Pro Photographer's Quick Tips: How to Prepare for your Upcoming Family Portrait

I am often asked about the best ways to prep for photo sessions, so I thought I'd share a little advice to help you get ready for your time in front of my lens.  Lots of people can take great pictures, but if you are investing the time and money to hire a professional photographer to create artwork for and of your family, take the time beforehand to prepare for your portrait.  

Prepare yourself for your portrait ahead of time:


Prepping ahead of time allows you to be relaxed the day of your appointment.  Gather your clothing, press it, make sure you have everything you need ready to go.  Ahead of time.  If you are planning on a haircut, schedule it a week ahead so that your hair has time to relax (are you seeing a trend?)  Avoid drinking alcohol or smoking a few days before, instead, drink plenty of water to hydrate your skin which will minimize lines and wrinkles.  Make sure everyone gets adequate sleep the night before to appear rested and you guessed it...relaxed!


Decide what everyone will wear, ahead of time:


I think the rules about what to wear are flexible.  Everyone doesn't need to match; would you all go out to dinner all matchy-matchy?  Didn't think so. Do think about making sure that everyone GOES together--I like to tell people to pretend you are preparing one BIG outfit.  But if you are a bright and bold family, then be bright and bold.  More importantly, choose clothing that fits well, is clean and pressed.  Lay out your clothing and accessories ahead of time.  Choose the colors that look best on you--everyone has something in their closet that is always complimented.  Compliment your body--if you'd like to appear slimmer, keep in mind that darker colors tend to be slimming.

What about hair and makeup? 

Makeup is subjective; if you don't normally wear makeup, don't apply it like Lady Gaga!  However, a concealer matched to your skin tone can provide an even skin tone. Stick with matte foundations, powders and eyeshadows: shiny makeup reflects too much light and can be distracting in camera.  For hair, put a little a smoothing product on your hands and lightly smooth down any frizzy strays.  This is a good time to use a professional makeup artist or hair stylist.  Important things to check for in the mirror before we shoot: stray eyebrows and nose hairs, dry lips and inner eye gunk!


The day of your portrait:


Try to plan a relatively calm day.  (That's where all this advance planning will help out!)  Many times, our portraits will be scheduled at times that may be meal times.  Try to keep sweets and sugar to a minimum, as it can wind kids up quickly, then they can crash just as quickly! It helps to fed the kids prior to our meeting time.  Feel free to bring along some snacks and drinks, both for you and the kids.  Think of this as playtime for your family--be ready to have a great time!  Most times, I've scheduled your appointment time based on the light, so it's really important to be on time.  Plan your arrival accordingly. 

When you schedule your appointment, we'll also start planning your session--location, clothing, props, everything that will make your session great!  Great sessions require a little planning-don't worry!  I'll help guide you through it all. 

Have more questions or ready to schedule?  Send me an email or give me a call!  Talk to you soon!

A little tough love advice on prepping for your business portraits.

Your business portrait is coming up! I know you're excited, because you're shooting with me!

I've got a little advice for advance prepping for your portrait.  It might be a little tough to take, but I've got your best interests at heart, so take a listen.

My tough love advice:

Fix the hair coming out of the wrong places.  This one's a little touchy to talk about, do this at home--take a good look in the mirror.  Noses, ears, chins.  Trust me, it happens to the best of us and there's a simple fix for all of it.  Just snip and pluck.

Wrinkly clothing.  It's so great that you bought a new dress shirt for your shoot, but make sure to take it out of it's folded state and get it pressed.  You've got your favorite blouse, make sure that it's been cleaned and pressed before your shoot.   Wrinkles definitely counteract the look of "I'm good at what I do", unless of course, you're the creative type where wrinkles say, "I'm good at what I do".

Ties.  Men, pick a power tie.  Stay away from flesh colored ties.  Just trust me on this one.

Get your hair done in advance and have your hair styled the day of your portrait.  If you don't like your roots or grey showing, get your roots or grey done.  Go one better, invest in having your hair styled the day of your shoot.  Then make it worthwhile and plan to go out--to lunch, to dinner, with your partner, with your friends!

Invest in makeup.  I've shot business portraits with a makeup artist present and I've shot them without.  A makeup artist uses photo ready products to reduce shine and enhance your features. They can even contour your face, to make the most of your features.  They use the right products to enhance your look in front of the camera.  But perhaps more importantly, I've seen what a makeup artist can do for my subject's demeanor.  They feel powerful, more beautiful or handsome.  They walk into the shoot differently.  Colleagues oooh and ahhhhh over them.  At the very least, make an appointment in advance at your favorite makeup counter and learn how to apply products and the best makeup for your shoot.  You'll feel so much more confident walking into our shoot.

Have you got other questions about how you can get ready for your business portrait?  I've written this, this, this and this on getting ready.  Still have more questions?  Give me a shout!  I'm happy to help!

See you soon!

8 Tips for Choosing The Right Clothing for Your Corporate Portrait

Some days, it's hard enough to figure out what to wear to hit the grocery store, let alone work!  On the day of your corporate portrait?  Now what?! I've written other posts here  and here giving advice on getting ready for your portrait. We already know how important your headshot is--LinkedIn research shows that profiles with photos are reviewed 7x more than those without photos--so it goes without saying that choosing the right outfit can definitely make or break your image!

Here are my 8 favorite in-depth tips for clothing selections:

1. Funny enough, what you wear everyday to the office may not be the best clothing for your corporate portrait.  Consider how you'd like to be perceived--think about the job you have now and the job you'd like to have in the future.  Clothing can tell us a lot about a person--when you think of a doctor wearing a white coat, do you think it signifies a higher education and level of professionalism over the doctor in jeans?  Unfortunately, judging the book by the cover still exists. Start prepping ahead of time so that your outfit will be clean and pressed and ready on the day of your appointment.


2. It's best to choose modern, but not cutting edge fashion.  Cutting edge fashion becomes yesterday's outfit quickly and on the other hand, if your clothing is outdated, you could be perceived as being outdated in your thinking or abilities, probably not what you are looking for!

3. It's important to wear clothing that is correctly sized.  Clothing that is too large can give the appearance of being sloppy, while clothing that is too tight may give the appearance of being unkempt or conversely, too sexy.  For women, watch that your neckline isn't too revealing.

4. Make sure your clothing is pressed and clean and tailored for YOUR body.  Long sleeves of blouses, shirts and jackets should be at the appropriate length for your arms.  

5. This sounds a little goofy, but try to choose clothing that doesn't poof when you sit or move.

6.  Wear appropriate undergarments and make sure they aren't going to show.  I know you've probably heard this before, but the right undergarments can definitely make you appear taller and slimmer!  

7. A well fitting, fitted blazer can be like magic, hiding a tummy, creating a waist and slimming arms.

8.  Wear something (that's appropriate!) that you feel smokin' in!  Chances are you've gotten compliments while wearing it before and it stands to reason it fits well (just make sure it's clean and pressed!)  You'll feel like a million and we'll create an image that shows you to be confident, competent and approachable!

I can't wait to see you!

5 Super Simple Tips If You Hate to Have Your Business Portrait Taken

I get it.

I'm not fond of being in front of the camera either, and that works in your favor, because I GET YOU!  But business portraits are a part of your business--a BIG part.  It's often your first and best chance to make a strong impression and your very best marketing tool.  It should be the best representation of you possible.

So here are 5 super simple tips to make sure we get great images of YOU:

BE YOU!  Look like yourself.  If you wear glasses, wear them!  If your thing is a scruffy beard, wear it with confidence.  Be who you are and not what you think you should be so you can be relaxed in your own skin.

GET SLEEP, WATER AND FOOD.  Party some other time--the night before your portrait, make sure you get sleep.  Eat so you aren't cranky and drink plenty of water.  (Really, hydrating does wonders for the way you look!)

WEAR SOMETHING YOU LOVE.  Wear something you feel smokin' in.  If you feel GREAT, it'll come across.  You might want to stick with simple and classic though, (which doesn't have to mean boring!) because cutting edge fashion tends to look dated quickly.

DON'T BE NERVOUS.  Easier said than done, but remember it only takes one good portrait and I promise you'll have that and more!

HAVE FUN!  I've got tunes, a sense of humor and lots of experience with people who hate to have their portraits taken so relax and let's have fun!

If you'd like MORE suggestions on how to prepare for your business portrait, click here or here.  For great makeup tips when you don't have a makeup artist, click here.

I can't wait to see you!

My 6 favorite tips for perfect makeup for your photo shoot

I KNOW you've been prepping ahead of time for your shoot and have followed my advice on advance preparation. You've gotten your hair cut, you've been drinking lots of water and getting enough sleep.  It's the day of your shoot and time to do your makeup.  Now what?  If you don't have a professional makeup artist at the ready, don't worry, I've got you covered!  Here are my 6 favorite tips for perfect makeup for your shoot.

Think these tips are just for women?  Guys, you'll benefit from (well, most) of these tips too!

1. Hydrate your skin:  (This works for both men and women!) Begin by hydrating your skin with a lightweight, non greasy moisturizer.  (preferably without SPF which sometimes has ingredients that can make your face look shinier) A good moisturizer will plump up your skin and it will look softer, firmer and smoother.  And hydrating with a good moisturizer will prevent makeup from looking too "cake-y".

2.  Think MATTE:  Use matte makeup so that your skin won't look greasy or shiny or reflect the light.  Matte makeup also covers inconsistency in skin textures (i.e. wrinkles!) making your skin look smoother.  It can cover any redness in the skin or blemishes.  It goes without saying that your foundation should match your skin tone exactly.

3.  Limit shimmery blushes or eyeshadows:  In camera, a shiny area is like a spotlight and will attract attention.  (However, a little shiny lipgloss is good because it can make your lips look more full!)

4.  Highlight and brighten the focal point of the portrait: your eyes:  Got dark circles?  Use a yellow based under eye concealer to hide them.  Use eyeliner to define the eye on your upper lid and use a shadow that will highlight your eye, blending it to the outer corners with a brush. For blue eyes, choose warm tones to balance them.  For brown eyes, most any color will work, but purple, bronze and navy work well.  For green eyes, reddish browns are good options.  And for hazel eyes cool tones work well.  Don't forget mascara and use an eyebrow pencil to fill in thin brows.

5.  Apply your makeup a little heavier than you think you'll need it:  Even if you are going for a more subtle look, the camera sees differently than our eye does. Makeup will look less dramatic than to our eye.  Be sure to bring your makeup with you in case you need to add a little more.

6. Apply your makeup in natural light if possible.  If it looks good there, it will most likely look good in any lighting condition.

Good makeup application only enhances my post production work and makes for an even more natural look so that you will look your best in your portrait!

I can't wait to see you!

Getting ready for your business portrait

You have an important meeting with a prospective client in a couple of weeks and you definitely want to win this client's business. What's your plan? Have you already started your preparations? Been doing your research?  Begun putting it all together? Of course you have!

Guess what? That client has already begun their research on YOU!  No doubt they've checked out your profiles and link backs to your company. And that headshot that's out there is the first thing they see. It's always on and out there.  You've spent a great deal of time branding your company.  Your headshot is a huge part of that brand as it sets the tone for who you are and what you are all about--the first impression.

From Entrepreneur.com:
"Simply put your brand is your promise to your customer.  It tells them what they can expect from your products and services, and it differentiates your offerings from your competitors'. Your brand is derived from who you are, who you want to be and who people perceive you to be."

From Forbes.com:
"Personal branding is no longer an option; it's a powerful leadership enabler."

Your corporate portrait/headshot deserves the same attention as that important client meeting. You begin winning business the moment the prospective client views your headshot.

Prepping for your portrait should begin a couple weeks ahead of time--give it the same importance that you would give to an important meeting.  Your portrait will represent you (and your company) for a bit--give it the attention it deserves.

Ahead of time:
Hair:  Do you need a haircut, your roots done, your eyebrows trimmed?  Do it a week ahead of time so your hair has time to relax into the cut.

Keep smoking and drinking to a minimum in the days before your session and begin drinking plenty of water to hydrate so your skin will look its best and lines and wrinkles will be minimized.  (Really, it works!)  Get adequate sleep, particularly the night before your session so you appear rested and relaxed.  Would you go out partying the night before a big client meeting?

There aren't definitive rules for what you should wear and how you should present yourself, your company culture and profession should be your guide.

Your business portrait should reflect a confident, relaxed and approachable you.  Schedule yourself accordingly so that your arrive relaxed and on time.  Now that you've done your prep work, you can relax, have fun and let me do my job!

I can't wait to see you!

My top ten tips for clothing selection, hair and makeup preparation:

1.  Prep your clothing beforehand--Clothing should fit well, be clean and pressed.  (Mind the gap in a blouse!)
2.  Solids look best--avoid bold or loud patterns (patterns or prints can sometimes create strange looking patterns on camera or distract from your face. Moire anyone?)
3.  Darker is slimming.  (Did you know black is my favorite color to wear?  And now you know why!)
3.  Watch that your neckline isn't too revealing and at the other end of the spectrum stay away from turtlenecks--they are difficult for even the longest of necks!
4.  Men--watch that a shiny or reflective tie doesn't compete with your face or that your undershirt is peeking out.
5.  Women--stay away from sleeveless blouses and jewelry that would distract from your face.  It goes without saying to wear well fitting undergarments.  (You--it's all about you!!!)
6.  Check your facial hair--eyebrows, nose hairs, beards and mustaches.  Trim neatly and check for strays.
7. Check your smile, brush and floss beforehand.  (It's great to have a little snack before we shoot so you aren't cranky with hunger, but make sure you check your smile!)
8.  Stick with matte foundations, powders and eyeshadows because shiny makeup reflects light and can be distracting in camera.
8.  Bring a bit a smoothing product for hair and light smooth down any frizzy stray hairs. 
9.  If in doubt, uses professional makeup artist or hair stylist.  (You'll look so good, you'll want to go out afterward!)
10.  If you wear glasses all the time--wear them.  You can consider having your optician pop the lenses out for the session.  And if you'd like we can shoot with and without them.

And finally, just between you and me--can we get up close and personal a minute?  Don't forget a few last minute checks: stray eyebrows, wayward nose hairs, inner eye gunk and dry lips! 

You've got a business portrait scheduled--now what??

With quite a few upcoming editorial business portraits coming up, I thought perhaps it's a good time to chat about how to prepare for having your business portrait taken.

Business portraits give a human face to the people behind a company.  And in these days of always connected, your image is always ON and OUT there--on LinkedIn, company websites, company directories, social networking sites--and you never know WHO (or even WHEN) is looking at your profile.  It makes sense to give your image--your brand--your company--the respect it deserves by preparing for your portrait in advance.

I suggest that preparation for your business portrait begin well ahead of time, giving it the same importance that you would give to an important meeting.  This is a portrait that will represent you (and your company) for a bit--give it the attendance it deserves.  Think about your hair needs--do you need a haircut, your roots done, your eyebrows trimmed?  Do it a week ahead so your hair has time to relax into the cut.  Keep smoking or alcohol to a minimum in the days before your session and begin drinking plenty of water to hydrate so your skin looks its best and lines and wrinkles will be minimized.  Get adequate sleep, particularly the night before your session so you appear rested and relaxed.

While there aren't definitive rules for what you should wear and how you should present yourself, your company culture or profession should be your primary consideration.  Obviously, a business portrait for a banker would be very different than one done for a creative.

My top ten tips for clothing selection, hair and makeup preparation:

1.  Prep your clothing beforehand--Clothing should fit well, be clean and pressed.  (Mind the gap in a blouse!)
2.  Solids look best--avoid bold or loud patterns (patterns or prints can sometimes create strange looking patterns on camera or distract from your face. Moire anyone?)
3.  Darker is slimming.  (Did you know black is my favorite color to wear?  And now you know why!)
3.  Watch that your neckline isn't too revealing and at the other end of the spectrum stay away from turtlenecks--they are difficult for even the longest of necks!
4.  Men--watch that a shiny or reflective tie doesn't compete with your face or that your undershirt is peeking out.
5.  Women--stay away from sleeveless blouses and jewelry that would distract from your face.  It goes without saying to wear well fitting undergarments.  (You--it's all about you!!!)
6.  Check your facial hair.  Trim neatly and check for strays.
7. Check your smile, brush and floss beforehand.  (It's great to have a little snack before we shoot so you aren't cranky with hunger, but make sure you check your smile!)
8.  Stick with matte foundations, powders and eyeshadows because shiny makeup reflects light and can be distracting in camera.
8.  Bring a bit a smoothing product for hair and light smooth down any frizzy stray hairs.
9.  If in doubt, uses professional makeup artist or hair stylist.  (You'll look so good, you'll want to go out afterward!)
10.  If you wear glasses all the time--wear them.  You can consider having your optician pop the lenses out for the session.  And if you'd like we can shoot with and without them.

And finally, just between you and me--can we get up close and personal a minute?  Don't forget a few last minute checks: stray eyebrows, wayward nose hairs, dry lips and inner eye gunk!

Yes, I'll admit to retouching.

And do I retouch your portraits?
Absolutely.  My goal is to capture the best you using posing and lighting so that you'll look your best straight out of the camera.  However, with all the talk about photoshop these days, here's my take:  In real life, when we are face to face with someone, we see the whole picture--not just a face, but a personality, mannerisms, voice and even smell--and our brain puts it all together to form our image of that person.  When we look at a two dimensional photograph of someone, we have only our visual sense to interpret it.  I believe in presenting the very best image of you, so yes, I'll admit to retouching--if you have special retouching concerns, please ask!

Your business portrait should reflect a confident, relaxed and approachable you.  Schedule yourself accordingly so that you arrive relaxed and on time.  Now that you've done your prep work, you can relax, have fun and let me do my job!

I can't wait to see you!

Featuring: Senior portraits!

With the holidays behind us, it's time to think about your Senior portraits.

It's funny, while Senior portraits have changed a bit from when I was in high school, I think back to the studio that I worked for when I WAS a senior and realize now just how cutting edge we were.  We were the preferred senior portrait photographer, because instead of shooting with a traditional in studio backdrop, we shot in our own gorgeous back lot, filled with long flowing grass, trees and even a wagon wheel.  Being in Southern California meant that we often went on location to the beach (which was almost within walking distance) or a park filled with pine trees just down the way.

Nowadays, it's de rigueur of course to shoot outside, (minus the wagon wheel!) especially here in the West, but even in the East--in the snow!  And I find a brainstorming session with my senior clients on new locations and ideas for their sessions some of the coolest consultations around.  We talk about everything they need to think about to prepare for the session--from a to z!

Whatever your thing--hockey, water polo, dance, swimming, theatre--whatever you feel like--jumping in the pool with your tie on, wearing your letter jacket, being gorgeous on a gorgeous beach--let's find just the perfect location and ideas to compliment who YOU are so you can ROCK YOUR senior portrait!

Give me a call and we can start brainstorming!

Lights, Camera, Action! How to prepare for your photo session!

I am often asked about the best ways to prep for photo sessions, so I thought I'd share a little advice to help you get ready for your time in front of my lens.

Prepare yourself for your portrait ahead of time:
Prepping ahead of time allows you to be relaxed the day of your appointment.  Gather your clothing, press it, make sure you have everything you need ready to go.  Ahead of time.  If you are planning on a haircut, schedule it a week ahead so that your hair has time to relax (are you seeing a trend?)  Avoid drinking alcohol or smoking a few days before, instead, drink plenty of water to hydrate your skin which will minimize lines and wrinkles.  Make sure everyone gets adequate sleep the night before to appear rested and you guessed it...relaxed!

Decide what everyone will wear, ahead of time:
I think the rules about what to wear are flexible.  Everyone doesn't need to match; would you all go out to dinner all matchy-matchy?  Didn't think so. Do think about making sure that everyone GOES together--I like to tell people to pretend you are preparing one BIG outfit.  But if you are a bright and bold family, then be bright and bold.  More importantly, choose clothing that fits well, is clean and pressed.  Lay out your clothing and accessories ahead of time.  Choose the colors that look best on you--everyone has something in their closet that is always complimented.  Compliment your body--if you'd like to appear slimmer, keep in mind that darker colors tend to be slimming.

What about hair and makeup?
Makeup is subjective; if you don't normally wear makeup, don't apply it like Lady Gaga!  However, a concealer matched to your skin tone can provide an even skin tone. Stick with matte foundations, powders and eyeshadows: shiny makeup reflects too much light and can be distracting in camera.  For hair, put a little a smoothing product on your hands and lightly smooth down any frizzy strays.  This is a good time to use a professional makeup artist or hair stylist.  Important things to check for in the mirror before we start: stray eyebrows and nose hairs, dry lips and inner eye gunk!

The day of your portrait:
Try to plan a relatively calm day.  (That's where all this advance planning will help out!)  Many times, our portraits will be scheduled at times that may be meal times.  It helps to fed the kids prior to our meeting time.  Feel free to bring along some snacks and drinks, both for you and the kids.  Think of this as playtime for your family--be ready to have a great time!  Most times,  I've scheduled your appointment time based on the light, so it's really important to be on time.  Plan your arrival accordingly.

When you schedule your appointment, we'll also start planning your session--location, clothing, props, everything that will make your session great!  Great sessions require a little planning-don't worry!  I'll help guide you through it all.  

Have more questions or ready to schedule?  Send me an email or give me a call!

Talk to you soon!

How to prepare for your portrait--scheduling and locations.

It's the holidays already.  Shopping at Costco this past week, it seems like the holidays have been thrust upon us even earlier than last year--holiday ribbon and wrap, gift baskets, toys...here we go!

And that means it's time for holiday portraits.  For some of my clients, its the holidays that signal that it's time for an annual portrait and time to think about where and when we are going to shoot.

The best location for your portraits is one that means something to you and your family.  We can go anywhere--a special beach, park, in the studio or in your home.  Perhaps it's a train station or Disneyland--let's come up with somewhere fun!  Nowadays, some locations do require permits for photography.  If you are set on shooting at a location that does require a permit, I'll make the arrangements and any fees will be included in your session fee.  I do abide by the rules because it'd be a bummer to be all dressed up and get kicked out of a great location because we didn't follow the rules!  Just know that I've got lots of ideas for great places that don't require permits!  Because sometimes permits take time, let's start our scheduling early.

The location will sometimes dictate the timing of your session for the best lighting and feel of your portraits.  Sometimes, that doesn't always jive with some of the subjects of your portrait--your kids.  If our portrait session is scheduled for late afternoon's golden hour at the beach, (which is often the dinner hour!) we'll talk about how we can optimize our time to make it fun for them by making sure they are rested, fed and ready to play!

It's important to be on time to your appointment because I've scheduled it based on the light.  I do use light modifiers if necessary, but prefer natural light.  When we scheduled our time, I also allowed for us all to relax with each other and settle in.  I find the best portraits are those that happen in the "in between" moments after you start to relax with me!  Sometimes, the weather doesn't cooperate or a kid gets sick.  It  happens.  Try to notify me in advance if possible and we'll find a new date that will work.

My goal for our session is to make it feel like playing for both you and your kids.  In between, I'll pose you casually and help guide you into looking your best.  I aim for fun, not stress!

See you soon!

"My 'high' for the weekend was the photo shoot.  Even better than scoring a soccer goal!"
Avalon, age 6

5 tips for feeling great and having a great time at your portrait session.

Many people stress about having their portrait done.  As much as we like images of everything these days, we are equally worried about how we'll appear in an image of ourselves.

How can you feel the most comfortable at your session with me?  Here are my five favorite tips to put your mind at ease and look your best!

1.  Don't skip our consultation. Part of the service I offer is a consultation to help you prepare for your session.  We can chat on the phone or meet in person, but either way it's the first step to making you feel comfortable.  I'll ask you questions about you and your family and find out more about you.  What do you like to do? What do you like to do together?  We'll talk about places that are special to your family and we figure out the best location for your session.  We'll also get the conversation rolling about what you'll wear and we can talk about anything else you'd like to bring to the session.  Finally, we'll settle on the timing.  And if you have questions along the way, I'm always available by phone, email or text.  By the time we get to our session, it will feel like you are meeting an old  friend!

2.  Prep yourselves and your clothing ahead of time: wash, iron, lay it all out at least a  day ahead.  Get hair cuts a couple of days ahead.  Make sure you have all your accessories together in one place.  Gather it ALL together before the big day.

3.   The day of your appointment, feed yourselves--especially the kids!  Kids with empty tummies are usually grumpy and uncooperative subjects.  Sometimes the best time for a session isn't the best time for kids, so feel free to bring along an extra snack or drink.  (Just make sure it's not going to turn their tongues blue or red or....!)

4.   Take a little time to relax before the portrait.  Again, especially important for the kids.  Make sure little ones have their regularly scheduled nap if possible and take a little time for yourself as well.

5.  Allow yourself enough time to get ready and get to our location.  I try to schedule appointments with a little bit of wiggle room.  It's time for me to meet your kids, time to chat, time to take a few first images that allow you time to relax in front of the camera, play and be yourselves.  My goal is to make our session feel like playing.  In between, I'll pose you casually and help guide you into looking your best.  My aim is fun, not stressful!

See you soon!
Laura

How to prepare for your family portrait session-clothing.

It's probably the most asked question--what should I do to prepare for my family portrait session.  While I love shooting on the fly, I think some of the best sessions come from quite a bit of advance preparation.  And there are lots of things to think about, ranging from very simple to very detail oriented aspects.  Probably the most obvious preparation is clothing.  Particularly when the session involves more than one person.  Long ago, the rules where simplistic: stick with solids--choose one or two colors and "evenly weight" everyone in terms of color.  Most often, families showed up in white shirts and blue jeans or black shirts and khakis.  There's nothing wrong with that, but in real life, do you often all dress alike?  Clothing such an important expression of who we are and often how we feel about ourselves.  That expression and feeling definitely comes across in your portrait.

Today, it's okay to mix patterns or stripes!  I often suggest laying clothing out on the bed or floor and see that it all goes together (or doesn't!).  Keeping everyone "evenly weighted", that is making sure no one person stands out is still a good idea, but it's okay to have more than two or three colors.  Feel free to add accessories.  Does your daughter like to wear headbands with flowers?  Choose one that works with your color palette.  Can't find the right color top for yourself?  Wear a statement necklace or a scarf that picks up an accent color in your palette.

As my clients pull their outfits together, I ask them to send me a quick photo via text or email to check out their choices all laid out together. Suggestions or changes can be made, if necessary, before the session.  If I spot something that will work with a client's chosen palette while I'm out shopping, I'll send them a text with the location and price.  You don't always have to purchase new clothing to make for a great session--shop your closet.  We all have at least one thing that gets compliments.  Whatever you end up wearing, love it and feel good in it--it will make all the difference in forgetting about what you are wearing and focusing on the real subject of the portrait--you!