Louise was great to work with and the photographs of our family came out beautifully. She’s professional, organised, talented, and fantastic with small children. The whole process was much easier than I thought it would be!”
Welcome Guide: Family and Newborn Photography
I’m so looking forward to photographing your family – thank you for choosing me!
I appreciate there’s quite a bit of info, but do make some time to read through it as it will really help your session run smoothly – which leads to the best possible photographs! It’s all hard-won experience, gained over 13+ years of photographing families.
We’ll be in contact before your session – I’ll send you an information gathering form (so you can share your priorities, and the kind of photographs that most appeal to you) and we’ll have a 10/15 minute chat a week or two before your session to run through the practicalities, and answer any questions you still have.
As well as practical tips and suggestions, you’ll also see some pointers on what to wear in this guide. If you’re not sure, you’re welcome to send me a photo of the clothes you’re considering – I’m more than happy to offer advice and suggestions.
Of course you’re always welcome to get in touch in the meantime, don’t be shy!
What to wear
Firstly, don’t stress about it – remember it’s not a fashion shoot!
There are no right or wrongs, just some clothes that photograph a bit better than others.
– IN A NUTSHELL:
- Choose clothes that you feel comfortable and relaxed in.
- Wear what you’d wear for lunch with the in-laws! Ie one notch up from just getting dressed at the weekend.
- Solid, block colours work best for adults.
- Think about the colour palette between you all – you absolutely don’t need to match (better if you don’t, really), but if one person is wearing a very bright colour, your eyes will go straight to that person in the photograph.
- The Instagram trend of billowing linen is not flattering in many photos. If you opt for this, please be aware that you may feel you look big in the photos. This style will date quickly, my advice is to ignore the trends for timeless shots.
- We’ll go off the beaten track – wear weather appropriate footwear!
- Avoid illustrations, text and logos.
- Remember layers and a little texture tends to be the most flattering.
- Keep your phone in a bag rather than a pocket.
You can see more detailed guidance (including specific advice for minimising glare on glasses, outdoor clothing, mums, dads, mums-to-be, new parents, little girls, little boys, babies, newborns and siblings) here:
Your home
- WHERE THE PHOTOS WILL TAKE PLACE I’ll have a look with you when I arrive to see where will work best, both for the space and the light. We’re likely to take some photographs in the master bedroom, the nursery / children’s bedrooms, potentially the living room and perhaps the garden. The bathrooms and kitchen are unlikely to be used.
- TIDYING UP Don’t bother – honestly! No one with a family has an immaculate home (mine included!), so please don’t worry about it being tidy for me. I’m well used to seeing mess in other families’ homes. In terms of the photographs, if something’s distracting in the background, we’ll just gradually move things as we go.
- WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PREPARE YOUR HOME
- Open all curtains and shutters, and take down black-out blinds.
- Put your favourite music on.
- If you have a “next to me” crib, I’d suggest removing that from the bed beforehand.
- It might sound strange, and I appreciate the bed won’t look photo-ready to you, but take pillows and accent cushions off the bed. This way, you can sit right up against the headboard – slouching into pillows isn’t flattering! Keep them handy as we may be able to pop them back in once you’re seated.
- White bedding tends to photograph best, so if you have some I’d suggest changing your bed linen to white (don’t worry about children’s beds).
Newborn sessions
- Keep to your baby’s normal routine / rhythm. If they need a feed, let them have their fill – don’t try to have them ready for when I arrive. If they’re sleeping, let them sleep.
- It’s a good idea to put your baby in something you like when you change your baby that morning, as if they’re sleeping when I arrive we can get started with sleeping photographs. It’s a shame to wake babies as they won’t necessarily sleep again in a 2-hour window.
- Remember to set aside a few changes of clothes – without collars, text or big illustrations – just in case of nappy explosions or milk spills.
- If you have a onesie that doesn’t have feet, they’re great for photographing your baby’s little feet. Otherwise, we can use a blanket wrapped about their feet.
- Set aside a couple of large blankets, or a quilt, if you have some. Waffle blankets work well, or supersize muslins.
- If you have a Moses basket, or a Sleepyhead, that’s very sweet for photographing your baby sleeping.
- Take any hairbands off your wrist beforehand, and also watches.
- Clear bedside tables in the master bedroom (leave a lamp so it still looks homely!).
- White bedding tends to photograph best, so if you have some I’d suggest changing your bed linen to white (don’t worry about children’s beds).
Family sessions
- Remember to set aside a spare changes of clothes, just in case.
- It’s worth having a hair clip to hand, for little girls, as their hair may fall over their face while they’re playing.
- Set aside any favourite teddies, toys or activities you’d like incorporated.
- Clear bedside tables in the master bedroom (leave a lamp, so it still looks homely!).
- Let your children know I’m coming, and that I’ll take some photos. Tell them we’ll have a nice time together – which we will!
- Keep the mood calm and relaxed on the morning of your session.
- Resist any urge to tell them they’ll have to behave / be good / smile nicely for the camera – they won’t need to.
- Please go easy with discipline during a session – if you can let something go, please do. Children can take a while to bounce back from a telling off, and that’s all lost time for capturing lovely photographs of them!
- Likewise, avoid bribes – they tell your child it’s going to be an ordeal they’ll have to suffer through. Let them just have a fun morning instead, no child needs bribing to enjoy themselves 🙂
- Bring snacks that are fairly quick to eat – a rice cake is a great choice. Avoid something that takes forever, like raisins or lollipops.
- For teething babies, have some Bonjela or teething powders etc to hand – this is not the moment to battle through sore gums!
- White bedding tends to photograph best, so if you have some I’d suggest changing your bed linen to white (don’t worry about children’s beds).
Common questions
Yes, absolutely! I totally get that pets are part of the family. Have some of their treats to hand, and we’ll likely be able to coax them in for a few photos.
I can absolutely edit away little scratches and blemishes (this goes for adults too!). They’re a part of life, but you likely won’t want them in your photographs! I’ll edit away any temporary blemishes you’d like me to.
I always take a slow run-up to taking photographs, so children have time to get used to me being in the house first, and to see that you’re relaxed around me too. I work at your children’s pace – I’ll make sure everyone seems comfortable before we get started. Please avoid talking about children being shy during the session, as that can make them feel even more shy.
Please have something to eat beforehand, this goes for parents too! Have plenty of snacks to hand, and we’ll choose a time for your session that works around your meal times.
Please avoid any mention of bribes! It sets the tone that a portrait session is a chore to be got through. I make the session more of a game for children, and we’ll take lots of breaks so they really won’t find it a struggle.
Keep calm and carry on! First and foremost, please try not to discipline your kids. If you can let something go, please do. It can take a while for children to bounce back from a telling off, and that’s all time I could be photographing them instead!
Reassure your partner that you won’t be smiling at the camera for hours. I’ll take a gently posed shot at the start, and then step back to let the morning unfold more naturally. It’s a nice opportunity for some quality family time, and to focus on your children rather than all the competing demands of life!
Most tweens & teenagers are easily swayed by the prospect of a cool profile photo. Let them know we can incorporate any hobbies or interests they’d like. Giving older children some say in the location can be helpful too. And reassure them I can smooth out skin blemishes.
What if we’re late?
I’ll just a work a little faster to cover your session in the time allocated for it. The end time will remain the same if you’re late, so please do be on time!
Simply put, it’s not a good idea. Changing into formal clothes changes the feel of a session for children, and children become more camera aware. Remember that the magic happens when they’re lost in a moment and really enjoying themselves. Keep life easy, and do Christmas photos another time!
What happens after your session?
1. Choosing your digitals
Your edited photographs will be ready to view two weeks after your session.
After I upload your slideshow, you’ll have 3 days to decide on how many digitals (jpegs) you’d like to keep.
The Starter Package includes ten digitals (which you can choose from 40+ photographs) and a fine art print.
You can upgrade to 20 digitals (ie ten extra digitals) for £125; or upgrade to all 40+ digitals (in both colour and B&W), as well as download of your slideshow, for £250.
2. Your online gallery
Once you’ve decided on how many digitals you’d like to keep, you’ll be able to access your online gallery.
This will include one folder of the individual colour photographs, and another folder of the same photographs in B&W.
The gallery will be set up to enable download of the number of digitals you’ve purchased.
Your gallery will be open for 1 month, and you’re welcome to share it with friends and family.
You can decide within this month which digitals you’d like to keep, and also order any prints, frames or albums you might like.
3. Design call
I offer a complimentary design service to help you with choosing the right frame options for your favourite photographs.
Design calls are no-obligation, and have no minimum spend.
I have a Design degree and used to manage a photography gallery, so I’ve really got the expertise to help!
If you haven’t already, you can book a design call (up to one hour) here.
Alternatively, you can order prints, frames and albums directly from your online gallery.
All set
That’s it – you don’t need to think about anything else!
I’ll be in touch a couple of weeks before your session, to arrange a chat.
If you have any questions in the meantime, do just ask.
Looking forward to it!
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Free PDF: How To Take Great Photos Of Your Kids
Super simple tips you can put to use no matter if you’re using a DSLR or a smartphone. No skills or experience required!