Wait, You Want Me To Do What?

We know, we know, we’re kind of asking weird things from you/your loved ones but we promise it will turn out amazing. Just trust us.

We grew up with photos taken for us as babies, school photos, senior portraits, maybe even wedding photos as “pose here”, “tilt your head this way”, “ok, now BIG SMILES everyone!” *SNAP* and what you get back are mostly awkward looking photos because no one’s head should move that way, your arm looks like a robot’s arm, and god, who on earth smiles like that.

Trust me, I have tons of photos from my childhood that are like this, granted, some may chalk it up to some people just have awkward smiles, you can’t help that!

But we choose to challenge that thought.

When someone is giving their biggest belly laugh, looking at the one they love intently, or thinking of a moment that has brought them pure joy; most of the time that smile isn’t awkward at all. That smile is filled with a story, a memory, a person captured within it.

We suggest for you to do some weird things so that we can get a true laugh, a true moment, a true emotion through our lens. As long as you trust us and come into the session with an open mind, we promise the fun you have on the shoot with us will shine through your photos.

Now, we always try and change them up for each group, couple, and/or individual in order to allow their specific personality to show through. Whether that be; “Lean into their ear and list cereal names…but in your sexiest voice.” or “say something random in their ear but in your best Batman impression.” Some people will do it, some can’t even try before both people are busting up laughing. We always say it doesn’t matter what is said during a session, that’s not what’s getting captured…this is…

We will take the “normal” photos that you as parents/a couple want for your invitations, graduation announcements, or holiday cards but we’re also going to try our best to capture what your family looks like when they are at their truest form. (even if that means getting some funny faces sometimes)

When you’re working with younger children you have about two rounds of a pose before the children are done. Yes, the parents can try to offer ice cream, the park, heck, even a puppy but after some time the kid’s attention just isn’t in favor of sitting there and smiling. So, instead we let them run around!

I know, I know, but we do!

We get them twirling, we get them running in circles around their parents, we will even play Baby Shark throughout the entire session and have a dance party if that means we get photos that show who your child really is.

After all, we want the silly, the fun, the laughter, the memory of when they were dancing so hard in your arms that they bonked your head with theirs. Give us all of it, because 1 year, 5 years, 15 years from now the parents will look back at this photo and not only remember their little ones being this small, but they’ll also remember the little laughter that came out after dancing and singing to Moana, Frozen, or even, yes…Baby Shark.

Even though we love having fun and getting those big cheesy-dimple showing grins, we also love the still and quiet moments.

We want the love between you and your loved one to show through every ounce of a photo. We will suggest taking a moment and just breathing into one another in order to recenter the two of you on one another. Just a simple suggestion of “look at one another and think of three things you find inspiring of him/her” or “listen to their heart beat, focus on each other’s breath and match it. Take a deep breath in and release it together”.

They might seem super simple, and strange at first, but being able to re-focus on each other and taking one another in doesn’t have you focused on how you look, how your smile looks, how your face is posed, anything. You’re completely focused on how much you love your partner, how much they inspire you, how peaceful you feel in their arms and you come out looking even more beautiful than you could with “ok BIG SMILES everyone”.

So, while we understand that you’ve taken hours to get ready, possibly have had to wrangle kids and a spouse/partner to get ready as well, make sure no one made a mess of their outfits in the process, get everyone in the car and get to the photo shoot location please keep in mind that when you have a photo session with us, we aren’t looking for perfection.

We want to capture the dimples, the tears, the head throwing back laughter, the adorable way you look at your loved one when you think no one else is looking. So although, we want you to look/feel your best leave the worry of how will I look in this photo to us!

Leave a comment below if you’ve had a photo session with us, what your favorite “prompt” was or if you haven’t had a session with us yet, a time in past photos you’ve taken where you look like a weird dead-eyed robot. … maybe someday I’ll share mine…it’s bad.

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