Details of your Family Photo Experience
1. Let's meet and do some Pre- Shoot Planning
I love to get to know you before we get together to capture your memories!
The Pre-planning photo session is a fantastic way to meet in -person or virtually so that you can tell me all about yourself and your family: what you enjoy doing, where you love to go and what you expect from the shoot. We all have a different story to tell and I work closely with you to capture your memories and individualize your photo session to your requirements! During the free planning session, it is also the perfect time for you to ask questions, and for us to get everything rolling!
We will also discuss the detail relating to the experience date, the location we will be shooting, location scouting, possible bad weather alternative locations, wardrobe or experience theme planning, hair and makeup and anything else you may want to ask me.
2. The Photo Experience
My Session Fee includes the, direction, and posing direction to make sure you get the best photos during the shoot even if you’ve never been in front of a camera before, professional retouching and editing of all images and an image reveal and ordering session.
A photo session typically takes between 1 and 2 hours but can be extended to meet your requirements.
2.1 During the experience
Don’t think of it as a photoshoot where everyone has to smile. A forced smile will never look better than a natural smile. Think of it as a family walk in the park instead to ease the pressure off things, rather than a stressful photography session. Relax and have fun! This is the best way to attend a photo shoot.
As a photographer, I usually don’t start to shoot right away, I will spend a little getting to know you while I set up my equipment and get everyone comfortable with me.
Relax and just have fun. The best photos are the candid ones of you being a family, rather than the posed ones. Get some of those too, but try to just relax, play, and be yourselves. Try not to focus on what you want the result to be and just enjoy the experience. You’ll get the best (and most honest and real) photos that way.
So many times I have found parents who stand behind the photographer and scream, “Say cheese kids!” Yelling and demanding young children to look at the camera to smile will only stress your children out 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.
I make them do things like hug their parents, whisper in their parents’ ear, run away, or tickle each other. Those tricks will usually make them laugh and relax. After a few laughs, the kids are usually ready to do most of the things you ask them to.” If the kids feel comfortable, the whole shoot will be easier on everyone!
While I will have a million great poses for you to do, if there are certain poses you like that you’ve seen families do online, bring in some examples! I won’t mind because it is your shoot after all. I recommend browsing on Pinterest and seeing if any pose really catches your eye. However, that does not mean you should develop a list of every single pose you want for all your photos. The location or weather may not allow the capturing of all your poses but sometimes offer even greater options and I will consider the poses you gathered as part of your research to be included in the shoot as far as possible.
I however like to create more candid shots by interacting playfully with your children. Laugh, play, tickle, and snuggle. This is how we’ll capture the REAL moments. Not everyone has to be looking at the camera. Actually, I usually encourage my gentlemen to NOT look at the camera. (they seem to prefer that, as well!) I like to especially encourage my dads to focus on their partners and their kids.
Bring an activity that you enjoy doing together as a family. My most successful family sessions have incorporated an activity that the family loves to do together. This gives you something to do with your hands and feet, engages the little ones, and brings an authentic smile to your face. Do you love to read together? Bring some books. Is your favorite dessert ice cream? Bring some ice cream bars or drumsticks to your session or better yet… hire an ice cream truck to come to your session. Love to play board games or cards? Plan to play a round of Uno or Monopoly during your family photo session. Other ideas include: football, piggy back rides, races, bike riding, hiking, singing, picnics, the ideas are endless. When families are engaged in doing something that they love together, the photographer will have the opportunity to take some beautiful and authentic photographs.
When in doubt, just smile and look at your family lovingly. Stand close together. Actually, as close as possible :) Expect me to move you around to different spots to capture images. The more variety we get, the bigger your gallery and the more great shots we have the opportunity to create together!
Don’t be afraid to pick up your children and toss them in the air. Give your wife a sweet kiss on the check. Tell your husband how much you love him and appreciate him for being there for your family. Have fun. Laugh. Giggle. Joke. Embrace. Kiss. Snuggle. Play. Doing these things will allow me to capture the emotion and true beauty of your family. Leave the stiff “cheese” faces for Aunt Marge at the next family reunion. Show me who you really are, so that I have the opportunity to capture your love through her lens.
The best photographs are often the ones where everyone is engaged or interacting with each other. Understand that not every picture needs to have everyone looking at the camera and smiling at the same time. If you are engaged as a family and loving on each other, your eyes will be on your family members and your smile with be natural. These are the photographs that you will cherish most because they depict your family connection and your love.
Relax, slow down, and don’t force anything. Don’t feel pressured to make everything perfect! Just be present with your family and I’ll do the rest. And don’t stress if any of the kids get fussy! As a former teacher and thoroughly experienced photographer, I’ve seen it all before, trust me. Just snuggle your kiddos and we can still capture beautiful images :)
2.2. Post-Session Image Editing
Post your Photo experience I will professionally edit your images and prepare a catalog of the best images and a video for our Image reveal session.
3. Post-Session In-Person Photo Reveal Session
The last step to complete your portrait experience is an in-person image reveal and ordering session.
I am passionate about heirloom printed art because then you can see it and appreciate it in your home every single day. I can’t wait to help you create something beautiful, timeless, and meaningful, just for you.
During the in-person Image reveal and ordering session, I will assist you to order some heirloom printed products from my a la carte menu to suit your family and your lifestyle.
All digital images, albums, and prints are purchased separately. Product pricing begins at as little as $250.
4. Product Delivery
Depending on the photo products selected it will take between 2 and 6 weeks to be professionally printed whereafter I will personally deliver them to you for you to enjoy in generations to come.