WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOUR OUTDOOR LOCATION SESSION
Hi there! I am so very excited for our upcoming session! I can’t wait to capture beautiful images of your family! Custom photography is such a wonderful way to capture authentic images of your family, and incorporating the environment outdoors brings so much beauty into a photograph.
Time of session. This is one of the most important parts of your session! I only use natural light in my photography. I have carefully chosen the time of your session to capture your family in the most beautiful light. Golden hour takes place right after sunrise in the morning, or right before sunset in the evening. The light during this time is flattering, soft and beautiful. It is very important to be on time for your session so that we can capture all images before the sun set in the evening or before the light gets too harsh in the morning.
How long is the session? A portrait session will last for about one hour.
What to wear? The most important thing is that you feel comfortable and confident in what you wear! I also recommend that you avoid graphics/logos and text on clothing. Instead of matching, think of colors and patterns that goes well together. For inspiration, you can see a Pinterest board with examples here. Be sure to allow yourself to feel beautiful. That gorgeous maxi skirt and luxurious sweater that you’ve had your eyes on, go for it! To all Moms, I always recommend to start with your outfit first and then build the rest of the family around mom’s choice. If you want a color pop, a nice choice is to let mom’s outfit “pop” in a color and outfit the rest of the family in more neutral colors. Please let me know if you have questions about wardrobe!
Little reminders. Remember to remove items like an apple watch as these sometimes appear to “stick out” and “take over” too much in a photograph. If you keep a cell phone in your pocket, be sure that it doesn’t show through the clothing. It’s the little things that matters!
What to expect from me? I want to be sure that we capture all special moments from your session and I don’t want you to worry about what to do in the photographs. I will be directing and moving you around, I will even be moving hands and adjust hair if needed :-)! Note that during COVID, I do this very differently. While I will provide lots of verbal guidance, I will not be touching anyone who I photograph.
I am focused on capturing love and emotion. I will ask you to stand or sit close to each other, encourage kisses, hugs and snuggles. Be yourself with me and allow yourself to just go for it! Get that kiss in the photograph, look at your significant other and your babies and allow the love that you share to fill you completely. I promise it will be so special for you to have these emotions captured and it will make all the difference in an image.
To bring out joy and play in the images I may ask you to dance, tickle, sing, and simply have fun. Again, allow yourself to let go! Instead of thinking about this hour as a photo shoot, think about it as a special family time together outdoors.
Also, I want you to know that kids will be kids, and while you may feel that things get a bit chaotic, I promise you that’s the way it always is with family photography. We are not aiming for “perfect smiling at the camera” pictures. We might capture some of those as I do start my sessions with some more traditional poses and I will ask for everyone to look to the camera. However, the real beauty are in the images where I get to capture connection, not perfection! These are the images that you can feel and that will mean something special to you.
Remember, relax and have fun, and that you can be completely yourself with me!
Preparing children. I recommend that you treat your photography session as “the event of the day” and not to have other major plans so that everyone can feel relaxed. Give yourself plenty of time to prepare and allow extra time for traffic and diaper blow outs :-)
Before the session, if you have smaller children, please prepare your child by saying that you are going to meet a friend who will be taking your photographs. It is always best not to surprise them. During the session, please don’t worry if your child is “not behaving”. I have three children of my own so there is literally nothing that will surprise me :-) I will not force your child to do anything that he or she doesn’t want to do, and we will simply go with the flow.
When getting out the door turns stressful, allow yourself as soon as you get in the car to relax, and trust that everything will be great even if one or more children might not be in the best mood because they didn’t want to go. Getting an entire family ready for photos is stressful, I know. It will all be ok!
What to expect after the shoot? You will receive your digital images in approximately 3 weeks following the session. You will receive an email with a link that takes you directly to the online gallery. From here you can view and download your images.
Thank you for trusting in me as your photographer! I truly can’t wait to meet you and to capture beautiful images of your family! See you soon!
Sara