Session Preparation for Outdoor Family/Maternity
Hi & Hello! I’m so excited to be working with you to capture your outdoor portrait session, and looking forward to our time together. This guide will help you with your wardrobe, what to expect, how to prepare your children, and bringing pets.
Wardrobe - What should we wear?
Long gone are the days of all white shirts and denim - matchy matchy is OUT and coordination is IN! This means, as you build your family’s wardrobe, think about pieces that complement one another - but don’t necessarily match. Imagine that you walk into your favorite department store - you will view your family’s wardrobe as being from the same designer’s collection - lots of cohesion! For example, if your partner is wearing a yellow top, you might consider wearing a scarf that has pops of yellow in it. The examples below show you what coordination looks like.
When you start styling your session, I suggest starting with Mom and then working out from there. Whether you want to purchase all new clothes, or you want to use that dress you love, it's a great place to start. Just pick one item first. Then you can pull your colors and textures and build up from that starter piece.
Things to keep in mind:
comfort: you want everyone to be comfy at your session. We'll be moving around on our adventure, so make sure you put yourself and the kids in something that moves with you and isn't itchy or too tight. You'll be hearing about it all session, trust me.
accessorize it: hats, scarves, jewelry, headbands, suspenders, etc. All these things are a great way to add another layer of your style into your session.
patterns: I love fun patterns, but my favorite is florals! Mixing patterns is a great way to add interest to your photos.
textures & layers: Layers add texture and textures add interest. Denim, chunky knits, lace, cords, etc. I love the way a chunky cardigan looks. Or a denim shirt tied at the waist. These are all great ways to incorporate your style.
color: make sure the colors you choose compliment each other. Colors that will stand out best are muted, earthy tones. Some examples are: mustard yellow, mauve pink, browns or khaki, dark blue, hunter green, dark reds/oranges
MAKE IT YOUR OWN: this session is about you! And it's so important to make sure that your family's personality shines through in every aspect.
Things to avoid:
giant logos: shirts that have giant logos on them can distract from your beautiful faces.
neon colors: just say no to hot pink and lime green
matchy-matchy: matching outfits are super cute, I know, but they can also seem very redundant and dare I say boring. Having different colors, patterns, textures, etc is super important to create interest and diversity in your family's images.
Places to shop:
Old Navy, Gap, Zara, Macy's, Target, Zulily, Nordstrom, JCrew
What to expect: "What will our session be like?"
My main focus is to capture your family in this season of your lives! I want to capture moments not poses. And I want to embrace all the beautiful imperfections. At our session, we will play, adventure, snuggle, run, jump, and maybe even get a little dirty. We'll start off our session by getting that perfect posed "Christmas Card Photo" out of the way. I usually like to do one standing and one sitting pose. And then we'll start our adventure. Be thinking of things that you like to do together as a family, little games or small things you want to remember. An example would be how my daughter doesn't like to get kisses on the lips, so we kiss on the cheeks and forehead.
I like to start my sessions about 1 hour before sunset, and they usually last roughly an hour or so. I have a few locations picked out at the beginning of each season, and you'll get to pick from those. But if you have a spot for your session in mind (maybe it's special to your family, or you just love the way it looks) I want to know! I love going to new places and experiencing new things. And adding that special element to your session is what makes it more unique.
The week before:
"How do I prep the kids for our photo session?"
The week or two before your session, start bringing me up in conversation. You can refer to me as Miss Kristin or even just the photographer lady. Tell your kids about the fun adventure we'll be having. I am totally not above bribery. A fun ice cream date after our session is always a big hit. Just make sure you let the kids know we're going to have fun! If they get worried about behaving perfectly then it will show in the images. I love taking time to connect with your kids to get those fun images of them.
"How do I prep dad for our photo session?"
Tell dad we're going on an adventure too! Let him know that all he has to do is relax and have fun loving on his wife and kids. Take the pressure off. He'll do great!
"How do I prep myself, mom?"
Relax! Pamper yourself. Get your hair or nails done (if that's your thing). Don't stress, and remember to just have fun with your family. This is the time to be your true self with your beautiful family, enjoy it.
Need help? Just ask:
I am here to help in any way that you may need, from helping with wardrobe choices, or deciding between whether or not to bring your child's lovey. I want to make this session awesome for you, and I love getting involved in all the details. So if you have a question about anything, please don't hesitate to ask.