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Preparing for your session - Location
If you plan to go outdoors for your shoot, there are lots of things to consider, especially if children are involved. First of all, I try to avoid areas with busy roads. Fields and parks are great locations as the children can enjoy the chance to run around safely and have fun. I also love to find unusual or unique locations such as industrial buildings or places with great texture and/or architecture, as these often make your photographs very unique and eye catching (along with your beautiful faces). It's important to ensure that we have the appropriate permissions to be on the property and take photos if it is private property.
For studio or indoor photography, ensure the space has adequate lighting. I can provide studio lights for indoor shoots if necessary. For indoor family sessions, here are some ideas: sitting the family on a sofa by a window, by a doorway with great natural light or using a range of props, like old suitcases or fun chairs for the kids to sit on.
For all family sessions, plan for approximately two outfits with approximately two to three variations of your location. For example, if a session is at a park, we will pick a couple of different locations within the park that have different looks and/or backgrounds. We would most likely take some photos with some greenery (trees, creek or grassy area) and then find either a playground or a building to have a different look and feel.
This family chose a park that had some great rocks and greenery to give their background a great look and also provides flexibility to stand or sit for height variations.
Preparing for your session - Clothing
If your session is outdoors, I suggest taking blankets with you as some children and parents don’t like to get dirty when sitting on the ground. Also, consider the location when choosing your shoes. You would not want to wear stilettos if your session is going to be in the sand by a creek or if you have to walk for a bit to get to your ideal location.
You will want to prepare approximately two outfits (per person) for your shoot. You should wear your first choice of outfit to the shoot. Come ready to go so that your session time is not wasted by getting dressed on site. If you need help with ideas for clothing, check out Pinterest for different color combinations or styles of clothing for photo shoots. Clothing that you can layer works best for efficiency and ease of changing during your session.
This family shows a great variation of layered clothing, which allows them to quickly and easily change a cardigan, shirt or jacket to modify the look.
Preparing for your session - Props and Poses
During your session, I want the children and parents to be as relaxed as possible and have fun during your session. I usually allow the children to explore and kind of do their own thing, especially at first to allow them to adjust to the surroundings and not be nervous or too shy. This also allows me to capture some candid shots of kiddos being themselves. It is often better if parents look on from a distance as it allows me to build a rapport with the children and to help the children realize that this is going to be fun. Please don’t be alarmed if I make funny faces or noises at your children to get them to smile, laugh or relax a bit.
Once the children warm up to me, I can be more directional – I often intersperse more formal styled family poses with natural ones where the children don’t feel under pressure. I move between these two types of photography throughout the shoot.
I typically try to include props that are found within our shooting location (rocks, trees, stairs, doors, barns, fallen logs, benches, fences, etc.) to help add some texture and uniqueness to your photos.
I also welcome families to bring any props that will provide meaning to their photos. Many families have used quilts, unique chairs, sports equipment, pets and many other props in their sessions. I am happy to talk through any ideas to help make your session special and memorable.
For this photo, we found a small blue mini barn in a park. The color of the barn matched great with the subject's jeans and added a pop of color and some texture to the photo.