My Photo Philosophy
I approach photography and life much the same. I believe that every child deserves to be seen, and loved, and cherished for who they really are. I try to hear and see each person that comes before my lens.
How does it work?
After years of shooting professionally and also shooting my own children, I believe the best images are created when kids are engaged in play.
The best way to accomplish this is for me to follow your family in a fun playful activity and setting where you children feel at ease and comfortable. Every family is unique, so I encourage you to think of activities that are unique to you and your family. Some of my all time favorite sessions involved spending time at a favorite park or playground, staying at home playing in the backyard, going to grandmas and playing Legos, take the dogs for a walk, explore the canal, or have a picnic at the monuments.
For families the same rules apply. The best family images are the ones that show the unique love and beauty of your family. I aim to capture the way your children look when you read to them, being pushed on the swings, sliding down the slide, or being chased by the “monsters”.
The bottom line is that I want everyone to have fun. I know it sounds corny, but everyone looks beautiful when they are laughing and having fun. That is what we do on a shoot; we laugh, giggle, dance, and do whatever it takes to get the whole gang into the spirit.
What to wear?
If your kids are like mine, than what they are wearing plays a big role in how they are feeling. So start with the clothes that your kids feel comfortable in, allow them to feel like themselves, and allows them to play.
My general rule is to keep it simple and keep it comfortable. Start with simple, solid colors and build from there. If you like a little more “flair” in you portraits, that’s great! Bring a fun hat, belt, scarf or something that adds interest or a pop of color. If your child has a favorite article of clothing with a fun and funky design or pattern, let’s use it. The point with any outfit is that your child is the focus and not what they are wearing. Clothes should compliment, not dominate.
I do have a few simple tips to guide you:
- Everyone’s pant and sleeve lengths need to be the same for consistency.
- Keep color tones and styles similar; for instance everyone casual or everyone in dressier attire. Parents: pay attention to your shoes and keep the style similar.
- Leave the Sunday best party outfits at home in the closet. My photo shoots are designed to be fun and playful. And it is hard to have fun and play if you are trying to keep your best party clothes clean and nice.
- Avoid matching outfits unless this is really how you all dress in real life. And even if you do all go out in khakis and a white shirt, let’s try something new and not all match for our shoot — trust me you will appreciate it later!
- Bows or big headbands for girls, and especially for babies, are extremely distracting in a photograph. In fact, they keep you from seeing or focusing on your child’s face and are so overwhelming that all you will see is the big bow or headband.
- Clothing with cartoon characters, writing, or logos (unless you have a personal affiliation with the company) or holiday specific attire are really distracting. If there is a shirt with writing or logos you are dying to use, lets talk in advance and make sure it coordinates with the whole feel of our shoot or build time in for an outfit change.
If you need ideas, browse though my website portfolio and my previous photo sessions on my blog. That should give you ideas about what others typically wear on a session. When you are ready to book we can talk through clothing and the setting so they all fit together. I am also happy to help you pick a good outfit out of your closet…just ask!
Copyright Notice: My photographs and TEXT are copyrighted. Be kind and responsible. Don’t steal, it is not nice.
