A Parent’s Guide to Your Best Portrait Session – Part 2

WHEN TO SCHEDULE? Every season in Hampton Roads can put a unique twist on your family portraits. Think of scheduling your session at least 6 weeks prior. Some photographers in the area are booked months in advance especially during the peak fall season. Weekends usually book first.

SPRING: Schedule late March or early April for beautiful trees and colors in bloom. Some photographers in the area offer mini sessions with ducks or bunnies. For your children’s safety and the safety of these animals, make sure they are using an animal handler that is licensed for such a purpose. Just because they are cute, doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of carrying disease or are improperly handled.

SUMMER: Warm evenings and tanned families make the summer a busy time for photographers, especially for out of town travelers in this area. Sunset beach sessions are popular this time of year but my favorite sessions are sunrise at the beach. The morning light sparkles off the ocean, the sky is bluer and kids are more alive in the morning than in the later evening hours of sunset.

FALL: Fall is also a popular time of year to schedule a family session. The fall colors won’t be out however until the end of October-mid November when the air starts to cool down. If you are scheduling a fall session with Christmas gifts specifically in mind, talk with your photographer on any deadlines that she/he may have and be sure to schedule your session early enough for those prints/gifts to be delivered.

WINTER: The winter has gorgeous soft sunset lighting. The sunset is early enough too for smaller children with bedtime considerations. Sometimes we are lucky enough to even have the occasional snow day. If you are dreaming of family snow pictures, don’t hesitate to call your favorite photographer to see if they are available after an unexpected snow. We love taking portraits in the snow and may be able to rearrange our schedules for a willing subject! It doesn’t hurt to ask!

WHAT TO WEAR: Talk with your photographer before your shoot about wardrobe choice. I never recommend families come in matching outfits. Start by choosing a color palette of complimentary colors. Start with mom’s outfit and go from there. Usually she will be the hardest to shop for. Mom should feel comfortable and beautiful in whatever she picks out.

Next add complimentary wardrobe for dad and kids. Don’t be afraid to mix prints and patterns with solids and colors. Lay out the outfits together beforehand to make sure as a whole there is balance and cohesiveness. Make sure they are balanced for pictures of just mom and kids, or just dad and kids. You can add texture in the form of a scarf, ruffled shirt or dress, or necklace. When shopping for kids, make sure you are buying for the size they are actually in. We tend to buy a size up so they can grow into it, but you want it fitted and not baggy.

HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT PHOTOGRAPHER: With so many options for photographers, make sure you seek out a photographer whose style matches your vision for family portraits. Look at their galleries, their blog and Facebook pages. Is there work consistent? Are you drawn to the images themselves? The emotion? The processing?

A professional photographer will always show images that are technically sound. Look for images that are properly exposed. Images shouldn’t be too bright or too dark. Color cast is harder to see, but you shouldn’t notice a green hue to a person, or a red one, etc.

Do they have a solid body of work or do you see the same children repeated in different poses? Is there too much tilt to a photo? All images should be sharp and not blurry or out of focus. Are they licensed to operate a business in this area? Are they collecting taxes? Do they carry liability insurance? Newborn safety in the photography industry is huge right now.

If hiring a photographer for newborn photos, your photographer should NEVER put your baby in a compromising position that endangers him or her. This includes positions where’s baby’s neck isn’t supported, baby is suspended in the air, left in a position where he or she could roll from a surface, or recently the trend is putting a newborn into glass containers where the risk of cutting an infant is tragically high.

If at any time you are uncomfortable with what your photographer is suggesting or is doing with your infant, do not hesitate to speak up or end the session. Skilled photographers can achieve these same trendy looks with a safe composite of photos.

About the author: Christene is a natural light photographer out of Virginia Beach, VA. She specializes in capturing families, children, and newborns for luxe life art home décor. She is also a mother to 2 boys and is a proud Navy wife. You can find more of her work at www.csphotopro.com

Photo Credit: Marta Locklear; www.martalocklearphoto.com

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