It's hard enough to get your family dressed in the morning on a typical school day.
Now, you have to get them ready for family photos?! #saywhat.
The photos that I want to capture with you are natural, candid, and effortless during our time. By the way, it entirely possible! To get these photos does not mean to dress everyone in the same outfit and plan on standing in a straight line and show me your best (fake) smiles. I want you to enjoy our time together. If you don't, then why the heck would you put photos of it on your wall? You wouldn't.
Here are some tips on how to make our time special:
1. Find the outfits you want everyone to wear at least a week in advance. The day before your session, make any final changes or fixes to your wardrobe. Don't forget about shoes, jewelry, belts, and other accessories! Text me if you're in a bind, and we can work out the kinks. Or I can reassure you that you're going to look great!
2. About three to four days before the session, start talking with your spouse and kids about the session, what will happen, and how they should behave. If you plan to use an incentive, now is an excellent time to set that in place. Continue to talk to your children daily to prepare them for the session. If you would like your children to meet me in advance, ask! Remember: beauty is imperfect. Sometimes the best photos come from kids just being kids!
3. Before your session, pack a bag of everything you will need on picture day (yes, it's like your hospital bag) – snacks, props, incentives, etc. and put it somewhere you can grab it and go. Be sure to include wipes in case things get the messy, and extra hairbrush, and other "emergency" items, such as bobby pins and a backup lipstick. If your child has a favorite toy or lovey, it'll help a lot to have it with them!
4. On the day of the session, make sure everyone is well-fed, as we don't want anyone getting hangry (we all know what happens when dad gets hangry). Or have plenty of snacks before, go out to dinner, all dressed up afterward.
5. Make sure you have all the details sorted out with me at least the day before. I'll give you my cell number and the exact location of your session, so you can have it ready on your phone's map. Also, let me know any additional info you think I should know.
6. Plan to get to your session 30 minutes early. This usually means you will get there just on time! (Trust me, you know I'm right.)
7. Expect your children to get a little dirty. The best photos are the kids playing in their natural habitat - dirt and water. If we're near a creek, your family will most likely slip their shoes off and step in the water. The infamous "WoW, this is super cold!" face is great for photos.
8. HAVE FUN! Trust me to ensure a great experience!
Do you have some great ideas for preparing your children and (spouse) for a new experience? Let me know!
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