I know we haven’t even gotten to Halloween yet but trust me, the holiday season is right around the corner…
And yea, here in New Jersey it is the most wonderful time of the year. Leaves are starting to change color, it’s cozy sweater season and Starbucks finally has pumpkin spice coffee again!
So why am I talking about holiday portraits in October? Because this is the time of year everyone wants to take family portraits for the holiday cards. I try to book these sessions as early in the fall as possible to make sure I can accommodate each and every one of my clients. I always start with fall themed portraits from September until mid-November, and holiday themed portraits from mid-October through the end of November.
While I put together the themes for the session, props and choose the locations, there are a few things I would like to mention so you can have your family ready for the picture perfect photo session…
Schedule the session around your child’s nap-time
Let’s be honest, nobody wants to put a cranky kid in front of the camera. I certainly don’t want them to miserable the entire photo session either. A photo shoot should be a fun experience which means your child needs to be comfortable. This also means they shouldn’t be hungry before the session either because being hangry isn’t fun for anyone. I usually have enough flexibility in scheduling to be able to accommodate your child’s needs so we get lots of smiles for the camera!
What should my children wear to their photo-shoot?
My rule of thumb is neutral/earth tones. An exception to this would of course be red if your doing a Christmas shoot, but in that case I would still stay away from large patterns as they can be distracting in the image.
If your doing family photos with everyone it is important to coordinate outfits as well. This doesn’t necessarily mean everyone has to be in white shirts and jeans-wearing similar neutrals such as greys, blacks, taupes, etc. and keeping the attire simple makes for beautiful portraits. When in doubt, think less is more. Less pops of color, less jewelry, less accessories=better photos.
For girls, I do offer couture dress rentals which are the perfect prop to any photo-shoot! I offer special packages when booking where you receive additional images for renting a dress!
have your child’s favorite toy, music, show at the ready
Wondering how I get children to look at the camera? It’s honestly not a big secret. I usually have parents dangling some type of object over the lens of my camera such as a toy or something that makes sound to draw in their attention.
Another good trick is playing their favorite music or show on an iPhone. When you fill out a questionnaire prior to your session you could mention a few of their favorite songs to me so I can have a playlist ready to go!
go with the flow…
While this may not be a “picture perfect” moment, it certainly is real! The parent’s ended up loving this shot and buying it because it’s something the kids will always be able to look back and laugh about! Isn’t that the best part of making memories after all?!
I mention this in a lot of my blogs regarding photo sessions. The best shoots I have with kids is when they are stress free. We will get awesome photos of your kids, even if you see they are making silly faces, not sitting still, or even running away from the camera! (Lol!)If we make the photo-shoot feel like a “job” they are going to lose interest real quick. I say “let kids be kids” and use those silly moments to capture great candids. With some patience and positive reinforcement we will get some great portraits for you to cherish and share with your loved ones.