Smooth Process

01.

Posing

I will be gently posing you and your family throughout the session but I encourage you to do the pose as comfortably and as authentically as possible. During our session I may be a bit vague in a prompt/pose but that is because I would like to see how it comes naturally to you at first and then I will adjust as needed.

If it's natural for you to put a bend in the knee, do it as it makes the pose look less stiff and more comfortable.

If I ask you to snuggle in and you decide to kiss the other person on the cheek or forehead, do it as that's how you engage as a family.

If I say turn towards one another and you put a hand on his chest (or his hand on your waist), do it as it adds that connection.

It's movements like these that take a photo from a stiff photo to a cozy loving photo. I encourage parents to engage with their children, play with them, tickle them, make that connection. In the end, that connection is what we want to capture.

In sessions that are 15-30 minutes, I will be trying to capture photos in between poses as well to make the most out of our time together. So even though we are walking from once area in the park to another, keep in mind that I will be capturing those in between moments. Just pretend that my camera is recording video non-stop for the entirety of our session.

My role is to capture you and your family engaging with each other naturally and authentically in the best way possible.

If you have any insecurities or preferred sides, please let me know prior to your shoot so I know to keep an eye out.

02.

Happy Kids

Children typically will tell us how the shoot will go. If they want to explore and play for a bit at the start then we can begin with candid shots and once they're feeling more comfortable with me being there we can move into the more posed shots. Alternatively, some kids arrive excited and ready to pose, but maybe towards the end they're tired of being told what to do and that's when we can do the candid shots. Either way, we will get a mix of the posed and the candid shots. We have to gauge which route to go to keep the children smiling and happy. (Also, well-rested kids with satisfied tummies tend to cooperate more during sessions.)

The days leading up the photo shoot, it's a good idea to prepare the kids so they know what and who to expect. Some parents have found success allowing the children to see the photoshoot as "a fun visit to the park" or "meeting your friend Mel". You can tell them Mel is close personal friends with Spiderman or Elsa if it helps! lol

Also, I highly recommend arriving to the location early to get kids familiar with the area and ease them into the idea of having their photo taken. If kids nap in the car on the way to the shoot, they will likely not be into the idea of being told what to do right after waking up. So arrive early!

03.

Smile

Photos do not record audio, so even though you might be having a quick word with your child, if you're smiling and gentle it will make for a beautiful photo!

04.

Clothing

Choosing what to wear is important so I encourage families to stay away from primary colours and large busy prints. Also stay away from logos. You want your photos to stand the test of time so going back to the basics will be your best bet. Select outfits that are not restrictive. 

Feel free to connect with me to discuss outfits and locations.

05.

Have fun!

Bring props. A throw or a blanket will allow us to do a combination of standing and sitting poses. If your child is 1 year or younger, sometimes a book is good to have to do some reading-together poses. If your child has a favourite toy, sometimes it's good to get a few solos of them with it to remember this moment in his/her life.

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