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Family Portraiture Tips Family Photo-shoots are such fun! And they produce images that will be treasured for generations. Here’s some tips to help you get the best from your shoot: |
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Involve the family right from the start: When you first tell your family about your photo-shoot plans, act excited like it’s going to be SO much fun! Attitude is usually contagious. Lay out some clothing and prop options for your kids to choose from. If they get to help pick what they’re going to wear, and what toys they can bring, they’ll feel included and be more likely to cooperate. And make sure hubby knows what the plan is too - don't ambush him the morning of the shoot! Arrive on-time, ready and relaxed: Allow plenty of time to get everyone ready and to travel to your photo-shoot. Arriving late cuts into your valuable shooting time meaning missed images, and arriving frazzled means grumpy kids and unhappy faces! Talk with me about balancing the right time of day for the best lighting, and the needs and routines of your children. Let's find a time to get the best of everything! Don't sweat the small stuff! A good photographer will know how to handle littlies and their idiosyncrasies. Allow them space to do their job and work their charm. If you're forever badgering your child to 'smile' or 'sit straight', they'll quickly loose their sense of fun. Keep it positive. Play peek-a-boo, tickle, and throw the child playfully into the air for real, genuine smiles. In ten years time, you won't care that Johnny was playing with the sand. You'll only care that he was there, smiling and having fun, when he was so cute! Remember that the best family photos don’t show picture perfect smiles and poses. The best family photos show emotion and affection between family members. That takes a lot of pressure off! Go with the flow and laugh when things don't go to plan. Keep in mind why you're doing this - it's for the memories! Carefully consider your clothing choice:
Think about places and spaces that have meaning to your family.
Pack a picnic:
Leave your camera at home: You'll receive the digital negatives of your shoot within a week of it, so there's no need to duplicate things by having your own camera with you. Not only is it a hassle to look after, but it's hugely distracting for the people being photographed. Large groups tend to have half the people looking at me, and the other half looking at 'Uncle Bob' and his camera, rendering both our images useless! Consider if any of the following suggestions are relevant to you, and pack the appropriate props:
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