The Complete Guide to Preparing for Your Upcoming Photography Session!


You’ve found the photographer. You've booked the date and paid the deposit. Congrats, the first big hurdles are finally done! You’re officially on the calendar for a beautiful portrait session. Yay! Here’s a comprehensive list that will walk you through the portrait process to help you feel confident and prepared for your session.


Things To Do Before Your Session:

  1. Plan your outfits in advance — don't wait until the morning of the session, trust me! You will want to wake up feeling relaxed and prepared, so plan these details out as early as possible. Feel free to send me photos of your wardrobe if you’re having a hard time choosing! I’m happy to help.
  2. Prepare your kids (and maybe even your spouse!) with laid-back, low-key references to let them know what is coming up. Tell them you will be “hanging out with our friend Mallory on Saturday!” or that you're “going to the park to play and take pictures!” and keep things fun, lighthearted, and casual.
  3. Brainstorm about special types of images you want captured. I'm a big fan of Pinterest -- so if you've got a pose in mind, please share!
  4. And of course, make sure everyone gets a great night’s sleep and eats a good meal beforehand. Especially babies -- so make sure your session time works well with nap and meal times.


How to Dress for Your Session:

  1. Obviously, dress for the weather! We want everyone comfortable!
  2. Avoid matchy-matchy — wear colors in a complimentary color palette, such as earth tones and neutrals. Avoid too many distracting patterns -- subtle is best!
  3. No tennis shoes, baseball caps, t-shirts (plain colored t-shirts are ok!), or shirts with writing on them!
  4. Be careful with undergarments. Editing out bra straps or undergarment lines can be very difficult and time-consuming. Choose an ensemble that properly covers your undergarments, in all types of movement scenarios.
  5. I recommend that women wear medium or long dresses instead of pants because they capture movement well and generally flattering in portraits. Short dresses will be a challenge if there are any seated photos, so keep that in mind.
  6. Wear comfortable shoes and clothes you can move in. If your dress is suddenly too short when you bend over, or your pants are too tight to sit down in, opt for more breathable pieces. Some of the locations involve quite of bit of walking, so bring a pair of comfortable flats to change into before walks if you plan on wearing heels/wedges.
  7. Do opt for accessories! Bow-ties, suspenders, hats, headbands, chunky scarves, flowing dresses and skirts — these create visual interest and movement in your photos! These are the things that really help your images stand apart. Photos are a special occasion; take advantage of this fun opportunity to dress up a little more.


What to Bring to Your Photo Session:

  1. Any personal appearance touch-up items you might want/need during the session -- including things like lipstick, powder, or a hairbrush.
  2. Snacks on snacks on snacks, and if necessary, treats to bribe kiddos with! (However, it’s best not to tell kids about the treats before the session; wait until the kids start getting fatigued before you pull out the candy card!)
  3. A special lovey or toy. For children that may have a difficult time posing or staying still, or even the shy ones, I recommend bringing a favorite toy or lovey to the session for either myself or you to use to attract attention to the camera.
  4. Props (optional). If there is a special blanket or keepsake you'd like in the portraits, please feel free to bring it! **For senior portraits -- if you are an athlete, musician, artist, etc. it would fantastic if you brought something along to your sessions to take portraits with!


How to Pose During Your Photo Session:

This is the most important part of this whole blog post, so be sure to read carefully!

  1. No need to ‘Cheese’ the whole time! I’m chasing for those natural interactions and candid moments.
  2. On a related note, children around the ages of 5-10 will sometimes try to “cheese” in the photos, because that’s what they’ve been conditioned to do! It's absolutely not a bad thing, I love it when children are relaxed in front of the camera -- but try to help me create more candid shots by interacting playfully with your children.
  3. Laugh, play, tickle, and snuggle. This is how we’ll capture the REAL moments.
  4. Not everyone has to be looking at the camera every moment. I like to especially encourage my dads to focus on their partners and their kids to make them more comfortable.
  5. When in doubt, just smile and look at your family like you love them ;-)
  6. Stand close together. Most of my clients hear me say the words "bring your hips together" several times during a session.
  7. Relax, slow down, and don’t force anything. Don’t feel pressured to make everything 'Pinterest perfect'! Just be present with your family and I’ll do the rest. And don’t stress if any of the kids get fussy! Trust me, I’ve seen it all before. Just snuggle your kiddos and we can still capture beautiful images!
  8. Expect me to move around while taking pictures. Not every pose works for every person, so the different angles and locations will not only help with variety in images, but will help with finding the most flattering ones as well.


What to Expect After Your Photo Session:

After your session, your work is almost done! You can let your hair down, put your feet up, and relax a little bit.

  1. After your session, I will be working hard behind the scenes to cull the best photos (eliminating duplicates, blurs, and blinks) and editing each image to my standards (that includes softening fine lines and removing blemishes). Your gallery is typically ready within 7-10 days of your session. I will let you know if something changes.
  2. Look online for ideas about wall gallery displays. There are tons of beautiful ideas for every style and budget. In your online gallery, you can conveniently order stunning, high-quality prints, framed / mounted prints, canvases, and other extras such as holiday, wedding, baby, graduation, and other seasonal cards.


Last step to complete your portrait experience: enjoy your photos! I can’t wait to help you create something beautiful, timeless, and meaningful, just for your unique family.


And that’s it!! The complete list for guiding you through your photography session. What to wear, how to pose, how to plan, and what to do afterwards — all easy to follow! Thank you for choosing me to be your trusted photographer. I can’t wait to love on your family and leave you with beautiful artwork you will love for decades to come.