Preparing for the children session
What's the best age for portraits?
There's no best age -- your child is changing so fast in these first few years that any time you choose for your session will be wonderful. Photographs of newborns can capture the delightful and often forgotten things -- those little hands, those feet. (Newborn sessions must be scheduled with in the first two weeks of birth.) And after about 5-6 months of age, your child's back muscles will be strong enough to hold him or her up a little bit more, and the smiles around this age are great.
With older children it's fun to capture their curiosity...so let take them to a location where they can explore.

When is a good time for the session?
Schedule your photo session at a time when your child will be lively, awake, and playful. Often just after waking up from a nap is best. Meal or snack time can be a fun time for photos, so you may want to prepare some snacks for your child for the shoot. Before you plan the timing of your session, watch the way sunlight moves through your house over the course of a day. It's also great to choose a time of day when one side of your house is brightly lit with sunlight.
If on a different location than your house we want to work when the sun is at it's sweet spots...morning or early evening is best.

Where is the best place to capture the images?
Your house is a great place your child can be relaxed and comfortable in the surroundings. I find that natural light is best, which means we should plan to shoot the session in different rooms in your house that get lots of natural light. I like to move around the house, trying different places - so the kids don't get bored. We also might go outside if it's a nice day. I love to go to local parks and scenic areas where you child can explore.

How much time should we set aside for the session?
Your shoot will probably last about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Little little babies take longer, closer to the 1 1/2 hours, because they sometimes fall asleep :). 2-3 year olds can be as quick as 45 minutes, because they run around so much that we get lots of great pictures quickly.

What kind of clothes work best?
Have a few changes of clothes picked out for your child ahead of time. Solid colors work well. Logos, cartoon characters and bright stripes can be distracting in a photograph, so try to avoid them if possible.
For infants - often just a diaper and a bare belly is a great look. The clothes you pick out for very young children shouldn't be stiff, or complicated. We want everybody to be comfortable, and we want the focus in the pictures to be on the child, not the clothes. It's best to have some soft cotton form-fitting clothes in pastel colors available for very young children. Don't forget those cute hats or headbands.
For toddlers and older children - think about the texture of the clothes you're picking out. Soft, fuzzy shirts/sweaters, corduroy, and terry cloth all though, the clothes should just be simple. Shoes should match the outfit. Although, we might just go without them.

I have a newborn, and there's no schedule yet. How do I pick a time for photos?
I understand, don't worry too much about it. If your baby falls asleep in the middle of pictures, sleeping pictures can also be really beautiful.

My child keeps scraping/bruising himself. Should I cancel our appointment?
Usually there's no need to cancel. Photoshop is a wonderful tool. The only time I'd suggest rescheduling is if the injury has distorted your child's face (like a black eye, or a goose egg on the forehead). Scrapes, cuts, bruises are all par for the course and I'm very used to them. Same goes for runny noses, unless your child is uncomfortable. Nobody wants their picture taken when they don't feel well.

What else should I keep in mind?
I offer a guarantee on the sessions in case your child wasn't feeling well during the session, or if you just don't like the photos. I'll do a re-shoot on a different day at no charge.
Please don't hesitate to email or call if you have any further questions: 904-294-2711