Do you really want to get your family photographed, but you just KNOW your kids will not behave? Don't worry, I specialize in “tough cookie kids”! In my nearly 20 years of experience being a photographer, I have seen it all when it comes to difficult subjects. Including kids with autism, ADHD, developmentally delayed, cognitive behavioral issues.. Etc. You name the disorder, I have photographed kids that suffer from it. What I have learned through all of these sessions, is to be patient and let your kids be themselves. Oftentimes, the most stressful part of the situation is the parents' expectations. I get it! You want gorgeous images of your kids, and that is my job. Your job is just to relax and have fun. Here are just a few recommendations from me for the great session: 1) If your child is at all shy, please be patient. We give them as much time as they (not you or I) need to warm up to me and my camera. It is very rare that even the most apprehensive child doesn’t become my buddy after 20-30 minutes. Eager to please, many parents urge their child(ren) on, and this rarely ever helps. Please allow me to create a bond with your child at their pace. Please give me a little space with your child so they do not feel as though they have to “perform” for you with me. 2) Please do not answer for your child when I ask him or her a question. I try to bond with your kiddos by getting them to talk with me. Oftentimes, I will reach out to “test” your child(ren) to see how they will respond. Depending on their reaction (if they reach back to hold a hand/finger), I will know how to proceed. I like to take the time to get to know your child and let them get used to me before we start shooting. 3) Please please please do not tell your child(ren) to “smile” or say CHEESE. That’s my job. Besides, “cheese” or “smile” is almost always a fake or forced smile. I will get your child(ren) to smile by other measures that create real smiles such as goofy faces, funny stories, talking up their interests, etc…you know, kid stuff!! I am great at kid stuff (I am really a little kid at heart)! 4) I encourage any ideas or props in your session, so have fun with it and get creative! Many parents bring in 1-3 outfits and various accessories such as hats, scarves and jewelry. However, it’s important to keep in mind that changing multiple outfits on younger children usually changes their moods too. I recommend keeping it simple for the younger subjects. They grow up so fast! 5) Treats at the session: I will bring lollipops or smarties to the session. Please do not feed your kids a lot of sugar or juice prior to the shoot, because they are likely to have a sugar crash and get cranky. I will use bribery (yes I totally embrace bribes to get great smiles), but not right away and only in small amounts. I want the kids to have fun, but rewards are always a way of getting great cooperation. I would love to work with you to get amazing images where every member of your family has a good time and doesn’t want the session to end!

So much goes into taking a great family portraits! Picking the perfect location, shooting in the best light and the clothing selections you make, will all have a big impact on the outcome of your images. So here is a some advice on how to put together the perfect outfit for your portrait session! Tone down bright colors. Bright colors attract attention away from the face and may be reflective. Avoid wearing bright red, bright pink, bright green etc. When choosing lighter colors, pastels work best. Pale yellow, pale peach and pale blue work well, especially with jeans. Natural Colors look great in portraits. Pick colors that you would find in nature. Tans, blues, burnt orange, mustard yellow, creams and white all look amazing in portraits. When building an overall look for a family portrait, I recommend selecting two colors and adding a pop of a third color to make everyone look great together, without looking too matchy, matchy. Your clothing colors should also work well with your home decor. After all, portraits of your family make the best art for your home. Avoid really busy prints . This includes logos. Busy printed fabric tends to distract attention from the overall portrait. I recommend sticking with solid color clothing, but don't be afraid to throw in a soft plaid flannel or some other type of soft print on one member of the family to bring all of the outfits colors together and create an overall look. Don’t over accessorise! Overbearing or heavily noticeable accessories can be a major distraction. Simple and minimal works best. Glasses. Eye glasses may or may not be worn. Non-reflective lenses, of course, are a big help. Better yet, sometimes it’s possible to obtain a matching set of frames without any lenses. This is particularly helpful, if your lenses sometimes distort the outline of your face. Do not wear transition lens to a session. No portrait looks good with dark glasses. Make Up, Hair & Nails. Hair styles should be SIMPLE and MUST be off the face. Hair falling down onto the sides of the face create distracting shadows. Bangs that come down too low onto the face will keep light from getting into your eyes (which are definitely the most important part of a portrait). It is always a great idea to have your make up and hair professionally done for your photography session. It will make a huge difference in how you look and feel. Let us know if you would like to add hair and makeup to your session. We can book you into our studio prior to your portrait session. Your nails should be manicured. No chipped nail polish. Tip. Lay out all the clothing onto a bed . Shoes, socks, accessories – everything should be included! Then, take a careful look at the collection. If your eye goes to any one item in particular, you can be certain that the same thing will happen in a photograph. That item should be changed. Clothing should not be too tight or too loose. Feel free to take a quick pic on your phone and text it to me if you would like my input. For additional guidance check out our Family Portrait Guide by clicking here: Portrait Family Guide Final thoughts . Your portraits are meant to be enjoyed for generations to come and I want to make this a fun experience for the whole family. By preparing for your session in advance, you will minimize the stress on the actual day of your session. I encourage you to have your family help make decisions on clothing and accessories so everyone feels their very best in the portraits. Please reach out with any questions or if you need our help.

I remember when I first opened up my photo studio (nearly 20 years ago). I had a 2 year old and a 4 year old. At those ages, I was all about photographing them at every possible milestone event. Whether it was losing the first tooth or getting the first haircut, I scheduled portrait sessions and documented it all. But now my kids are adults. They both go to schools out of state and we don’t see them as frequently. The one thing we still make sure to do, at least annually, is take a family portrait. Just because your kids are grown, doesn’t mean you stop taking family portraits. As I get older, there really isn’t much I need in terms of material things, but I always love to have pictures of my family. Down our hallway, we have framed pictures of our family. Each year, I rotate some of these images out and put in new ones. For me, nothing makes me happier than being surrounded by pictures of people I love. But, I also understand that style and design is important in many homes. That is why we provide consultations in our studio to help you design your walls. This will ensure that the walls of your home look finished and that the images match your decor. If hanging wall art isn’t your thing, no problem! Our most popular product is our custom designed albums. For my family, we have an album for every year of childhood. My kids absolutely love going back through the old albums with their friends. If you have teens and adult children, but you are not sure how to put a portrait session together, don't worry. We can help you design the perfect session, create an environment where everyone looks and feels their very best and provide you with help decorating your home. Just contact me and we can discuss all of the details! ;)