Around here, I do my sessions a little different...
Paying to have photos done is an investment, and the return of that investment should be a spark of emotion. To look back on this time and feel emotion in your memories. To look on your walls and feel the emotion behind the image.
To achieve that emotion, I like to take the pressure off perfectly posed photos and do what I call 'guided lifestyle' photo sessions. This means I will guide you into interacting to capture those beautiful laughing, playing & natural shots as a family, a couple, or even just of yourself!
​
Depending on the session and once I get to know what you're looking for, sometimes I will have you play games as a family, sometimes I'll play music, for couples sometimes I'll bring pizza & champagne, and sometimes we will just walk around and take fun photos!
No matter the session, I generally take a mixture of posed and lifestyle photos unless you have specific requests for a non-typical session. This approach takes the pressure off each of you and also allows me to get a feel for your personality, which helps me capture & create your magic!
I send a detailed questionnaire out to each family/couple or person to get to know you more to figure out what your outcome goal is and I will create an experience for us to capture your magic.
Where will my photos be taken?
For most sessions, I prefer the beauty of natural outdoor light. If we're doing in-home and in-studio sessions the guidelines will be different so right now I'm talking about outdoor sessions. Outdoor sessions mean that I enjoy going to a park or field or outdoor location to have a candid photo session. I will communicate after you book your session so I can understand exactly what kind of ‘vibe’ you want. Examples of this are woodsy/boho, urban/city, garden/floral, park/paths, etc. I will ask you some questions to get to know you and your style and I’ll suggest locations based off of your style. If you have a specific location in mind that is meaningful to you (like the park you got engaged, your parents property, your backyard, etc) I want to hear about it! Whether it’s under the glow of green summertime trees or trotting through fallen golden, orange and red leaves of autumn, you’re bound to have fun—and capture those priceless candid moments outdoors.
One of the most important aspects of a successful outdoor family photo shoot is time of day. The bright sun can negatively cast unflattering shadows and bright reflections through the lens of the camera. Bright hazy noon hours are often out of the question, unless the setting is just right.
Best time of day or month to book your session?
​
It’s best to book outdoor summertime sessions 1-2 hours before sunrise or sunset. I will work with you on a specific time but sunset will give you those beautiful golden sun-enhanced shots. The majority of my dear clients agree that early evening is the most convenient time of day. For families with young children that can’t handle really early or late hours I always recommend fall, winter or spring for booking. June is the longest month of the year so the mornings are super early and the evenings are way later which can be tough on little ones depending on their routine so that is something to keep in mind when scheduling.
What happens if it’s overcast? Unless you’re specifically looking for sunset swirled skies or sunrays, overcast skies are great for making us look good! The clouds act as a natural diffuser for the sunlight and can smooth out and soften skin tones. With clouds, there is far less sun vs. shade issues, which may give us more opportunities to capture kids at play or grandparents and grandkids posing together. No matter if we get sunrays or sunset or cloudy skies, clients are photographed with the wonderful tones and textures of nature.
For family sessions in Michigan, you are familiar with our constant weather changes. When I schedule you, I like to book a range of time and touch base a day or two before your session. I check the weather coming up to your session so I can accommodate the best lighting scenario. Since a cloudy day can provide an earlier sunset, sometimes I will want to move your evening session a little earlier or if we get an overcast day sometimes we have room to do your session at an alternative time. When clients can be a little flexible on time we can achieve the best outcome for lighting.
Professional photos can seem stressful.... but it doesn't have to be!
I know for families it can be stressful planning everyone's outfits so I have created a family wardrobe guide to help you in coordinating outfits. If you're a family with littles I will also send you my children prep guide that gives little tips in getting your children ready as well.
In home sessions? I've created a guide to assist you in prepping your home for my visit!
​
Over the years I have heard people talk about wanting professional photos but not wanting the preparation stress that comes with them.... hearing that makes me so sad because everyone should have memories of photos throughout the years so that's when I decided my goal is to help take as much stress off of you before your session as possible.
How far in advance do I need to book my session with you?
The earlier the better! I tend to book my schedule up 2-4 months out at a time for sessions. (Weddings book out on average 14 months in advance.) In the spring I'm already booking into fall for sessions... I tend to have openings pop up here & there so it can never hurt to check with me for last minute openings but if you know you want to do a session in a couple months, get it booked the earlier the better! This also gives you plenty of time to plan for outfits. Remember, for family sessions I have a family wardrobe guide that I send out and I always suggest to start putting outfits together early!