It’s a job that you’ve had on the to-do-list for months and it keeps getting pushed into the too-hard basket. I get it!
There’s the choosing the right photographer, making sure everyone has clothes to wear (free of day care stains), not to mention shoes that still fit!
But now that you’re here…let me help you tick ‘family photos’ off the list.
1. Choosing your photographer
Style – Every photographer has their own unique style – we see things differently to the next. Our style is created not through a preset but with the way we see light, the way we view your connection and then frame it and the way we choose to edit.
This is something we can’t change, so make sure you choose a photographer that speaks to you through their images.
Budget – Working out what you’d like to spend can be tough and like many services, you get what you pay for.
I love to create sessions that make my clients feel like they’re just hanging out at home with the fam, an hour of really just loving on their little ones. I want you to fall in love with your images and feel good about every interaction you have with my business.
Some photographers have only been using their camera for a year, others decades. It takes years to craft beautiful imagery and when it comes to their worth, you’re paying for their experience.
2. What to wear?
I’m currently putting together my own family’s outfits for our photos in Sydney next month, so I know this is something that can take time.
I always tell my clients to look around their home to see what colours they’re naturally drawn to. It also ensures that when we frame your artwork and hang it on your walls, it looks like it belongs there.
Comfort and feeling good are also key! There’s a lot of running, jumping and playing with young children, so it’s important to wear loose fitting clothing that doesn’t ride up or won’t be damaged by a bit of rough and tumble.
3. How to prepare for your session?
If you’ve booked a sunset session and have little ones, it’s a good idea to give them an early dinner or snack before the shoot. It makes everyone happier if they have a full tummy and then we don’t have to interrupt the session flow to stop for snack breaks.
Make sure your littles ones have their naps, if they still have those, or have had a chance to rest during the day.
Arriving early to your session gives you space to breathe and you won’t rock up feeling rushed and stressed.
4. Connection over perfection
Have you ever noticed how your energy is contagious? If someone is upset in the house, the whole family starts to feel irritable.
The same happens at sessions.
If you’re feeling tense, annoyed because someone left their shoes or are still thinking about the fighting in the car…STOP. Leave it all the moment you step out of the vehicle (or escape it).
Spend this one hour really looking at your partner, thinking about all the wonderful parts of them you’ve loved over the years. Look at your babies and really see them, connect with them, enjoy them.
Sometimes it can feel like we’re so caught up with the schedule, trying to get everything done, that we barely have a moment to slow down and enjoy this glorious life. Am I right?
Let me create that space for you to do just that. One hour of just being.
5. Trust
This may be the most important part – trust in your photographer.
I have had shoots where parents were worried about what images they would end up with because one of their kids was so out of sorts the whole time. But then they received their gallery and couldn’t believe how many beautiful images they ended up with of that very child.
Your job is to be present, my job is to take care of you and everything else. Trust in the process and your photographer and you’ll be overjoyed you did.
