Behind The Scenes At A Family Portrait Session

I’m proud to say I’ve been taking photographs of families for over 10 years. Over that time I’ve taken hundreds of portraits that proudly adorn walls of homes across Northamptonshire and beyond, but you may not realise what goes on behind the scenes at a family Portrait Session.

 

Preparation

When you first contact me to arrange your family portrait session, we’ll discuss the days and times that are more suitable for your family.  We need to factor in any nap times and also work out when everyone is happiest. Trying to shoot a session just before lunch or dinner time can result in even the adults of the family feeling a little grumpy!  We can also discuss who you’d like in the images - do you want them mainly of your children or is it more about the whole family being together?

 

Session types

We’ll then have a chat about the type of session you’d like. You might want to take some inspiration from sessions I’ve previously done with other families, or you may have some ideas of your own.

 

Location

We’ll talk about if an indoors or outdoor location session would be best for you and why.  We’ll also talk about what to do in the event that the weather isn't kind to us on the day of your session.  

Wardrobe and Props

Next we’ll discuss wardrobe.  I have some brilliant Pinterest boards which give you examples of how to put together a co-ordinated look for your family. Props can be anything that are meaningful to you and your family, from the rocking horse that has been in your family for generations to a cuddly toy that your little one just can't sleep without. 

 

Products

Before your session, you’ll receive a copy of my welcome guide, this has in all the beautiful 'handcrafted in Italy' products you can choose for your portraits.   Knowing the products you’d like to end up with really helps me to shoot for you on the day of your session.  For example, if I’m shooting images for an album, I’d want to add in some detail shots and more close up images.  If you’d really like a piece of WOW wall art then we need to plan how you want that final image to look and shoot for that.

The Day Of Your Session

On the day of your session we’ll have a quick chat about the final products you might want to purchase so that we can work on getting those shots first.  I spend a little bit of time getting to know your family and having conversations with your children, before I even pick up my camera.  I then make sure that the session is fun and relaxed for everyone.

I’m really used to working with small children and toddlers so don’t worry if your children are going through a challenging phase!

 

If you have any questions about a family session, please contact me. In the meantime, here are some wonderful reviews from families who have recently visited me.