Session Info

 

All my sessions are done on location – either in your home, backyard, a park, beach or even just on a walk down the street. If you aren’t sure where you would like to do the shoot, I can suggest some places that work well with the season, weather and time of day that your session is booked.

in your home

Can be anytime during the day – best when there is lots of natural light. I usually turn all the artificial lights off in the room we are shooting in. I tend to use the master bedroom and the living area the most, but often children’s bedrooms and the kitchen can work well too.

outdoors

I prefer to shoot outdoor sessions in the evening or first thing in the morning, while the light is warm and the shadows are soft. Those few hours before sunset and after sunrise, are magical. On the day of your session, I arrive early to look for a few spots where we can shoot and direct you to those places once you get there. But often things seem to happen organically, and that is just fine too. Please bring along a blanket or quilt to sit on, and maybe even cozy up in.

what to do

Most importantly, don’t look at the camera and say cheese. My goal is to capture the essence of your family – natural interactions, laughter, love and connection. Tickles, silly jokes, piggy back rides and secret whispers are all great ways to get your family to relax and have fun during the shoot.

what will happen

Expect our time together to be enjoyable and relaxed. I usually take a mixture of posed and candid photographs in each session. I will probably guide you to a pretty patch of light and give you some direction for a few posed shots, then step back and let you play and interact to capture some candid ones. Nothing should be forced – just be together as a family and be yourselves.

what to wear

I don’t like to give too much direction regarding clothing choice as I think it is most important that everyone is comfortable and looks themselves. Remember that I want to capture the unique story of your family. That being said, it is good to think about how your family will look all together. Here are some guidelines:

~ Matching is out. Coordinating is in. Wearing all the same colored shirt and pants looks a bit awkward, because I am sure that’s not how you would normally dress. Coordinating color is what really brings thing together visually. Choose two or three main colors for your wardrobe. Solid, neutral colours and earth tones with a pop of colour tends to work well. Stripes and patterns can also add a nice contrast. Don’t have everyone dressed in different patterns, but one or two family members looks great.

~ Avoid large logos or busy graphics as they will be distracting in the images. Enough said.

~ Layer up! Layers add dimension, texture and diversity to the shoot. In the spring and summer… layer your dress with a cute belt and beaded necklace. Bring a cardigan or jean jacket to put on later as the sun goes down. In the fall and winter… sweaters, belts, scarves, and hats will add some extra interest to the photos.

~ Dress for the weather and location. Don’t dress your kids in summer attire when it’s freezing cold out. That means no-one will look happy in the photos. And please don’t wear high heels to a beach session. You won’t be comfortable and it will be apparent. If we are shooting at the beach, dress like you’re going to a nice beach party (ie. flips flops, long dresses). If we are shooting in the city, then break out the high heels if it feels right.

~ Minimal wardrobe for newborn sessions. The times I recommend clients keep wardrobe super simple is for newborn sessions. This will bring more attention to the beautiful babe we are showcasing. I find that lighter, natural colours tend to look nice with baby’s skin. White, cream, grey or beige seems to work well. Please remove watches or highly reflective bracelets before your session.

Need some wardrobe inspiration? Have a look at my Pinterest board with some great examples of what to wear.