Most people are hesitant to book a photography session because they don’t know what to expect or how to prepare. Not to mention the nagging fears that their significant other won’t want to be a part or that the children will misbehave. That’s a lot to worry about, and you already have enough on your plate! Please don’t let this stop you from capturing the best part of your life. Let us help you!
We’ve created this blog series and a detailed Style Guide to help you get the most out of your photos and make your session unique to you! All of our clients receive the Style Guide following booking with us. It covers what to wear and how to accessorize and color-coordinate in ways that will flatter your features and make your session more editorial. It also provides suggestions on hair, makeup, and simple lifestyle choices that will help you look your best!
By the time you’ve read through our blog and Style Guide, you’ll have all your questions answered and feel more than ready and prepared for your session. Then, we’ll take care of the rest! Your only job is to be yourself, laugh a lot, and let us create photos you’ll love forever. We can’t wait to get you in front of our cameras!
Choosing Time & Date
We’re natural light specialists because we believe that natural light, from the sun and its reflections, creates photographs that feel fresh, timeless and truest to you. We begin all portrait sessions 1-2 hours before the scheduled sunset during “the golden hour,” when the light is the dreamiest. Remember, the sun sets much earlier during the colder months of the year and much later during the warmer months, so make sure to factor that in when choosing your portrait session date, especially if you’re taking off work or have evening plans afterward. To get the most out of your session, please plan a buffer when getting ready so you can arrive a few minutes early to your session and be ready to start on time. We’re only able to shoot when natural light is still in the sky, so we’ll want to take advantage of every minute we have together before the sun goes down. If you’re wearing two outfits, save your favorite one for the second half, and if you’re wearing one, arrive in that.
Selecting the Right Location
The location of your portrait session is up to you! Most of our clients choose to showcase the natural beauty of our home state. For most of our sessions, outdoor, open-air environments are always our first choice. We love shooting in wide-open natural spaces because the light is divine, especially during golden hour. There are great options all around the state, so even if you’ve never seen us photograph in a specific spot before, we’re always up for exploring a new spot together!
Think Outside the Box
This is the time to think outside the box! We encourage you to brainstorm unique locations that you might have special access to that most people don’t. For example, maybe you, or someone in your personal or professional network, can secure permission to a location that would otherwise be off-limits, like a beautiful private estate, country club or resort. Maybe it’s a family ranch, upscale hotel or even a boat, airplane hangar or a rooftop view. The sky is literally the limit! Spend a few minutes thinking about it and checking around. You’ll be surprised with what you come up with. Plus, if something seems out of reach, just remember: you never know until you ask! We have some great go-to locations around town that we can always hit, too. Just let us know which type of session you’d love and we’ll go from there! Easy. Peasy.
Let’s Get to Know Each Other
Nothing’s more nerve-racking than showing up for a session to work with people you don’t know. We LOVE to get to know our clients. You’re our friends. To help us get to know you better and learn how we can best serve you, we meet or chat on the phone before our time together. Nothing long. Just enough to learn how awesome you are!
