PREP GUIDE
What To Wear
With regards to what to wear, I suggest choosing something that reflects who you are.
-
Plain coloured clothing
Plain coloured clothing works wonderfully. If you love prints, these are perfect as well, however thank you for choosing more subtle ones (dramatic or bold patterns tend to ''steal the attention' away from the smiles).
-
Pastel / Neutral tones
Pastel / neutral tones look great in family photos: light pinks, peach, whites and blues. If you do find pastel colours flattering, then neutral tones will work just as well: white, beige or grey.
-
Warmer tones
Warmer tones look great especially in the colder season: rusty red (not too bright!), mustard, toned down yellow etc. If the colours are too bright, they might reflect onto the skin tones on a sunny spring/summer day.
-
Jewel tones
Jewel tones are also very lovely as long as they are balanced with lots of lighter tones.
-
Textures
Textures textures textures! Textures can elevate a photo from 5 to 10 and they will add a deeper depth to our photos: chiffon, leather, silk, linen, wool.
-
If it's authentic to YOU, it will look perfect
In any case, these are guiding tips, not rule of law by any means. As long as you feel comfortable and authentic to you, the images will be perfect.Description goes here
YOUR CHILDREN:
I will follow you around as you engage with your children and I will capture more natural moments between you instead of directing you (too much).
My style of photography is both casual and natural, as I feel the best images are taken when your family is less aware of the camera.
To get the family shots, I usually direct the adults to simply "be" with the child, or hold the child and we go from there.
Our session is all about meaningful interactions and quality time with your kids. My goal is to capture who your family is right now, not to make you do anything stiff or unnatural.
I promise we will have a lot of fun!
I encourage snacks for young children, but to avoid any spills, stains, and dirty cheeks!
Newborn and In-home Sessions
Your baby: I would suggest keeping baby clothing as simple as possible (no logos or prints) and that shows your baby's little fingers and toes. If you are ok with it, we can also take newborn images without too many clothes - to show off that amazing baby skin and those newborn features. Simplicity is key.
Thank you for avoiding large / messy prints, these steal the focus away from the smiles. For outdoors shoots, thank you for choosing baby clothing of the right size so that their face/limbs are fully visible.
A knitted blanket might come in handy.
Indoor: No need for shoes or socks for the indoor photos, feel free to enjoy a morning of cuddling with your little ones whilst I capture all that adoration and love.
Your home:
If possible, I would suggest decluttering a little bit, especially in spaces with lots of light (living area, bedroom). White sheets on the master bed could also be a plus (it reflects light back onto your skin tones).
All these above - please take them as suggestions, not a rule. I want you to feel comfortable and at ease on the day. The photos should represent YOU and this wonderful new page in your family's story.
Please arrive on time or be ready to start on time: your session is scheduled according to light and crowds.
It is important that we start on time, especially with London being such a busy city. For landmarks shoots, even 15 minutes are super important and it gets crowded by the minute.
Please plan for traffic, especially on a weekday morning or parking constraints. It's best to arrive early.
If your children are shy towards strangers (especially toddlers!), I find that it is very helpful to talk to them as often as possible the months/weeks before the shoot about what will happen. You can show them my photo and tell them that I will take photos whilst you will sing, dance, play and run around.
Please don’t tell your children to smile towards the camera, that might put pressure on them and they will not like the process or we might get fake smiles. It’s important to capture their true nature and the real emotions.
As long as you engage constantly with your children, I promise you we will capture the best photos.
I encourage you to make this a fun family experience. Instead of bribing your children with a treat, make this a feel good day. Make plans to go out for dinner or a treat before or after the session as a family. Not as a reward but as part of the overall experience.
I will worry about your kids behavior, you just need to show up prepared to have fun and relax.
My style is natural and organic; I try at every photo session to capture the essence of the family I am working with. If I can even show just a glimpse of the love and connection between family members, I am happy. You will hear me say a lot "get closer together", "touch your heads", "hold hands", "give a big hug" and so on. I am all about capturing the family dynamics and the love.
There will be no need to look at the camera unless I tell you so, my family sessions are all about genuine emotions and beautiful images that you can't wait to hang on your walls. Your love for your children is my magic ingredient for beautiful family photos. Engage with them, hug them, cuddle them, play with them and my camera will be the witness capturing this timeless magic. Your magic!
WHAT TO BRING
Snacks and water for children. Please avoid snacks like orange puffs that can easily leave traces on the clothing and are hard to clean. Dry snacks and water are perfect.
The focus during a shoot is always to capture loving moments of connection, therefore I do not use props. If you have something special in mind and something personal to you, thank you for letting me know. Your suggestions are welcomed.
A back-up outfit for young children in case we will need it. Not a must though! The real family life is messy and that’s absolutely fine with me!
Positive energy and lots of smiles. I promise you I will make you look good and I will show how beautiful your family is. As long as we have the smiles, the love, the cuddles, the moments of connection, you will love the photos!
