guide
brilliant captures
BY
2018 Portrait planning
trust the process
I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF READING BUT I PROMISE ALL THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IS MEANT TO GIVE YOU THE BEST POSSIBLE PHOTOGRAPHY EXPERIENCE!
when to schedule...
FAMILY PORTRAITS
at least 2-4 weeks in advance, check out the calendar for available dates and times!
Engagement portraits
Anywhere from 3-9 months before your wedding is ideal, choose your favorite season and plan something cool! Your e-sesh allows you to be more creative with the style and location.
TIME OF DAY
I photograph portrait sessions on Sundays only within the first hour of sunlight or last hour of sunlight. The booking calendar on the portrait page has available dates and times for you to book on your own!
WEATHER
It's super important to take weather into consideration. Choose a warmer month for anything outdoor, Spring and Fall are ideal so you are't sweating your booty off or freezing your booty off. In cases of rain or strong winds we reschedule.
locations...
what to wear
Be You
Stay within your personal style but elevate the look. Accessorize with statement pieces and don't be afraid to be bold.
Comfort MEETS STYLE
Personally, I dress to impress for professional portraits because I can wear regular clothes any day of the week. There is no such thing as being overdressed in my eyes. I have photographed everything from a couple in a velvet blazer + backless gown, too ripped jeans with a leather jacket. Be stylish but comfortable.
Hair and makeup
I don't think you need super fancy hair but I encourage makeup! A pop of lip color and mascara can do magical things on camera.
Match Something
I legit choose color palettes and styles to match rooms in our home where the photos will be displayed. We have famiyl photos in pink for our daughters room, couples photos in blue for our bedroom and family photos in neutral colors for our living room. Consider matching your wedding colors if these photos are for your save the date or do a theme that is fun and different. But don't be too matchy matchy with each other, if one of you is in patterns the other could be in a solid color.
Colors
I get asked this a lot and honestly there is no wrong color, I feel like you can make anything work if styled just right. My personal favorites are yellow, green, grey, taupe and ivory.
what to expect....
50/50
Typically the photos I take are half posed and half candid. I will direct you but I also capture all the 'in-between' stuff that you do and those always end up being my favorites. If you see something goofy or weird in your gallery, it's meant to be there, because I either think it is hilarious or love some element of the photo.
HOW MANY IMAGES
I deliver around 50 images per shooting hour. A 30 minute session will have around 25 images at the minimum and a 60 minute session will have around 50 images at the minimum.
work mode
When I am photographing sessions or events I go into work mode. My eyes are scanning the area, I stop mid-sentence to take a photo, I am forever searching for the best light. So if we are talking and I stop to take photos, I promise I was listening, I am just in the zone and want to capture all the amazingness.
SET YOUR TONE
Make your session the highlight of your day. Don't run a bunch of errands and pack your day full. You can set the tone by being relaxed, allowing enough time to get ready and be prepared as you possibly can be. I'm a mom and a wife, I know the hassle of getting everyone ready for photos and then having to smile and be all cute when you are highly irritated that your significant other doesn't want to take photos or your child keeps stripping naked and taking their hair out...just chill out for the day and take it easy.
I'LL CARRY YOUR KEYS
and your phone or lipstick or whatever can fit into my camera backpack. Leave any extra stuff at home so you can be light on your feet. Minimalism is best. Also, remember to grab your phones and keys back from me :)
HOW TO MAKE IT PERFECT
I do everything in my power to create amazing portraits. Give me at least 30 minutes during golden hour or enough time to setup lighting for night/indoor photos and yes you will get those bomb ass photos you see in my portfolio. You are also hiring me for a reason and I want you to have the best experience. If there is something that you are insecure about or will be very self aware about please just open up and tell me so I can be mindful of that detail.
AFTER YOUR SESSION
Portrait galleries are ready within 2 weeks. I send a link to your online gallery via email and you are able to download the images and print on your own, there is also an option to print through the online gallery at the professional lab I use. All images I deliver are fully edited and high resolution for printing.