Photography has been a passion of mine for many, many years. Before I started doing this professionally, I used to take my film camera (remember those?) with me on vacation and photograph the scenery — there was just something about documenting the beauty of a location that was so interesting to me. Even in high school and college, I loved taking a disposal camera with me to document the events of the night with my friends.
Since starting my photography business almost 10 years ago, I still feel that documenting these important times in life is important, which is why I always tell clients they will never regret investing in a family photo session — I am freezing these important moments in time for them.
There’s a lot of discussion that happens between me and a client before we actually meet on our scheduled session date. I strive to make the entire process — from booking all the way through the delivery of images — as easy as possible. I always ask clients to provide me with the number of people who will be photographed, as well as their ages and some personal interests. This helps me to think of ways to engage your family, especially your children, so we not only have fun, but we really let your personalities shine during your session.
As part of my session welcome guide, I suggest four ways for parents to prepare themselves for their session. The first is talking to your children in advance of our session date. Let them know what the plan is, where we’re meeting, and what we’re doing. Second, let your kids be involved by allowing them to help dress themselves for the session. Children tend to feel more excited about something when they are a part of the process. Third, pack of bag of “just in case” items like snacks, drinks, a change of clothes, diapers, a favorite stuffed animal, etc. It’s always best to be over prepared. My last suggestion is to make it fun! If you’re traveling into the Boston Public Garden for a session with me, make a plan to walk around afterward, take a ride on the Swan Boats, or go out for dinner or ice cream so your kids have something fun to look forward to after your session.
Another piece I go over in my welcome guide is clothing choices. I always suggest wearing clothes that coordinate nicely. If you like patterns, choose one pattern for someone in your family to wear and coordinate the rest of your family in solid prints. My favorite color palette for fall is blue with a pop of mustard yellow or maroon, and some of my favorite places to shop for these colored pieces are Amazon, Gap, Target, Old Navy, and J.Crew.
The last piece of communication that goes on between me and my client is choosing the perfect location for their session. You may have a spot that you visit often, or you might want a pretty landscape versus a city scape. I have a list of preferred locations included in my welcome guide that I send upon booking, and I am always open to exploring new locations.
If you have been thinking about booking a photo session for your family, don’t wait. You’ll want to remember your family at every stage… they grow so fast! Allow me to capture the special moments for you while connecting with your family in front of the camera — you’ll have these photos to look back on for years and years to come.
by Caitlin Perry of CP Photography
