Preparing for Family Portraits
Why preparation matters
-make the most of your time with your photographer.
Preparation can make a huge difference during your allotted slot with your photographer. The simple act of being ready will save valuable time and get more shots in during your booked session. When clients are more prepared, they are also more comfortable and relaxed. Keeping anxiety to a minimum is a key to success when it comes to portraits. We can all point out that one family member that doesn’t like their picture taken or just looks out of place and doesn’t want to be there. Being accommodating through preparedness is a major factor in overcoming these hurdles.
Wardrobe Tips for a Cohesive Look or Theme
-the colors you bring to the shoot will determine the overall look and feel
Coordinate, don’t match! I always suggest that guests and clients find a common color palette that can be agreed upon and that blends well with the environment. Avoid clashing patterns like stripes and plaid paired with checkerboards and zig-zags. Keeping the overall feel without matching exactly is also a great idea. This breaks up the focus and gives a bit of individuality to each member. Remember, we aren’t a herd of zebra, unless that’s the look you’re going for. Keep to a palette such as earthy tones, pastels, pop, or neutral. These tones will mesh well together, even (especially) when they don’t exactly match.
Timing and Environment
-research your favorite places before the shoot so your photographer knows what you’re looking for
Keep in mind your surroundings and the season, as well as time of day that we will be shooting. During sun rise/set the atmosphere will be more warm, which will enrich colors differently than a more cool temperature. Seasons can play a large part in this, remember that the sun’s patterns are different at all intervals throughout the year. During the daylight hours, typically between 10 am and 5 pm, you may want to find shaded areas to keep the pesky sun from overexposing your images and blowing out your highlights. Mention this to your photographer and they’ll be impressed. Use of a flash during daylight hours seems silly, but in reality it allows for more detail to be found in the harsh shadows that we typically see during the sunny hours of the day.
Prepare Kids for the Session
-keep snacks before and in the car ride to a minimum, emphasize the fun they can have
Parents, please talk to your children before the session starts so that they know what to expect. This can either be fun, or unexpected. Be upbeat and motivating! Try not to discourage participation through criticisms and negative expressions. Working with children can be difficult, but it is also one of the many joys of life, and let’s remember that we are here for the purpose of capturing these HAPPY times.
Sometimes naps and hydration need to be taken care of before the shoot, especially with children under four years. When shooting with children, I always recommend giving some time in between shots to let them explore and burn off some steam. Getting them to stand still is a hard job for little ones, so forcing shot after shot, pose after pose is not ideal and will lead to some crying or pouty expressions.
Remember to groom and bathe before the shoot, and I also recommend no snacks in the car ride on the way to the destination. Sometimes something as careless as a drop of drink on a shirt can mean additional touch ups required for every photograph taken, this costs you money and your photographer a lot of their time. Keeping simple and easy to fix mistakes to a minimum before the shooting takes place will keep everyone involved happy, and ensures that you get your photographs much sooner than later.
Act Natural
-no one expects you to be a supermodel, keeping a natural flow to poses will make it easiest
Your photographer will not expect you to nail every pose like you’re a freakishly good looking super model family. Acting natural and allowing some genuine moments in between the poses will allow your photographer some time to get in those candid shots that everybody loves the most. These are moments that are genuine and true. Mom kneeling down to clean little Jeffie’s ice cream off his cheek with the sun behind him as he winces always makes for a lovely fridge magnet. These little mundane moments are truly the most precious, and because of this I cannot stress enough that during your outings with the photographer, we allow some time where everyone just makes small talk and enjoys the scenery. Taking it slow and having some silly or natural moments will add a lot of value to your photo shoot. The idea is to relax and have fun, and acting natural is what I always tell my clients. And remember, your photographer is there to guide you and keep the flow moving at a pace they can keep up with; they are your guide through this process and will lead the way. Just show up and enjoy your time together.
