Welcome!
Thank you for booking your next photo session with Ella Bella Photography! I want your experience to be fun and memorable for you and your family! I have prepared a short little guide with some helpful tips and advice for making your photo session fun and worry free!
Preparing Early
It’s best to plan your family’s outfits at least 1-2 weeks in advance of your photo session. This will allow enough time to make sure everyone’s outfits are the correct size and fit comfortably on the day of your session. If you have a girl, make sure you plan to bring hair accessories that coordinate with her outfits. (If you have a baby girl who will not keep bows in her hair, bring them anyway because sometimes babies will surprise you and leave them in.)
Tips on Choosing Outfits
Decide if you want to dress up or more casual for your photo session. Try to avoid having a combination of dressed up family members and casually dressed family members in the same picture. Choose dressy or casual. The best way to coordinate your family’s outfits (without being too matchy) is to choose a focal outfit (mom’s or daughter’s) that has 3-5 colors in it and then dress everyone else in your family to bring out 1-2 colors in the focal outfit. Stay away from clothing with stripes. Dress in colors that will compliment your home and also the season that your photo session is in. If your session is in the Fall/Winter, try to keep everyone with the same sleeve length (either short or long). You can also layer your outfits to give more visual interest in any season and do not overlook fun accessories (bracelets or necklaces) that can add a pop of color.
Make Up
Wear your makeup as you normally would and if you plan to try something new for your photo session, try it several days in advance of your session date to make sure you like how it looks ahead of time. Try to stay away from overly rosy cheeks and if your children or husband has chapped lips, apply lip balm (chapstick) to soften the lips.
Your Children During the Family Photo
When we are taking group/family pictures, please allow me (your photographer) to get your kids attention. The instinct for parents is to try and manage the children during the shoot by telling them to “smile” or looking down at them to make sure they are cooperating. You have permission to let all those instincts go during your photo shoot and let me work my magic to get fun, genuine smiles out of your children. I will probably be acting silly and moving all around you to captivate their attention but it’s the final end result I have in mind, a sweet loving family picture. Do not prep your child too much for the photo session, except to perhaps get them excited about a special “reward” for after the session for a job well done. We want your children to feel comfortable at the session so their personalities will shine through.
Most Importantly, Have fun!
Try to have a light and happy heart the day of your photo session. Not only will you have beautiful photos but you will also leave with happy, sweet memories of your family portrait session. I look forward to working with your family soon!
Reschedules
While most photo sessions take place on the date we plan, sometimes life happens (illness, injury, work or rain) and we need to reschedule. I completely understand and all I ask is that you give me as much advance notice as possible, so I can open your date to another family if needed and also give you the best choice of dates to get back on my calendar. Days with overcast skies may not seem ideal, but they are some of my favorite conditions to photograph in because we are free to move to any location without concern about direct sunlight, so don’t let cloudy days be of any concern. I will be in touch with you if the weather on your session day is less than ideal.
Blessings,
Elle
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