and cooperation! Other forms of bribery might include a special treat like a movie or a trip to the ice cream shop after the shoot to get them looking forward to the entire day.
Location
If you already know where you want to shoot, that’s amazing – I’m always up for discovering new places! If you’re not so sure, then don’t you sweat it! I’ve got my own little index of locations for almost every scenario and we can go through them together. But definitely think about what kind of backdrop you want in your photos.
Are you drawn to the mountains?
Do you love the pastel tones of the beach?
Is there something about the movement of tall grasses that speaks to your soul?
Do you love the edge of urban environments?
The romance of rustic country buildings?
Do you want to capture in home moments like playing games or making dinner?
Keep in mind that we’re looking for somewhere where there aren’t too many distractions, where the light is soft, and where there’s enough space for us to move around without breaking anything. I know we’ll find the perfect spot for your photoshoot!
Bring the pups!
I am a dog super fan so of course you are welcome to bring them to your session! If you’re arriving with your a four-legged-friend in tow, here are some things to consider first:
Make sure the location that we’ve chosen is dog-friendly.
Brush up on some commands and tricks to make sure they’re not pissing on anyone’s leg or muddying anyone’s white pants during the shoot.
Get the zoomies out! Make sure they’ve had lots of outdoor exercise beforehand so that they’re calm and attentive when it’s go-time.
Pack treats and toys, and a lint roller.
Give ‘em a good brush beforehand!
Posing & Combinations
I’ll be sure to take some photos of you all as a family, as well as different combinations to capture all angles of the family dynamic. Let me know if there are specific combinations that you’d like to see captured and I’ll make sure to prioritize based on what’s most important to you guys. But I’ve got tons of poses and prompts up my sleeve for any scenario, so all you have to do is relax and go with it!
Let go and Enjoy
If you walk away after reading this and only remember one thing, let it be this: have zero expectations. Embrace what comes – the wind, the rain, the laughter, whatever unfolds. Every shoot is unique, and we have no set shot list to tick off on the day. It’s all about YOU and capturing your life exactly how it is on the day of your shoot. We’re not here to mimic the shiny perfect families you see on your feed, we’re here to tell your unique story as it shows up on the day of the shoot – wrinkles, tears, joyous abandon, and all. Throw your checklist out the window and know that magic will naturally unfold. When it does, I’ll be there to capture it.
If you have any questions before your session, please reach out!
I’m looking forward to capturing these memories for you!
