Why custom photography?

In trying to educate and inform all my clients out there about custom lifestyle photography I am going to start posting some handy information up on the blog in a series about what to expect with your lifestyle family session and everything that goes into it from before, during and after, all the way down to putting the nails into the wall and hanging up your wall prints and canvas art.  I kinda wanted to start with the end product and show some photo displays (I LOVE to decorate!!) but I think it’s best to describe everything in chronological order so it makes sense to you.

When you decide to hire a professional photographer you are investing in memories and artwork of you and your family.  Something that you can look back on for years to come and remember exactly how you felt at that time.  You look online or ask some of your fiends who they recommend, or maybe you saw someones family photo hanging in their house and really liked how it showed the personalities of everyone so you asked for the photographers name and looked at their website.  Whatever the case if you have viewed my website or talked to a past client and you have decided that you would like to have your family documented in a non-posed, non-traditional way, letting your kids run free in the park and just being who they are, so you have emailed or called me for an appointment.  If you really only want to have a few posed portraits done on a simple clean background then I am not the photographer for you and I suggest to do some more searching online or go to a studio where they can accommodate you fully.  You really need to LOVE the images that you see on your photographers website, not just like, but LOVE!  The images that you see on a photographers website are what you should expect to have with your images.  If you see posed images, expect to be posed by the photographer.  If you see more candid and photo journalistic images you should expect little to no posing where the photographer follows you around and captures moments as they happen.  I love to have my clients sit or lay on the ground, take their shoes off, roll around in some leaves, not be afraid to take their coats off in 30 degree weather so I can get those amazing shots of your family being totally in the moment and laughing with each other!  If you have a favorite activity or hobby lets incorporate that into the session.  Sometimes just doing something together with your famliy takes the pressure off from feeling like you have to be a model in front of the camera (I even get nervous in front of the camera!).  You will feel more relaxed and at ease if you mind is on another task.

That’s what my style of photography is all about – being in the moment.  I believe that everyone smiling and looking straight into the camera saying “cheese” is not really showing your personalities, although these types of images are great reminders of who was at an event – a legacy photo if you will – such as at a wedding.  Let your personalities shine in your photo session, let your guard down and act like a kid again.  Run around and have fun, act like I’m not there.  Those are the moments I want to capture for you.  That is why you hire me.  These are the moments you will have forever.

After you contact me I will then respond with a phone call or email back with a brief explanation of how I like to photograph people (maybe now I will send the link for this blog series to everyone!), also the times of day that have the best most flattering natural lighting – early morning or 2 hours before sunset are my favorite times for photography.  I work outside whenever possible to make use of this gorgeous natural light, if it does rain we will reschedule.  If you have a favorite location or somewhere that is meaningful to your family lets do the session there, if you need help to pick a location I can help you decide.  Sometimes just being in your backyard is the best place to have your photo session, it’s familiar for your children and you feel right at home there (obviously!).  I will also send you my full price list, a contract and let you know what dates I have available and you can decide if you would like to have a photo session.  Payment of the session in full and a signed contract are both due to book your family photo session.

If you need help deciding what to wear I can help you more with that or send you some ideas before your session, but mostly I want you and your children to wear something comfortable.  I want you to be able to walk, sit, run, lie down and feel comfortable.  I want you to feel like you.  I recommend color for clothing- color is fun and vibrant and makes images pop.  Coordinating colors for family sessions are great and if you need help figuring all that out I’m here for you – I was a fine art major and worked in fashion for 12 years so I know a thing or two about color.  😉

I hope this was helpful to you in choosing a photographer and figuring out if I am the photographer for your family.  If you have any additional questions on how to choose a photographer please leave them in the comment section and I will answer you there so everyone can see.

Next in this blog series will be what to expect during your photo session.