How to prepare for a session?

GENERAL PHILOSOPHY

In the following paragraph I will share some information with you of how to prepare for a session. We have likely talked about that prior to booking the session, but sometimes its good go be able to read it again.

LOCATION

For outdoor sessions, one of the most common questions we get is “Where will we shoot? Do you pick or do we?”.

So the location question should be addressed right away, and the answer is going to be up to the client! I offer studio and outdoor sessions. The location of the shoot can add a whole lot of meaning and fun to your photos. The images will be focused on you, but a great backgrounds adds a ton of colour, textures, lines and light. Natural spots, like field and treed areas work great for playing and focusing on each other. The best time of the day to shoot in fields is usually before sunset, so that I can capture the golden light. If you have a location, that has a special meaning to you, I will gladly meet you there. If you don’t, no problem, I know lots of  magical places to shoot.

 

TIMING BEFORE THE SESSION

Moms are often rushing around before a photo shoot, making sure that their family is dressed and ready.  If mom and dad are in the picture, I always encourage moms to spend extra time on themselves, maybe even getting their hair and makeup professionally done.  This will prepare mom for her pictures and when mom is feeling pretty and confident, this will reflect on the rest of the family as well.  Leave plenty of time for showers, baths, dressing, and grooming.  When a family shows up to a family photo session rushed and disorganized, it sets the tone for a rushed and disorganized session.  Give yourself extra time so that you are ready before it’s time to head out that door.

PREPARE THE DAD

If Dad’s are part of the session, Dads, please cheerfully participate.  I know that many dads dread the family photo session, but fathers, please understand how important capturing your family is.  These images will be left as a legacy, when your children are grown, with families of their own some day. Family photos are treasured forever and they are so important.  Please, please, dads… cheerfully participate in your family photo session.  Once you see your happy wife and amazing photographs, you will be so glad that you gave this time to your family.

KIDS

Be certain not to schedule your photo session around your child’s nap or bedtime. Besides timing, my advise is to not put too much importance on preparing the kids for the photo session. I will try to keep it a fun playdate, and thats exactly what you can tell them. Depending on their ages, it’s more important to provide comfort ahead of the session.
I advise in bringing multiple outfits, snacks [no choclate], and a favourite toy in case the little one needs some comfort. I also hope to capture their personality  (not just a cheesy smile), so there is no need to tell them “to smile”. Please, parents… I have found parents who stand behind the photographer and scream, “Say cheese to the lady kids!”  Yelling and demanding young children to look at the camera to smile will only stress your children out (not to mention the photographer) and will result in strained, unnatural and often unflattering photographs.  Step back, and allow me to naturally interact and talk with your children.  This will result in natural, gorgeous smiles.  Help me to capture the true essence of your child’s personality by talking with and coaxing out those smiles naturally and easily. If you want to help, be silly!
Here is a little checklist:

• Clean, clean, clean – clean nails, clean hair, wipe away eye boogers, clean feet (sandals on kids = black feet!), wipe snotty noses, fresh-scrub teeth. The cleaner the kid, the better their photos will turn out.
• If your child is still in diapers or pull-ups, tuck’em in or wear bloomers.
• If your child is still of napping age, make sure they nap before the shoot.
• It is perfectly okay to bring bribes to a photo shoot – given a stage and being the center of attention, it’s like our kids know exactly when to act their worst. Some cereal,or hard candy that won’t stain teeth can help a short photo shoot go by smoothly.
• Avoid colorful drinks or lollypops before the shoot, don’t let them eat or drink anything that will stain their face, teeth or mouths.

CLOTHES

The biggest challenge in getting ready for a photo session. Pinterest is a great resource to look up some outfits. I have put together a boardfor you to make it a little easier.  Have your clothing chosen way in advance and make sure that your outfit choices are comfortable and attractive.  What do your dream family photos look like?  If they are soft and elegant?  Chose neutral colors with soft, flowing fabrics…. think creams, very soft pastels, oatmeals, light browns, tans, grays, and slate blues.  Want to showcase the fun and spunky side of your family?  Choose coordinating colors (but not matchy, matchy) with bold accent colors, such as hues of gray with yellow or bright red accents.  Adding fun accessories like scarves, headbands, hats, etc. can add a modern twist and sassy flair to your images. Think about all parts of the outfit, shoes and sock combinations, and not wearing hats at the beginning of the shoot. For girls, think about hair and makeup, especially if its an outdoor session, you want to make sure you have a hair tie handy.

• Wardrobe – For girls, you can’t go wrong with cute dresses, rompers, and dainty hats or headbands. For boys, jeans and polos or a button-up shirt, or a T-shirt with a button-up over it can be very cute, as well as overalls on the right age and personality. For siblings, the children don’t have to match perfectly, just coordinate. You can’t go wrong with dark, rich monotones, which drive the attention in photos to sweet faces and darling expressions instead of loud prints or colors. If nothing else, pick a color that compliments your child’s eye color.

THE SESSION

I will try to keep the session entertaining for the little ones. You might find, that I am acting really weird and funny, but no worries this is part of the session. The funnier the better, it will encourage the little ones to bring out their natural smile and expression.

THEN WHAT?

After the session, I will take between 2 and 3 weeks to pre-edits your images. If you need your images at a certain time, please let me know ahead of the session. You will then receive a link to a gallery where you can view and select your favourite images. Once you are done with your selection, I will do the final edit and provide you with two sets of files, the high resolution images and watermarked web sized images.