Maybe this is your first time using a professional photographer or maybe you regularly schedule professional family photos. Either way, it is always good to know what to expect when you arrive at your session. If you have little ones, it can also be super helpful to prepare them for the session so they know what to expect and are not nervous or scared.
I chose the image above for this post because I love when families have fun during a session! I will do my best to make your session as fun as possible. I encourage you to try to enjoy the session and keep things relaxed. Little ones are more likely to be relaxed and have fun too, which means more smiles!
Before the Session
I recommend preparing your little ones for the session as much as possible. Talk to them about the location and the camera. If they have not been around a big camera before talk to them about it being like the photos adults take on their phones, just with a bigger camera. Let them know you expect them to cooperate and follow directions and it will only be a few minutes of sitting and posing and then they will be given more fun directions to follow.
You can even practice before the session. Have your little ones practice smiling (as genuinely as possible). Did you know that "cheese" is not the best prompt to get genuine looking smiles? Try using words like "yoga," or "money," or "banana," which actually makes your face look more natural. Practice having them follow directions. The goal for the session is for them to cooperate. The top priority though is no tears, even if they are not cooperating.
During the Session
Generally, I will start with some whole family posed pictures. I don't want to spend too long on this, but I want you to have some traditional family photos in your gallery. From here I will provide prompts and directions to get pictures of your family looking more natural. While doing all photos, I kindly ask that you are as relaxed as possible. If your littles are not cooperating, it generally does not help to get upset with them. We hope to avoid tears to get those beautiful pictures. So relax and have fun!
When the little ones are not cooperating, it can be sooo frustrating!!! I have been there. A couple of years ago, my little guy (1.5 at the time) was laughing and in a great mood all the way up until the photographer got there with her camera. Then he stopped smiling. We got a lot of serious photos that year, but I still loved them. I was frustrated at the time, but he still looked so cute and now it is a funny story.
Embrace your child's current phase. If they make a grumpy face, this can be a funny story later about how they hated getting their photo taken at this age. We will try some prompts that make them forget about the camera. If they won't stay still, we will try some movement prompts and you can capture these years of them being a wiggle worm authentically.
The key is to not get upset, rather find ways to connect with them and make the feel comfortable and have fun. We will work together to still get some great photos! Pro tip: bring something small (and clean) to bribe them with. Normally, I am not a huge fan of bribing, but during a photo session is a special circumstance. One idea for a great bribe is to bring little mini-marshmallows. They are small, white, and generally not a mess. BUT don't pull them out too soon! You want to save them for when they are really needed.
As for the adults, just stay relaxed and try to enjoy the time with your family. If you enjoy it, it's more likely everyone will enjoy it! The results will show in gorgeous photos.
After whole family photos, time permitting, I will do some different variations. For example, I like to get mom with kids, dad with kids, just the kids, just mom and dad, and so forth. Be sure to include any specific poses or variations you are looking for in your questionnaire so I can get the look you want.
You will be sent a questionnaire so I can tailor your session to you as much as possible. Please fill this out with detail to help me prepare.
After the Session
Now your session is done! I hope you enjoyed it and felt beautiful. I will begin editing your photos (most likely immediately). My goal is to get you your gallery to you as soon as possible.
You may be curious what photos you will get? I know in the past I have wanted every single one. Here is the thing though, I take wayyyy too many photos. I will have 15 photos of the exact same thing with just the smallest difference. So your gallery will include the best photos that I have edited. You get a specific number of images included, which you can choose. Then if you like more of the photos in the gallery, you can purchase them for an additional fee.
You have your beautiful photos digitally, now what?
If you love them, I highly highly recommend that you print them. And let me tell you, not all prints are created equal. Of course you can order prints from CVS, Walgreens, Target, etc., but the quality of these services are not amazing in how the color turns out. Trust me! I have tried a bunch of services. Especially if you want a large print, contact me. I use a professional printing company and your products will turn out AMAZING. It is more expensive, but it is a worthwhile investment. These photos can be printed on your wall for years to come. The service I use is heirloom quality. Can you put a price on the smile you will get every time you pass your photos? It is worth it!!
What happens if you do not print them is they live on your phone. Just like all the other pictures you have taken with your smart phone. It is a shame. Instead, I recommend getting these ones printed. Because they are taken with a higher quality camera, they can be blown up large and look GORGEOUS! Also, did you know that research shows that having pictures of our children on our walls increases their self-confidence? I love that for all of our kids. Contact me about the products available for your home!!
Note: I will only keep your images for six months, so be sure to save them to an external hard drive so you always have access to them!
