Here are a couple things I have learned while getting my own family's portraits done as well as doing photos for others.
1. Timing is everything. Timing is important for a couple reasons- one, the time of the day and lighting is important when taking pictures outdoors, the closer to dawn or dusk the better the lighting will appear for the photos. Two, timing in accordance with your normal schedule, it's a good idea to avoid scheduling a session when your toddler normally naps or at a time so early that your family can't normally get out the door- both of which will just end in stress for you which will also show up in your pictures. 2. Don't starve yourself before you do your pictures. I am completely guilty of two things when it comes to eating and photos, I have failed to realize that the time that I scheduled my family's pictures was during breakfast or lunch thus making us all wait to eat. Managing a hungry kid and hubby is never good when you want everyone smiling nice for pictures. Second, I have personally chosen to not eat anything before pictures because I worried about looking or feeling bloated- again this resulted in nothing but a cranky mama. A light snack is a good idea to eat before your session and I usually make sure to pack a snack for the kids for when they are done with their pictures and they can have it right on the spot. 3. Picking the right clothes is crucial. It took me a little while to get the whole 'what to wear' in family portraits down and I mean that in a couple different aspects. I am not a person who likes to match fabrics and patterns among different family members but for the first couple sessions my family did I did not quite get the whole coordinating outfits thing down. Coordinating outfits with colors and similar looks rather than matching everyone's outfits exactly (i.e. khakis and a white polo on everyone including the family dog- jk) looks much more natural. For more help on coordinating, see Bellies n Babes Pinterest, they house endless fabulous ideas. Another thing that I did that I instantly regretted was not wearing the proper outfits/shoes for the location I was getting my picture taken at. I once hiked to a spot to take pictures in 4 inch wedge sandals and my hubby in dress shoes... this was a disaster. It's really important that the clothes you pick for you and your family are comfortable too, the last thing you want is to be tugging on your outfit or adjusting your bra strap to be out of the shot the whole time. When you feel comfortable and good about what you are wearing, it will show! I hope these tips are helpful!
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AuthorHi! My name is Amy and I love taking beautiful portraits of children and families. Archives
February 2017
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