Getting the best of your photo session

This is a post that I have been wanting to do for a while.  This is not about any one session that I have had, but about several tips to make your session more successful.  This blog is geared towards family and child portrait sessions, but can help with most other types of sessions.

PLANNING YOUR SESSION

1.LOCATION - When planning your session, I try to get an idea of what you are looking for.  For instance, what kind of image do you want to portray?  What kind of setting would you like - formal, studio, adventurous, urban, country, etc. ?  I could go on, but you get the idea.

2.WHAT TO WEAR -  This is a personal choice of yours.  I will help you as much as I can.  I do suggest not dressing "matchy matchy", but with complimenting colors and styles.  Also, I do not suggest clothing with lots of busy patterns or outfits that you may look back on in 10 years and think..."hmmm, what was I thinking"?

3. TIME OF DAY - If you have a younger child, what time of the day is better for them?  For on location sessions, it is better to do it early in the morning or later in the afternoon, right before sunset.  If your child is a morning riser and is the happiest in the morning, then this is when we should do it.  If your child is like my son who is grouchy in the morning, but is great in the afternoon, then that's the best time.  Also, make sure your children are well fed before the session.  Bring extra snacks with you, but I can not tell you how many times I've had to go through photos and remove orange fishy crumbs around mouths and sometimes, in their mouth (and it gets on their clothes too).

4. PREPPING YOUR MIND - Come to the session with an open mind and patience.  Yes, sessions can be stressful, getting everyone ready and in a good mood can be tough.  BUT, if you come to a session knowing that not every photo is going to have every person smiling every time (yes, I am repeating "every" a lot), you will be disappointed.    A common phrase I hear is - "We have to do this quick, I don't know how long they are going to last!" Well,  "plopping" a child down on the ground and say "smile" is not going to work.  You are almost guaranteed tears.  Especially with toddlers, they sense that you are frustrated and they will react to you.  Not to mention, they are meeting this new person that is pointing this big black camera at them for the first time.  What I try to do is let them get comfortable, with their surroundings, with their outfit (bibs are a good thing) and with me.  If you have more than one child, I let them interact with each other (and they also make the best photos) and wait for the right moment to direct them to what I want them to do.  It is my job to capture those precious moments that will help you remember them forever.  If you have looked at my photos, you will see that I am not a "sit and smile" photographer. Although, having a few of those are wonderful, I also love to capture the expressions and emotions of everyone I photograph, whether it is in the studio or on location, I actually love the photos when they are not smiling the best.  Of course, I will ask them to smile, but most of the time, I am really trying to get that genuine, one of a kind expression that only your child makes.  These are the photos that I know will you will treasure forever.

5. BREAKS ARE GOOD - Sometimes, I will suggest a break.  If a child is really upset or acting out, take a deep breath and let them step away from it all.  If you are in the studio, there have been many times that I will let them watch tv or color for 5 or 10 minutes.  Let them get over the tantrum and then resume.  It works 95% of the time.  If we are on location, take them for a short walk, let them sit down and relax, what ever will help them calm down.  It is so much better to take 10 minutes out of the session then have 50 photos of blood shot eyes and tears streaming down their red faces.

6. SESSION IS DONE, now what?  When I go through your photos, I try to give you as much of a variety as possible.  If you only like the photos where your children is sitting still and smiling, that is fine.  I also suggest getting some that have those other expressions.  Also, I am a HUGE fan of wall art, like canvas gallery wraps and print wraps.  These are types of prints that are easily mounted on the wall and  frames are not required.  What I love about them is how easy it is to expand the collection or move them around.  Even starting with 1 larger one and growing the collection year after year will give you an amazing archival display that you will cherish through the years.

I hope this helps you plan your session.  These are just a few tips that will help you achieve your goal.  Of course, you know your child best and I will work with you to provide you with the best portraits I can.  Every session is different and I look forward to each and every one of the them.