February 19, 2020

What to Expect From Your Family Session

SESSION LENGTH

Family and children sessions come in different lengths. If you want to capture immediate family only (mom, dad, and kiddos), I would recommend a full family session, which lasts an hour and a half. If you have one young child and would like to photograph the child only, a mini session (30 mins) will work better for your needs. We also offer specific six-month and one-year sessions, which range from 30 minutes to 1 hour. If you have questions regarding which session would fit best for you, give us a call or shoot us a text at 931-200-7814 or send us an email at info@adelaidestreetmedia.com.

SESSION TIMING

If you have little ones in your family who need their beauty sleep, try to choose a time of day for your session that fits with their nap and eating schedule. Scheduling around nap and feeding times may seem like a small thing, but a rested child is a happy child, and a happy child makes for great images. And no one likes to be hangry!

LOCATION

We are able to shoot family sessions in your home or on location. If there is a place that is special to your family, then let’s do it there! If you don’t have a specific place in mind, don’t worry: we gotcha covered. Just ask for recommendations and we will be happy to make them.

STYLING + OUTFITS

Don’t feel like you need to go all out style-wise for a family session. Pick clothes for you and your children that are comfortable but also that make you feel your best. We will be moving around so be sure you and the family are dressed to move comfortably.

For groups, stick to the same level of dressiness and don’t worry about being too matchy-matchy. Patterns are totally fine as long as there aren’t too many clashing ones. Wearing complementary color palettes is the way to go.

Accessories like bowtie, suspenders, hats, flower crowns, etc are always great for visual interest.

Be mindful of undergarments, particularly bra straps and panty lines. Choose clothes that properly covers your undergarments in all types of movement scenarios.

Consider also where your session will take place. What you wear for an in-home session may be different in style from what you might wear or something outdoors.

If you have any questions regarding styling or need outfit advice from the pros, take a photo of the outfits you’re considering and send them to us via text (931-200-7814) or email (info@adelaidestreetmedia.com). Or you can always give us a call and we can talk you through it!

WHAT TO BRING

Touchup Beauty Items: Any personal appearance touchup items you might want including things like lipstick or a hairbrush.

SNACKS, and if necessary, treats to bribe kiddos with. (However, it’s best not to tell kids about the treats before the session; wait until the kids start getting fatigued before you pull out candy card!) Make sure the snacks won’t stain faces, tongues, or fingers!

Walkable shoes. We will probably be walking short/moderate distances on unpaved trails, possibly with hills. Walkable shoes are a must! If you just love your wedges, bring them to change into before we start shooting.

Any special props you want captured. I love to include sentimental or personal items during sessions. If there are any items that you would like photographed, please bring them and I will do my best to include them in the session. These props can include blankets, lovies, special outfits, baby chairs, rocking horses, etc.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE SESSION

Prompts for natural interactions. I prefer fun prompts and games to posing for a beautiful, emotional feel. I strive for authenticity in my work and love to get everyone laughing and having fun naturally. What this means is that I’ll need you to be on board with interacting playfully with your family.

Not everyone has to be looking at the camera. My style of shooting is less formal than what you may have experienced in the past, especially if you haven’t had family photos done before or within the last few years. Because of this, it’s totally okay if not everyone is looking into the camera. I do try to get at least one of each pose with everyone looking at me for tradition’s sake, but if you are interacting authentically with your kids or spouse, you get a free pass.

Relax, slow down, and don’t force anything. Don’t feel pressured to make everything perfect! Just be present with your family and I’ll do the rest. And don’t stress if any of the kids get fussy! As an experienced family photographer, I’ve seen it all before, trust me. Just snuggle your kiddos and we can still capture beautiful images.

DELIVERY PROCESS

Images are typically delivered within 2-4 weeks from your session date.

We use online galleries through Pixieset to deliver our images. Here’s how it works:

1. Delivery

Two to four weeks after your session, you will receive all the best images in a Pixieset Gallery. The gallery is online and password-protected, and the images are color edited and lightly retouched.

Some images will be delivered in black and white at the photographer’s discretion.

2. Download

When your Final Gallery arrives, download your images. All galleries expire a month from when you receive them so please your selection within 30 days. (Don’t worry, we’ll send you alerts so you don’t forget!)

3. Order Prints and More

You can also order prints, canvases, and photo books from your gallery as well. We highly recommend getting your photos printed, and if you choose to do so with us, our photo lab uses archival quality ink and paper. This means your photos will withstand time better than drugstore counterparts. And unlike drugstore printers, our lab prints with high color accuracy to the original photo.

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