Before I took photos of other families, I was a client of family photographers many times throughout the years, and I sometimes after getting the photos back I would wonder why my pictures didn’t look the same as other images on their website.
Why didn’t they get that pose with me? Why didn’t my kids lovingly look into each other's eyes like those kids did?
Now I take pictures as a Raleigh family photographer and I have a slightly different perspective. I now understand that as a photographer there is so much that goes into a session and no two sessions are the same.
First, every family is different! Interactions, snuggling, how big your laugh is, how natural it is to play and snuggle with your kids. Personalities are different. Is your child shy? Do they take a long time to feel comfortable in front of new people. All these factors can affect how the pictures will look. I will get pictures that will reflect your family’s personality and connection. It might not be exactly the same as another person’s style and connection, but my goal is always to make it look like you!
How relaxed you are during the session can make a big difference in the look of the images. Try to have a more relaxed less busy day the day of the session, if you can. This way you won’t be stressed and rushing to the session. If you are relaxed and having fun, your family will follow suit and it will shine through in the images.
Will I get a photo I saw on Pinterest? We can try! Some kids are more willing to do certain things than others. For instance is your child in an independent phase where they don’t want to be held? Or only want to be held by a certain parent? This will affect what images look like and they might not come out exactly the same. In general I don’t like to try to copy artistic work of another photographer, but we can go for the overall feel of the image.
Locations aren’t all created the same. This will play a huge role in the final look of the images. If your location is full of big trunks and a thick forest the background of your image might be dark, but if you are in a field with lots of light and trees where light shines through, it will look more light and bright. Let me help you choose the location based on the look and feel of the session you want. Either way we’ll get happy, loving images!
Finally, wardrobe plays a huge part in how your images will look. I love when movement shows in images, it shows connect and beauty better than stiff unmoving images, so I love clothing that allows for movement. If you are in a tight outfit or stiff jeans, it might be hard for you get sit and cuddle. Dresses or flowy tops photograph so much better than tight outfits. If your outfit is constricting it might have an effect on the look of the images and the picture you had in your head of what you wanted your photos to look like.
The other thing to consider when thinking about wardrobe is the color of your outfits. Depending on your location you might want to add a lot of color or not. In this session, it was spring and the roses had bloomed! There was a lot of color in the background so the family was best staying neutral. In other situations you might want to add more color if you are in a location that has a lot of neutral colors, like tall brown grass, or a lot of trees. I can help thinking this through with you.
All in all you will get a fabulous gallery, and here is what you’ll definitely get:
Images loving each other and connecting as a family
Images of that reflect your family’s personality
Everyone having fun and a laid back session!
Are you ready to book your family photo session? Let’s chat! Contact me here!
