Blue Sky's Family Beach Session Guide

W E L C O M E

S e s s i o n I n f o r m a t i o n

At Blue Sky's Studio we believe everyone has a story. A personal ‘footprint in time’ that must be captured visually to be shared, enjoyed and treasured for years to come.

It is our greatest privilege to become part of your daily life and preserve your ‘story’ in beautiful images.

Whether documenting your business and personal brand, the bonds that bind your family or your high school senior starting a new chapter of their lives, Blue Sky's Studio is known for skillfully, tastefully, & perfectly documenting this moment in time.

hello!

I'MKRISTIN

Photographer, travel enthusiast, foodie, book lover and obsessed with documenting & creating meaningful experiences for your family!

I look forward to getting to know you and your family soon.

Schedule a photo session with Blue Sky's Studio, because I want to show you the beautiful connections within your family as individuals and as a group.

Each Blue Sky's session starts with chatting with you and getting to know your family dynamics. I also want to find out a little more about how you want to enjoy your images. Are you more of a wall art person, do you prefer a beautiful keepsake album or do you love both? As a family are you super fun and silly, or are you more thoughtful and quiet? I then tailor the photography session to your family

I also want to understand a little more about the interior design of your home so we can match the aesthetic.

My goal for the session is to create an environment where everyone in your family feels great, has an amazing experience, and looks their very best! And I want you to walk away from the session with tangible products to value for a lifetime.

DearKristinandBrittany,

AHUGEthankyouforthebeautifulworkonourphotoalbumandprints.Wearethrilledwiththe wayKristincapturedourfamilyatthebeachandcreatedabeautifulalbumoffunshotsandposes (includingourbelovedpup,Quinn!)Thequalityoftheprintsiswonderfulandwecan'twaitto frameandhangtheseinaspecialspotinourhome.Theonlyremainingitemisthemetal can't waittoseehowthatturnedout!

Thankyouboth!! TrishAnastos

W H A T H A P P E N S N E X T ?

the process of your experience

You are booked in, deposit paid and your shoot date confirmed, now you are wondering what the process is from here...

It's time to plan what to wear, on the next pages I have given a few tips on how to plan your families attire for your session.

Your session! The day before you can expect a text to confirm your session, make sure everyone is happy, healthy and ready to go. We always recommend that you show up about 15 minutes early to ensure you can find adequate parking and we have plenty of time to settle in before your session starts. I will text you once I arrive to make sure you know exactly where to meet me.

After your session...

Approximately 2 weeks after your session we will schedule your purchasing appointment. These appointments take place in our Laguna Beach studio (if you are local) or via zoom for all of our out of town clients.

At this time, we will go through all of the very best images from your session, suggest images for artwork, for albums and for gifts for family and loved ones. We recommend that you go through your home prior to the purchasing appointment to determine the best spots to display your artwork. You can tape an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper to any wall in your home, take a picture straight on of the paper, including the ceiling and floor, and text us these images. We can then show you exactly what your art will look like hanging in your home. This will also help us make sure we have the appropriate size image for your wall.

Once you have made your wall art and album selections, we will fully retouch all of the images and send you a proof, before we send anything to our lab. You will have the opportunity to approve your proof and then we will ship all of your products directly to your home.

Prints & Products

L O C A T I O N

The first thing to remember when it comes to picking a location for your family photography session is figuring out the vibe you want. Do you want to go on an adventure or have a quiet snuggle session? Do you want to splash around at the beach or frolic in the fields? When you know the vibe and style you want, that makes it easier to narrow down your location choices.

My advice to you is pick a place your kids will enjoy. The more excited they are by their surroundings, the happier they will be in the photo session. If they don’t particularly like getting wet, then maybe the beach isn’t the right place for you. If they love throwing rocks into water (what kid doesn’t?!) then the seaside might be perfect! The key is finding somewhere that is interesting enough to keep them happy!

Treasure Island (the Montage) beach Table Rock Beach Aliso Creek Beach Laguna Canyon

A Few of my Very Favorite Spots:

where will we shoot?

Family Inspiration

W H A T S H A L L W E W E A R ?

families, seniors & branding

Finding the perfect outfit for your family session may take a little bit of work, but you probably have great pieces already in your closet that could work together! Use these tips below to help formulate a plan. If you need help deciding what to wear, I'd love to help with that!

5 tips for families

1. Coordinate your outfits by finding a color palette you love and finding pieces that compliment one another. Avoid matchy matchy and everyone wearing the same color. Soft, muted colors and neutral colors look great for my style of photography, please avoid bright/neon hues.

2 Layer and add accessories with a hat, headbands, necklace, jacket, or scarf.

3 Wear clothes that are fashionable, yet still functional for the location Keep in mind we will be moving around!

4 When it comes to patterns, a good rule of thumb is have one or two patterned outfit for every three people included in the session. Floral prints, polka dots, plaids work great! However be careful not to have too busy of prints and patterns that may distract from the people in the portraits. You can always send me a quick text message with your outfit choices to get my input. Also, avoid large logos or licensed clothing.

5. Shoes! Remember that you'll want them to be comfortable as we move around, but please stay away from character themed shoes, athletic shoes & bright colored distracting shoes. For beach portraits, no shoes required! (except maybe for walking on the rocks to get to the perfect shot location)

W H A T T O E X P E C T at your session

My aim for each and every session is to create a relaxed, friendly environment for all children and families. When I arrive I will spend a bit of time getting to know your children, I want them to feel comfortable with me and make them feel as if it is completely normal that I am there.

I love creating warm, fun photos filled with love. All you need to be is open, and from there I can capture those moments. Be prepared. The best shoots are always the ones where parents are stress free and in good spirits. While everyone looking at the camera is amazing, the in between moments of cuddles and giggles are always my favorite.

Having everyone ready before the shoot starts helps alleviate stress for you. As best you can, you should schedule a time when kids are well rested and not hungry. Also avoid a lot of sugar prior to the session. We are going to bring fun candy to the session (as long as you approve) and we don't want any crazy sugar crashes from your kiddos.

There is no need to tell them to smile just be positive and excited about the shoot and leave the rest to me! Be yourself! Remember, these are pictures of you and your family and we want to capture you as you are. While you are having fun and interacting, I will be in the background getting the most natural and beautiful portraits of you and your family!

It is really important to arrive on time. We are booking your session according to the light so we may be limited, it is very important to start on time. It's best to plan to arrive early.

A final note: While I welcome bribes to get older siblings to cooperate, I highly recommend not using a phone or tablet as the encouraging factor, this tends to lead to blank stares as they zone out or more big emotions. If all else fails, I will disregard what I just said and bring on The Wiggles, but only at the end of the session.

I can't wait to capture your family!

“Wereceivedthealbumthisweekandareblownaway!Thisisthemost gorgeousqualityandcolorI’veeverseen.Iworkedforaphotoalbumfor overfiveyearsandthisisabsolutelystunning!Iwanttothankyoufornot onlytheamazingphotosofourfamilybutalsoformakingthesessiona memorableandfunpartofourvacation!Wearegoingtotreasurethese photosandthatdayforever!You’rewholeteamwaswonderfultowork withandweappreciateeverythingsoverymuch!

I’mnotsurewhenwewillmakeitbackouttoCaliforniabutwhenwedowe willcertainlybookanothersession!Thankyou!!!

HappyHolidays, MollyMichieli

F R E Q U E N T L Y A S K E D questions

How long is the photo shoot?

Our portrait experience is usually one hour… However, we allow two hours for each family so there is no rush. And three hours for newborn photo shoots just in case little one needs feeding or settling throughout.

What if the weather Gods aren't on our side?

If it is wet and soggy, we will reschedule. If it is hot, we will find some shade. If it is overcast but dry, we will go ahead as some of my favourite sessions have taken place on cloudy days.

What should we bring?

Treats for the kiddies (bribery perhaps?), a beautiful blanket, water, your little ones favourite toy..... a relaxed and positive vibe.

Can we bring our pet?

Absolutely! Fur babies are most welcome. If you bring your pup along, make sure they get some brisk exercise before coming. This will allow for a (hopefully) slightly calmer canine during your shoot.

What if we are sick?

If you’re sick, we reschedule! Simple as that. Working with children I have come to expect that last minute texts or calls will occasionally happen. We want this to be a 1000% positive experience, so there’s no need to force it if anyone is unwell. Please just try to give us notice.

How and when do we get our photos?

Approximately 2 weeks after your session, we will schedule a ZOOM review for your family to go over all of the amazing images from your session. In the session we will show you examples of your portraits as wall art, wall grouping and photo album pages. Your homework, before the purchasing appointment, is to go through your home, determine the best spots to hang your wall art, decide if you would love an album and determine additional family members that you want to gift with portraits.