How to Prepare for your In Home Session!
Most important-you do not need a designer home to get beautiful photos!
I want to start out by saying that I know you have a lot going on. Please don't feel the need to clean the house for me! I want you to be relaxed and able to enjoy your downtime with your little one.
You do not need to have your house professionally cleaned-please don’t! Just prepare the well-lit areas you want to photograph. I want you to enjoy this. Once we start with photos, I will guide you with poses/places to stand but also capture the "in-between" moments as well. If there is a specific shot you want (or a specific item
I will aim to use only natural light so think of places in your home that have access to lots of bright light and large windows. Please open all window coverings and blinds to let in as much light as possible. For rooms you hope to use for photos, remove all clutter on surfaces (including mom and dad's bedroom if there is good light there). Remember, if it is in the room, it may be in your photos. Spending a little time in advance of the session making sure all unwanted items have been put away or tucked into a closet can make a big difference in the resulting images.
What should you wear?
Consider patterns and texture and clothes you're REALLY comfortable in. Shy away from things that need constant adjustments or wrinkle easily. Don't forget about accessories like scarves and jewelry. I would avoid clothes with words or logos for you and baby. I find that neutral colors tend to photograph well. I'd avoid all black tops as well as very bright colored tops as these will cast a color tint on the skin for anyone in the family. I definitely suggest more makeup than you usually wear (a little lip color goes a long way!) as the camera can wash people out a little. I also suggest dry hair and take everything out of your pockets men! Some people find it helpful to get their hair/makeup done by Glamsquad-a company that comes to your home!
What should baby wear?
Consider dressing your small human in a plain white or neutral onesie with short sleeves or something else pretty simple. If outfits are too complicated, they get all bunched up and often make images look messy. I would check ahead of time to make sure you have an outfit/onesie that fits. I am happy to suggest some from Loulou, Baby Gap, Amazon, Target, etc. Again, bright colors on baby or parents can cause the skin to look off so I'd suggest avoiding those as well and stick with neutrals. I have a small collection of white/neutral newborn onesies and am happy to bring one for you to use as well as a white swaddle. These are all clean (washed with Dreft) and photograph well.
If the schedule works, try to feed the baby before I arrive so she's full and calm during our photo shoot. If the schedule doesn't work, that's fine too -- we have more than enough time to get lots of good images with a feeding thrown in.
Let me know if you have any questions. I want this to be an easy and enjoyable experience so let me know if there is anything else I should know to help that happen. Feel free to email or call/text if any last minute issues arise (404) 310-2974.