Welcome to my Family Prep + Style Guide
This page will walk you through what to expect, how to prepare, and the hardest part - what to wear!
First, a little homework (the kind you’ll like!) for the best family photos
In order to provide you with the best possible experience and photos that look and feel like you, I need to learn a lot about you and your family, what makes your heart sing, your WHY and WHO these photos are for. I’ve found the easiest way to do this is through a real-life conversation. Old school, I know.
We’ll set up a time about two weeks prior to your session to talk on the phone, for 20ish minutes, during which I’ll ask you questions about your family dynamic, what you most want to capture, where we should take your photos (at home or a place your family loves to visit are going to be the best options) and I’ll answer any questions you may have. I’d love for you to begin thinking about the ordinary moments in life you’d like captured forever.
The day of your session
If you’re able to, give yourself extra time to get ready so that you aren’t feeling rushed and frustrated at how slow your kids get dressed (or schedule a “wake up” session and I’ll come and capture you snuggling in your jammies and drinking coffee.)
I recommend keeping kids off of screens for at least half an hour prior to the session/on the way to the session, so that they aren’t feeling dysregulated at the start. Let your kids and other adults know what to expect - relaxed and natural family photos that only require you to adore and play with your children. Easy peasy.
If at home… you don’t need to clean! For real. If you want to pick up a little clutter, that’s fine, but remember we’re attempting to capture this season of life, and that includes the bottles, toys, blankies, books, baskets of laundry (never-ending laundry!) that you’ll want to remember a decade from now when life looks and feels completely different.
If on location… you’ll want to bring a few things with you to make life easier, including snacks, diapers, wipes, hairbrush, a change of clothes for littles if they’re prone to accidents or are mud magnets. Bring along dresses that get wrinkly and have kids change in the parking lot. Water and bug spray in the summer is a must. Make the kids go potty prior to heading out for your session ;)
Newborns…Specific details about what to expect during a newborn session can be found here.
Inclement Weather
Living in Ohio means we can go from rain to sunshine in an instant, and winter to summer overnight. I typically wait until a couple of hours before your session to make the call to reschedule, as too often I’ve canceled due to forecasted rain only to have the most gorgeous sunset a few hours later.
When you schedule your session, we’ll discuss a backup date in case the original date is rainy or extremely overcast. As much as I love a sunny session, it’s not always possible for me to accommodate that, especially during fall busy season. I’ll bring a flash along to indoor sessions for extra light, and if we’re outdoors we’ll play up other visual elements (color, nature, movement) to create stunning images on a cloudy day.
What to Wear
Ahhh, the hardest part. I have three ground rules (and many many tips, which I’ll get into in a sec):
Be yourself. Don’t look back on your photos to see a group of strangers.
Dress to move and play (skip tight, short dresses/skirts and high heels, be mindful of low necklines as I shoot from above quite frequently).
Consider your location and seek to complement it.
THE DON’Ts
There are a few things I think you should skip in order to have the most beautiful photos:
*Excessive dark clothing (it creates voids in your images and reflects no light onto your skin)
*Neon yellows/greens - they WILL reflect onto your skin in an unflattering way
*Smart watches - I personally don’t want to see a screen in my images, it takes away from the timeless feel, but I won’t fight you on it ;)
*Very thin stripes - they create a strange visual effect when viewed digitally.
*Avoid large, distracting bows or other items that may irritate your child during the session.
*I mean this in the nicest way, but don’t bring your cell phone. You won’t need it during our time together and we don’t want to see it in your pocket :)
THE DOs
*Dress at least one person in a pattern to add visual interest. Use the colors in the pattern as your palette for the remaining outfits.
*Once you have your palette, MOM - you pick your outfit first. It is most important to me that you look and feel your best during your session. You can dress everyone else around you.
*Consider showing some skin. Here me out - skin to skin is a visual shortcut to intimacy. My favorite maternity, newborn and family images with young children are ones where arms and legs and toes and bodies are all mingled together in a snuggly embrace.
*Include a variety of textures in your clothing to create a greater visual dynamic.
*If your child likes a lot of control over what they wear: pick out a couple of outfits beforehand, and let them select one. For older children, let them select from a range of colors.
DRESSING AT HOME:
Consider the color palette of your home, as well as your personal taste. If you have a colorful home, you can go a little bolder with your outfit choices. If you prefer muted or neutral tones throughout your home, you’ll want your outfits to reflect that. Alternately, if your home is monochrome and you want to ADD color to your images, you can do that through your clothes too (see what accent colors you have in your pillows, curtains, etc and use that as a guide).
Stay comfy (and shoeless!) for in-home sessions. It doesn’t make sense to wear something formal, as you’ll want your session to reflect a bit of your ordinary life, and how you’d spend a Saturday morning with your family. Find a balance between looking nice AND looking natural.
ON LOCATION:
Getting outside can lend itself to bolder outfit choices. Again, you’ll want to consider the palette of your location as well as the season. In late summer and fall, I love to take photos in fields of golden flowers or amongst the changing leaves. Neutrals and earthy tones are going to blend with and complement those settings, while jewel tones (think emerald, burgundy, violet, deep blue) will pop and add contrast.
Consulting the color wheel is always a good idea - if you know we’re heading to a setting with a lot of red brick, for example (German Village or Old Worthington, anyone?) the colors adjacent to red and opposite red will all look great, as well as neutrals.
You’ll also want to consider the terrain and the weather (don’t be afraid to layer when it’s cold out - the added texture/color always looks great).
PS I love the Design Seeds and Poptart palettes on Pinterest - they’re a great place to start if you’re feeling stuck color-wise.
Nuetral Vibes - great in most indoor and outdoor settings, as well as newborn photos
Colorful vibes - I love this palette for the beach, murals/urban, colorful homes and summer flowers
Skin to skin looks timeless, beautiful, and intimate for this in-home maternity session.
Jewel tones look beautiful indoors and out, and can add richness to your images. This palette would also do well with spring flowers or at an outdoor winter session when there isn’t much color in nature.
Earth tones like mustard, sage, tan, rose and beige are flattering across a wide variety of settings and can be popped into a neutral palette to add a bit of color. These colors are beautiful in fall settings.
This extended family went with a pastel palette of pinks, blues and whites for their spring session.
A blend of neutrals with different textures and subtle patterns looks beautiful and adds brightness to in-home sessions.
This family pulled from the colors of their home for a cohesive look.
Additional resources
Wardrobe inspo boards on my pinterest page.
My favorite places to shop for clothes:
Target and Old Navy - easily pull together a look for the whole family.
Vernacular - on trend, boho, colorful, dressy casual wear at a reasonable price.
Cub Shrub - the cutest clothes ever for newborns to 5 year-olds. Think fun, colorful patterns and knits with a polished homemade look to them.
Thrift shops - try Flower Child or Little Light Collective for unique and colorful retro options.
Helpful blog links:
What to wear for in-home photos
What’s a family photography session with me like?
What to expect from a newborn session
How I handle newborn sessions with older children
My favorite ways to print your images
Review your package and print product options.