How to Prepare for a Photo Session

It’s that time of year again! The weather has turned, the sun is shining, the flowers are in full bloom, and my clients have started calling. You’re ready to have your next photo session. What’s next? 

Here are my best tips on how to prepare for a photo session: 

1. Know What You Want —- Take inspiration from Pinterest, from your photographer’s website, from friends and family, or from magazines. Set your expectations and share them with your photographer so she can plan accordingly.

2. Know Where You Want to Shoot —- Plan out your location in advance. Look at the weather. Ask your photographer for suggestions. 

3. Ask Questions —- Yes! Ask me questions! Communication is key when it comes to getting all you want out of a photography session. 

4. Eat, Drink, and Rest Well the Night Before —- You want to look your best? Eat a healthy meal and stop eating several hours before bed. Drink lots of water, and get 8 hours of sleep. “Rested” is the most beautiful look there is.

5. Shave the Night Before —- For all my men out there, don’t shave the morning of. Shave the night before. You’ll get a great five o’clock shadow that shows up really well in photos. 

6. Dress Nice, But Not Too Nice —- In most cases, it’s not a four-course meal or a beauty pageant. You want to look like you put thought into your outfit, but you don’t want to look stiff and uncomfortable. Pick out cute clothes you’re comfortable in and will like seeing in photos for years to come.

7. Relax! —- Speaking of stiff… you have got to chill. Drink some tea, and shake it off, they’re just photos! I’ve become an expert at getting families to relax and ease into our photo shoots, but you can help me (and yourself) by remembering that you are actually, genuinely happy, that your family is awesome, and that we’re just capturing that reality. 

8. Be Prepared to Go with the Flow  —- Yes, you’ll want to set yourself up to adapt and shift. I was in a photo session with my own family and our photographer when it started to rain! Yes, it poured down rain and the wind picked up. Fortunately, I took my own advice, managed to calm my littles down, and we made the best of it. As my reward, a huge rainbow came out and showed up in some of our best photos ever!

9. Have Fun! —- It’s supposed to be fun! This is not an 1800s portrait of a Victorian family standing upright and perfectly still. Smile, laugh, make jokes, tickle each other. Have a good time. After rested, happy is the best look. 

If you’re ready to book your next photo session, contact me today. 

Why Mothers Need to Stay in the Picture

In light of Mother’s Day this May, I want to take a moment to honor all the mothers out there reading this by reminding you to stay in the picture. You may have already heard this somewhere else, or in many places. I know I have. More and more websites, social media posts, and friends and family are celebrating getting mom into the picture. In that case, I am here to reinforce what you have already heard. If you haven’t already heard this reminder, stay with me. 

Why should mothers stay in the picture? 

For You

Yes, for you. Happy Mother’s Day. Staying in the picture, taking selfies, jumping in with your kids, asking your spouse to take pictures of you and the kids, and scheduling photo shoots with you and your family are all gifts to you. 

How? 

You Can See Yourself 

Have you ever looked back at high school pictures of yourself, or even photos from when you were in your twenties or thirties? From before you had kids? When you and your husband were still in the early days of love? 

And you think, “Man, if only I looked as (insert positive quality here: good, thin, young, you name it) as I did back then.” 

Yep. We all do it. 

Well, believe it or not, you will look back at pictures of yourself now in 20 years and do the same thing. It’s true. If you are graced with the privilege of age, you will long to remember how young, healthy, and beautiful you were in these moments. 

Yes. You’re beautiful. 

You Can Travel Back in Time Better

And speaking of remembering, a picture says a thousand words. You’ll want those memories, the stories, the gift of time travel that is to be had by looking back at photos. Sure, you can look at photos of your kids, but there’s a much deeper impact when you look at photos of you with your kids. 

Of you all snuggled in bed, messy hair, no makeup, on a Saturday morning. It will instantly transport you back to those moments. 

Take the selfies! Ask your husband to snap a quick shot. 

Years from now it will all come rushing back to you when you revisit these photos. 

You Can Enjoy Photos of Your Family on the Wall

Really? You’re not going to hang photos of your family on the wall without you. Professional photo sessions are so great because you get to dress up, look your best, feel your best, and have an expert in family photo sessions capture you all in your glory. 

The greatest joy for me as a photographer and a mom is having someone else catch those small moments of joy I am having with my kids. And even the not so joyful moments. This is life, mamas, and we want to be able to glance up at the framed photos on the wall one day when we’re sitting with our hot tea in a mug and a book in our laps, the kids have all moved out of our homes and into their own individual lives, and see ourselves in those days. 

For Them

And you’re not just doing it for you. You’re getting into the picture for them, too. Your kids will be so grateful to have memories of you all together. 

So They Can Feel What You Feel

There’s something about seeing a mother in candid moments with her children that imparts such feelings of love, devotion, and grace. You feel it all the time, but when your kids look back at photos of you all together, of you hugging them, holding them, snuggling them, they feel it too. 

Of course, they always feel their love for you, but when they see you in the picture, they can also feel your love for them. 

I have witnessed it myself watching my daughter look at photos of us from just last week, last month, or a year ago. I watch her eyes roving over the photo, I can feel her softening, opening, empathizing with my love for her. 

If there is any gift we want to give our kids, mamas, it is the gift of knowing how truly loved they are.

Because the Memory Is a Tricky Thing

I have also heard many children ask their mothers, “Where were you, Mama?” They look at the many photos on the walls, on dressers and bookshelves, on Mom’s phone, and in photo albums, and they don’t see Mom. 

Memories of those times may become clear, but the fact that you were there, behind the scenes, behind the camera, doing most of the heavy lifting, gets fuzzy. Moms become background noise in their children’s lives rather than the powerful force we are.

Yea. Get in that picture!

So You Can Break the Cycle

Finally, it’s time.

Your mom did it. Her mom did. All the moms before us did it. They hid from the camera because they were too this, too that, and they are now lost in time, fading like the stuff of long-lost dreams instead of holding firmly to the legacy they have left behind. 

It’s time to break that cycle. 

You are the heart of your family. It is almost universally true. Mothers are the glue that holds the family together. 

It is high time that you break the cycle of being invisible. 

Who knows what’s possible for your children if you do? You get into the picture, and your daughter learns that this is what we women do. We hold space for ourselves. 

Your son learns that women are strong, smart, capable people who take up space. And he honors that. 

Imagine the possibilities, mamas. 

Get into the picture, and stay there. 

If you are ready to schedule your next family photo session, I’d love to help you get into the picture. 

Contact me today.

Tips for Success for New Photographers

One of my favorite aspects of being a photographer, besides actually taking photos, is helping other photographers learn the trade and grow their business. It sounds crazy, right? Why would I want competition? 

The truth is I am a firm believer that there is plenty to go around for everyone. 

I also believe that those who are truly “bad” at their profession, or perhaps in it for the wrong reasons, no matter the profession, will eventually weed themselves out. 

Likewise, when you’re passionate and good at what you do, you will find a way to thrive in your profession, as long as you’re patient, you work hard, and you’re open to thinking outside the box. 

So, if photography is your passion and you just haven’t figured out how to get ahead in the game, here are some tips for newcomers. Or for some not-so-newcomers who find themselves still floundering. 

1. Be Willing to Work for Free or Really Cheap

I’ve heard it said many times that you should never work for free, and I’ll say that’s terrible advice. When you’re just starting out, you’ll have to apprentice with a seasoned photographer you admire. You’ll offer free photo shoots to friends and family members. And you’ll give away mini-sessions or seasonal shoots for really low prices. Why? Because that’s how you’ll gain experience. 

2. Be Willing to Fail

Part of that experience is failing. You’ll mess up the lighting. You’ll be terrible at editing. You’ll use the wrong lens. You’ll leave the cap on the lens for an entire shoot! You name it, you’ll do it. And you’ll do it terribly. Be willing to fail forward and learn from each mistake you make. Take it all in stride. It’s what will make you an expert one day. 

Remember, we don’t learn from our successes. We learn from our failures. 

3. Get In Close

When you’re taking photos, always opt for getting close rather than using zoom. Zoom will be detrimental to your photo every time. If you can get closer, get closer. 

4. Plan for Composition and Depth of Field

Composition is the arrangement of elements in your photo. It’s the story you’re telling with your photos. Be ready to tell that story visually wherever you go. On any shoot, you’ll want to understand depth. Is your subject too far away? Are they in focus? Can you see them clearly? Don’t be afraid to move, rearrange, and adjust. 

5. Learn to Shoot on the Go

And speaking of moving, it is essential to learn to photograph moving subjects. You can often get a much better shot from a person or people when they’re moving. Back to composition, movement can tell an entire story on its own. Imagine wind rushing through her hair, him running to catch the football, or the kids chasing each other. These images capture moments you just can’t get with perfectly still figures. 

Oh there’s so much more! But I’ll save those for another day. For now, keep up your practice and stay passionate. 

The world can always use more great photographers.