The Family Session “I sustain myself with the love of family.” Maya Angelou
Family Matters
The family session is a bustling, energetic, and fun session with lots of moving parts and pieces: husbands, children, pets, and location! The family session should have more extensive consultation time with Christie, however, at the start of your session, we can have a short consultation where we will discuss your session and you can let us know of any last minute requests.
The Days Before In the days, and likely weeks, before your session consider the following:
Location Where would you like your shoot to be held? Suggestions include: near the lake, a woodsy area or trail, your backyard or front stoop, a field of flowers, Christmas tree farm, pumpkin patch, or in an open field. Christie can help you with location scouting as some of these locations are seasonal.
What to Wear? Our advice is to first identify colors you and your family already wear a lot. Take a look in your closet and choose pieces you love to wear. Be as casual or as dressy as you’d like. Once you have identified your favorite pieces, you have likely decided on some sort of a color scheme. If you’re unsure of where to begin, everyone looks their best in jewel-toned colors (amethyst,topaz, sapphire, emerald, ruby). Don’t be afraid to mix in other colors of a similar or complimentary family and add a pattern here and there. Next-start pinning! Christie is also available for consultations about what to wear- text or email her with your favorite ideas or to see if a piece will fit.
Pinterest, Props, and Special Items The best way for us to get a feel of the type of photography you desire is for you to create and share a Pinterest board with us prior to the shoot. This will ensure that we all have the same concept in mind and everyone leaves happy with the photos that are taken. If you have a special item (blanket, outfit, stuffed animal, pet), please let us know in the initial consultation that you would like this included so we can best plan.
What does your family like to do? Do you love to read together? Bring some books. Is your favorite dessert ice cream? Let’s get messy! Other ideas include: football, piggy back rides, races, bike riding, hiking, singing, picnics — the ideas are endless. When families are engaged in doing something that they love together, the photographer will have the opportunity to take some beautiful and authentic photographs.
The Day of the Shoot Eat! Please eat before your shoot and bring plenty of your family’s favorite snacks.
Embrace candid shots! The best photographs are often the ones where everyone is engaged or interacting with each other. Understand that not every picture needs to have everyone looking at the camera and smiling at the same time. If you are engaged as a family and loving on each other, your eyes will be on your family members and your smile with be natural!
Have fun and love your family! Don’t be afraid to pick up your children and toss them in the air. Give your wife a sweet kiss on the check. Tell your husband how much you love him and appreciate him for being there for your family. Have fun. Laugh. Giggle. Joke. Embrace. Kiss. Snuggle. Play. Doing these things will allow the photographer to capture the emotion and true beauty of your family. Leave the stiff “cheese” faces for Aunt Marge at the next family reunion. Cari loves capturing this love!
Poses? Sure! If you have some specific poses you would like to try, please let us know at the start of the session. We will also pose many of the shots or they will be candids, but your input is invaluable.