How To Prepare For Your Family Photoshoot


Beforehand

A happy and relaxed child is a photogenic one. Sounds a bit daft but please make sure they are rested and well fed on the day.  Please try to avoid over-directing them before the shoot or asking them to smile… “Say Cheese”! We want your child to feel comfortable, relaxed and exhibit their natural gorgeousness!

Also, it’s best for children to arrive for their shoot when they’re fresh, and not immediately after a club, close to a mealtime or during an infant’s usual nap time as tiredness and hunger are understandably, not the best ingredients!


Naughty

Please don’t worry, we’re very very used to all sorts of interesting behaviour and it normally passes with in a few minutes! The studio is equipped with many distractions, including a biscuit tin, and we have the patience of a saint.  If all else fails we have ear-plugs! In fact, you might need to let them misbehave…just a little bit! Let them relax and be a bit cheeky – within reason – and we won’t mind. In fact, it’ll lead to better photographs, providing they’re not trashing the place.


Clothes

Simplicity is the key here. Please avoid overly fussy/frilly tops, shirts or T-shirts with really prominent logo‘s or heavy pattern. Fashionable logo’s can look great today but then prematurely date your portraits. Too much fuss can distract away from your children’s natural beauty.

If you are specifically wishing to capture group/family portraits, including yourselves, then please be aware of this and dress accordingly. Plain, similarly toned colours work well, either all dark or all light tones… just try a dress in a similar shade/tone.  It’s very much down to personal taste how ‘styled’ you’d like your shoot, but generally, the more harmonious your clothes the better.

Please feel free to bring a change of clothes or two along to the shoot.

Babies/toddlers: vests often peek out and create distraction around the neckline, so if your toddler can manage without a vest then your images will benefit. Also, please try to choose round neck tops as shirts with collars/pinafore straps/dungaree straps might be cute, but have a habit of riding up and obscuring a young child’s lower face.


Hair

Please don’t obsess about your child’s hair. We love it big, frothy, wild and relaxed, it often reflects their age and personality. Children with longer hair will generally look more natural with it down as opposed to ponytails. Do please consider bringing a hairbrush/comb.


Get Involved!

Totally, we cannot stress this enough! By far the most successful shoots are when the parents forget their inhibitions and get fully stuck in, enjoy yourselves. Interaction with both yourselves and siblings is priceless. We’ll happily sing along to Postman Pat with you!


Poorly Kids

Not a problem, we have two kids of his own so very used to poorly children.  We want them looking and feeling at their best and a snotty nose is not a good look so just give us a call as soon as possible and we’ll rearrange the session free of charge. Please don’t worry about the odd spot or blemish though, we can quickly remove them at the final retouching stage.