FAMILY PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

~ What to Wear? – It is best to choose your clothing in advance so that if you are missing something, you have plenty of time to find it. Sometimes it's useful to imagine what your dream photos look like. Are they soft natural pastel colors or do you prefer a bolder more vibrant look?

Don’t know where to start? For me, I often begin with a favorite outfit, one that I am comfortable in, but also will give the look that I am striving for (formal/business casual/relaxed etc.). For family photographs; if there is a favorite outfit that you like on anyone in the family, you could start there and work with everyone else's to get a coordinated look. It looks nice to have a color theme that runs across everyone – in this way, everybody has a little of the same color, but isn’t necessarily dressed in exactly the same colors -accessories can work well to coordinate this too. It is also worth looking at the colors (flowers, seasonal colors, beach etc) you expect to see at your session location.

The adobe color palette is a great tool I love for exploring mixing colors - https://color.adobe.com/create/color-wheel - it can really help with clothing and accessories and will help with choosing colors that go well together.

If you have a longer session perhaps bring a change of clothes so you can experiment with different things. If you're expecting the weather to be hot, it’s good to plan to bring a second top so you can freshen up your look.

~ Plan for Lots of Time to Get Ready! – Sometimes, you spend all the time getting everyone else ready and don't leave enough time for yourself (I know this feeling well!). Make sure you build in plenty of time to create and construct the image you want for yourself. Perhaps its a good time to treat yourself to a professional hair or make-up appointment.

~ Kids - Minimize Grumbly Tummies and Yawns! – Try not to schedule your photography session around the times that you or your family try to relax or nap. The best time for natural lighting is two hours before sunset and about an hour after sunrise (for the early birds). In winter time, the sun is lower in the sky for a longer time so there is a bigger window for great natural light.

~ It's always nice to reward everyone with a meal after the photography session, but it can be a trying time during the photos if everyone is hungry. Make sure to have snacks on hand to eat before or during to ensure you don't get tired early!

~ Don't Let Dad be a Downer! – Let's face it, photography sessions probably aren't Dad's favorite thing to do. Perhaps they would rather be playing golf or watching sports! It's important to remember that the family photographs that are captured are a legacy for your own children and for future generations and generally once they see the photographs, the Dads will be happy that they invested the time and energy to be present.

~ Cheese is for Crackers! - It's ok for you and all of the family to not smile all of the time, and to take a break from looking at the camera. I will direct you from time to time but will also let you and your family interact naturally. This will give me lots of great opportunities to capture the natural connections you have with your family and will result in images that reflect the individuality of your amazing family. I prefer to minimize the 'cheesy' smiles that kids feel they have to put on when they are in front of a camera….we all have plenty of those :-)

~ Have Fun! - Don't be afraid to relax, laugh, toss children in the air, pass out sweet kisses. Thank everyone for coming along and remind them how much you love them. I am not expecting anything from you, other than for you to relax and have fun! So go ahead, tell jokes, giggle, embrace, play and do a few things that you would normally do with your family. I will capture the candid, emotional interactions that you present through all of these connections.

~ Bring an Activity or Something Fun - What do you like to do? Read books, play ball, hiking, cycling, play musical instruments or board games. What is your favorite dessert, do the kids like ice cream or giant lollies? Want any pets to join in? We are always excited to include pets, but please make sure they can be tied up in case you want some of the pictures to be without them.

Feel free to bring any of these things along to allow us to capture your family engaged in something you all love doing.