Just say YES! I love playing this game with clients. When you come to your family photo session, or any other session for that matter, be ready to say YES. There’s so much we can accomplish when there’s a willingness to play along and step outside your comfort zone for a while. The main thing to keep in mind is to have fun, be open minded, bring ideas, be creative and…..you guessed it…..JUST SAY YES!
If you have a great idea, please let me know what it is. Your vision is just as important as mine is. Maybe more so in many instances! They are your memories after all. I think of photography as a collaboration. I want to hear your ideas and I want to bring them to life with you. All I ask is that we are all open to hearing each other’s ideas to make the vision come alive. I will always SAY YES and I ask you to do the same. We will find our own combined YES together, I promise! Think outside of the box and know that I will always consider the idea. You want to create a world where your living room is in the woods? Let’s do it! There is always something we can do, even if limitations present itself. Creativity is the name of the game. Flexibility is a skill to bring to the table. If we come upon an obstacle, SAY YES to another path. We will get there. When you are looking for a fun and carefree photo session, digging deeply into our adventurous sides will create a photo that expresses your imagination and the photo will represent an experience to remember.
Many times kids want to act silly during a session. Personally, I love that! The more fun they have the more opportunities I have to capture them authentically. I also know that we will want to shift gears and get that family photo when the silliness is at rest. But if you want to know if sticking tongues out or playing games is something to plan for your family photo session…..guess what my answer is! You’re right…..it’s YES! Creating a relaxed and fun atmosphere is the first goal. Once that space is established, the flow of the session will unravel naturally and I will be able to see you for who you are. That is what I want to capture. YOU! Trust the process. Often times, when someone is told or asked to do something, especially something like “Smile,” it is forced. I like to wait until it happens on its own and then I can guide from there. Feel free to be silly during your family photo session. Feel free to be silly during a headshot session or any other session to shake out any unnatural reactions. The great thing about silliness is that laughter usually follows. Express who YOU are and the rest will fall into place.
Ready! Set! Stick out your tongues!
Another tip that helps to make a session fun is to bring your child’s favorite toy. If you are coming for a creative portrait session, bring something that will help you to express yourself more deeply. If you are feeling nervous about your headshot session, bring something that will help calm your nerves. Anything that represents peace and comfort to you, bring it along. Many client’s ask if a prop enhances a photo. YES! It can. If there isn’t a natural way to incorporate it into the photo, there is definitely a way to incorporate it into the process of your session. In a creative portraiture session, a prop can help with not only having something to do with your hands (although I will guide you even without a prop) but it can also help to tell a story. Think outside of the box and lets talk about props. If you are coming for a headshot session and are feeling nervous, bring something of meaning. A bracelet, a necklace, a ring or an accessory. This can inspire a thought or an intention which is important to have with you when interacting with the lens. When it is your child’s favorite toy being used to bring out authenticity, I consider that toy an important part of this chapter of life. It rounds out the memory. Don’t hesitate to give your child the freedom to interact with it during our time together.
Say YES to having FUN! Are you a couple who just SAID YES to marriage? Are you taking your engagement portraits? Is it a special anniversary? Did you add a furry family member to your relationship? Come ready to say YES to having FUN! A partnership can be a wonderfully fun thing. When my husband and I were planning our wedding, we took dance classes. We can’t dance. But we learned and we had so much fun with it. My husband is so shy and it really did give him something to focus on that wasn’t his nervousness. It was a very magical moment on our wedding day! Do you like to dance? Bring it to the session. Even a simple dance step can bring a photo to life. It’s about energy! Do you have private jokes? Whisper a joke into your partners ear for me to capture the moment. If I ask you to try something that seems unnatural to you, I get it. But still…..Say YES and give it a try. Maybe add your own variation to it that makes it more representative of who you are together. If it still looks unnatural, we will move on. It’s always best to stay open to an idea and for us to dig around it to find what works than to say NO which can put a block of energy into the space we are trying to create. We will not force anything. We will simply try until we find our groove. We’ve got this! Ready to have fun!? YES! (Couples can learn more tips here!)
Do you need a moment to yourself? Want to take a break during the session? Don’t hesitate to ask. By now you know what my response will be. (Hint: it’s YES!). Taking time to reconnect to yourself or to simply breathe and have a moment where you can just be, is an important part of the process. It’s going to give us all more stamina to continue capturing the moments during the time we have together. Taking a break is not wasted time. It is essential for many. I’m all for it! I will step away and do my own version of reconnecting with self and prepping for the next moment. If you’re comfortable with me continuing to capture you while you are taking a break, let me know. Otherwise, the time is yours.
In summary, come to your session with flexibility, creativity and an intention to have fun in mind! Bring a bit of something that I may not know about you to the table and know that I have tricks up my sleeve to offer to create a safe space for you to be you! That is what we all say YES to! You being beautiful YOU!
Hopefully this post has helped you to prepare for your next portrait session. If you are still looking for a photographer in NJ or NYC to capture the love between you and your partner, I’d love for you to get in touch. Click here to contact me.
