SESSION GUIDE
WELCOME! WE ARE SO STOKED TO BE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHERS! WhaaHoooo! We are dancing all around the room! We are so excited to capture your LOVE and LIFE. We will be there for you throughout your entire journey and help you plan your dream session. We offer all kinds of different sessions for all kinds of reasons and that's why we love our job so much! We get to know so many different people and we get to watch all your littles grow up over the years, what an honor. Here are some of the types of sessions we offer: Couples Maternity Newborn Family Generational Family HS/College Senior This little booklet will include what to expect out of us as your photographers, lots of information on what to wear and session tips. This is more of a guide than “a rule book”, we want your session to reflect you! It will help you feel more prepared so you are less nervous. We would like to thank you again for hiring us to capture you two, your growing family or your grad. Please don’t hesitate to ask any questions you might have. We can’t wait to help you plan your dream session, until then, cheers!
MUCH LOVE, CHRISTINE & DANNY
INVESTMENT Your family photos are an investment in yourself and your family. When you book us, you're not just booking photographers. You are booking someone who is completely invested in you and your family. We want this to be an experience, a memory making adventure and you go home with some art to hang on your walls and photos to pass down generations.
ADVENTURE SESSION We love creating art with couples and families while catching epic sunset views. This is for families to capture time with their children, document your pregnancy or your newborns first professional photos. This can be for just couples whether it's for engagement photos, your anniversary or just because. This session is also for those high school or college seniors to document their well deserved achievements! 1 hour session at an epic location of your choice Minimum 45 hand edited images Online gallery and store with album creator suite Long term online storage so your photos are always within reach Bonus! Wardrobe styling app to help you coordinate and look your best
$550
GENERATIONAL SESSION Bring the WHOLE fam! This is a family session that includes all your favorite people, up to 35 included, after that we will need to add additional hours to capture everyone. 2 hour session at an epic location of your choice 2 photographers Minimum 100 hand edited images Online gallery and store with album creator suite Long term online storage so your photos are always within reach Bonus! Wardrobe styling app to help you coordinate and look your best
$950
MORE OPTIONS VIDEOGRAPHY WITH CAPTURED AUDIO
We will capture everything in motion and from above with our drone (weather and airspace permitting.) We will mic you up and record your families voices. You will receive a final edited 2-10 minute keepsake video with your online gallery.
$500/hour EXTRA HOURS/LOCATIONS Need extra hours to accommodate more people, adventure activities like hiking, locations or outfit changes? We got you, let's chat about your plans and goals and if you need more time with us than what's included in our package we can customize something just for you to fit your unique session.
TRAVEL
$550/hour
We can go ANYWHERE! If you want to take us with you on vacation let's do it! Travel pricing is different for every trip so please inquire with us for a quote if you need us to travel with you. Here are two favorite beach trips for our local area and we get asked for all the time.
Ocean City: $600 OBX: $1000
SESSION PREP 99% of our clients come to us and say, "we are so awkward in front of the camera" and they all walk away saying something like "wow that was so fun and easy" We want you to be confident and just have fun. We will pose you, we will teach you all the fun games to play with the kids to keep those authentic smiles coming and we will prompt your kids with easy tasks to capture those sweet genuine moments too. We want this to be more than just taking photos, we want you to have a little adventure experience with your family! Let's do this! When starting to plan for your session, you'll need to pick a date/season first, then location. If we haven't already, we will send you a link to our location guide to help you choose the best location for your family. Then what? In this guide we will go over everything from outfit planning, packing and if you want to hire a hair and/or makeup artist to help you feel confident and ready for your session. This guide will help you get your mindset around the aesthetic you want to go with and blending your outfit choices with your location environment.
POSING Posing is the number one thing people stress out about. "What do I do with my hands?!?!" Listen, this part is literally OUR JOB. You do not need to stress about this AT ALL, we got you! We are going to let you in on our secret technique for posing kids and families. We shoot fast, no seriously fast, our cameras will sound like little machine guns. We will give you a little game or assignment to do with each other, we actually don't even care how well you complete this task, what we do care about is the fallout of laughter that comes after, which is why we have to be quick! That's it, that's our secret to capturing those authentic moments. AND guess what? You'll be so distracted with your game or assignment that you'll forget to be anxious and self conscious. After we are all warmed up with giggles, we will get those super posed shots of everyone looking at camera and yes, we will tell you what to do with your hands! lol Come in comfortable shoes and dress for the season so we can run around and play. Your memory making adventure awaits!
HAIR AND MAKEUP HAIR
If you are planning on getting a hair cut or shaving your face we recommend you do that a few days before or the day before to avoid harsh lines or razor burn. If you are getting your hair styled the day of, we recommend scheduling your appointment an hour or right before you plan to leave for our shoot. For kids, especially little kids we recommend trying styles that keep their hair out of their face and use gel or hair spray on short styles to keep those fly aways or Alfalfa moments minimal. The idea here is that you feel your best and you come to your session confident. Don't feel like you have to rush to the salon either, your normal hair and makeup routine is going to keep you looking like your beautiful self, the one your family will recognize and love the most.
MAKEUP Hiring a makeup artist can give you that extra boost of confidence you might need. Plus, any chance to be pampered and get some me time is helpful for your overall mood too. This is also a great opportunity to do a trial run before your wedding or for prom makeup. One recommendation for you or your makeup artist- use the lip STAIN so it doesn't transfer to your partner or kids faces when you kiss them!
OUTIFIT PREP When choosing outfits for your family we want you to think of these factors: Wear what makes you feel beautiful Needs to represent who YOU are Appropriate for your location Comfortable for season/weather COMFORTABLE SHOES you can play in but are nice and clean, logo free and photo ready (check your bonus wardrobe styling app for examples) Once you've got all your outfits ready, lay them out on your bed and make sure everybody has everything they need and everything coordinates. Now that you have everyone's outfit, under garments, accessories, footwear, socks, hair accessories, jackets etc. let's talk about how to prep your outfit for your session. A lot of our clients forget these last important steps: Make sure everything fits BEFORE your session day. Get clothing tailored if you aren't confident in the fit Iron Steam/de-wrinkle Dry clean hang your clothes Keep outer layers hung in your car until you arrive at your location, clothing tends to wrinkle if you are sitting in your car for a while. We offer a wardrobe changing tent if you'd like to change into your outfit when you arrive at your location, just let us know and arrive 15 minutes before your session to allow yourself time to get ready. Arrive at your location EARLY if you have small children who are going to fight you while you try to put those final clothing items on. Sometimes it can be chaotic and you don't want to cut into your session time with us while your toddler has a tantrum about those new shoes you just squeezed their feet into.
OUTFITS
BONUS!! WARDROBE STYLING We got your back! Find all this wardrobe stuff overwhelming? Yeah, it's tough! That's why we have included as a bonus access to the PERFECT wardrobe styling app made just for photo shoots. All the clothing is hand picked and changes day to day with fresh items. Everything on the site is approved for photos, meaning there are no neon colors, no logos, subtle patterns, encourages layering and includes accessories and footwear. After you have officially booked your session with us you will be emailed a link and access code to the wardrobe styling app. The first thing you will do is fill out a questionnaire about who you need to dress, their age and what style and colors you want to incorporate. Next you will be given options for each person, this is the fun part because everything coordinates, they've done the hard part for you, all you need to do is pick your favorites! Prices are included so you can stay on top of your budget too! They source clothing from all different budget perspectives like Target, online boutique stores and even stores like Saks Fifth Ave. After you've got your wardrobe collection finalized, you can email it to yourself or family members. Once you've got your wardrobe list, the next part is even easier, each clothing item is linked to an online store where you can purchase it! Get everyone dressed and coordinated from any device or if you are one of those procrastinators most of these items are at actual stores like Target where you can order online and just swing by to pick them up! Don't feel like you have to buy everyone brand new clothes either, email the wardrobe list you have created as inspiration and go through your own closets! We do not receive any commission or kickback, this is purely a complimentary service we provide our clients because we want you to feel and look your best!
MOVEMENT
Part of our authentic posing technique involves a lot of movement. When choosing an outfit think about a movement element. Not only will the right outfit create movement in photos it will be more comfortable for you to wear. Tip: To prevent looking like you are wearing a potato sack, try to pick an outfit that is fitting at the top and/or mid section but flares out at the bottom. This will give you some shape but keep you confident, comfortable and relaxed.
COLORS
The best general tip we can give you when it comes to picking out your colors is to pick two colors and then one neutral like tan/khaki or gray. How do we pick our colors? Your wardrobe styling app is a huge help with this topic, however here are some things to think about: Your location, some clients want to fully be the opposite so they pop, while others want to wear something that compliments the colors of their location. Pick outfits based off your color combos that either match their friends/partner/family and also match or contrast the location. The colors in your home might also be another factor in this decision. The final destination for these photos will be prints hung on your walls in your home, so if you have decorated with blues, pick blue as one of your colors! It could also just be a color(s) everyone has readily available in their closet.
PATTERNS
There is something crazy that happens when you photograph certain patterns, it's called moire and your clothing will come out looking like it's got this rainbow digitized 3d effect on it. (Google moire to make sure you stay away from those patterns.) The other mention about patterns is how they can be flattering and not so flattering. Stay away from stripes, vertical or horizontal, it doesn't flatter anyone, anywhere. You want patterns like modern plaids or lots of detailed flowers/shapes to flatter your body shape. This also helps the overall cohesive look of your family and pulls together your group's colors.
LAYERS
The camera LOVES layers. Layers help to add dimension and texture with the right textiles. Layers are typically a great idea for sessions anyway, our busiest seasons are spring and fall and you will actually NEED layers to stay comfortable. If we are shooting a summer session think about layering with accessories. If you are wearing a long solid maxi dress pair it with a long necklace, short v-neckwear a couple short necklaces. Layers can also communicate feeling and personality, like a cozy sweater or black leather motorcycle jacket, your wardrobe can really help add to the overall vibe you are going for.
ACCESSORIES
The fine details are SO important. Attention to your details can help make your shoot feel more like you. Remember simple things like wearing your wedding rings, guys these days will wear a rubber ring to work, we want you to bring that fancy one you said I do with. Wearing dads watch can be an emotional nod to including him in your photos. If you have kids, consider headbands or clip on bows to keep their hair out of their face and they'll be super cute! Hats are another big one that can convey a boho/cultural mood or it can cover up hair loss or those kid surprise hair cuts! If you just cannot peal that baseball cap off of the man in your life, it's okay, he can wear one, but make it a nice clean freshy, we might ask for a couple without the hat just for you too!
PROPS
Props are awesome, they can really help show off your personality! For senior sessions we ask that you bring something that is a part of their interests like a violin or canvas on an easel with some paints, a book, baseball and glove, etc. If we are celebrating an engagement or graduation, bring a bottle of champagne or sparkling cider to pop. Are we doing a sunrise session, we can bring a cute coffee set and camping cookware to make some coffee on site for a tasty treat, it's all about the experience. If we are shooting a sunset session we will bring our lanterns to light the way back and they make for some pretty cute props. If we are capturing baby announcements bring your ultrasound. Cake smash, bring the cake! Tip: keep it simple and classy, if you bring us 50 props it will take away from the main subject and that should be you!
PETS
Bring your pet, please, we adore animals of any kind really. Including your pet WILL BE chaotic, but SO epic. Our BIGGEST TIP is to bring a friend to help you with your animals. If you have a pet wrangler on location with us you won't have to stress about them and you will be able to focus on taking photos. We will include them in most and then take some photos without them giving them a break from "performing" for us. We bring the loudest squeaky toy ever but we will need you to bring their treats and a collapsable water bowl. Make sure to bring poop bags to clean up after your pet. Have them wear a cute collar or harness and a cute leash so you don't feel pressured to have them off leash in a public place. If you don't like how the harness looks, put a doggie sweater/outfit over it.
FAQ WHAT HAPPENS IF IT RAINS? WE WILL ALWAYS GIVE YOU A CHOICE, WE CAN SHOOT IN THE RAIN, IT CAN BE REALLY FUN ACTUALLY OR WE CAN RESCHEDULE. WHERE ARE WE GOING TO CHANGE? WE HAVE A POP UP WARDROBE CHANGING TENT. SOME LOCATIONS WILL HAVE A RESTROOM. HOW MANY OUTFIT CHANGES DO WE GET? WE CAN SHOOT 2 OUTFITS PER HOUR, SO IF YOU WANT MORE THAN 2 YOU CAN ADD EXTRA TIME. SHOULD WE BRING EXTRA OUTFITS? YES IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN, SOMETIMES THEY LIKE TO SLIP IN A MUD PUDDLE BEFORE YOU EVEN GET OUT OF THE PARKING LOT. TIP-BRING COMFY JAMMIES FOR THE RIDE HOME, THIS APPLIES TO ADULTS AS WELL. WHAT HAPPENS IF WE ARE LATE? IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT THERE ON TIME, LET US KNOW IN ADVANCE. IF YOU HAVE BOOKED A SUNSET SESSION UNFORTUNATELY WE CAN'T STOP THE SUN FROM SETTING SO TRY TO PLAN ON BEING EARLY
THANK YOU! WE ARE SO EXCITED FOR YOUR SESSION! Every single one of our sessions are unique, we take great care in scouting out the perfect locations for you and your family and we craft and plan each session for success. We are so excited to meet your crew and capture your LOVE, that's what this is all about! We hope you found this guide helpful, if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask we are always here for you. We can't wait to see you soon, here are some final checklists and tips to help you prepare for your epic adventure session with us!
CHECKLIST: Steamed/Ironed Outfits (feel free to leave on hangers in car) Bag for shoes, under garments, socks Hairbrush, Dry Shampoo, Hairspray Makeup (if you need touch ups) Bag to put clothes in, if we walk around Accessories (hats, jewelry changes) Props (sports stuff, grad cap, letterman jacket) Water + Snacks If you're bringing a pet (water bottle with collapsable bowl, cute leash/collar, poop bag, treats) Lint roller Blanket that matches your outfits to sit on
TIPS: Leave clothes on hanger in your car Lay a blanket in the back of the car and lay all your outfits on it flat, with your jewelry changes in bags on top of them and shoes nearby. Makes for super easy & quick changes! Make sure to try on the outfits before, OUTSIDE. Some dresses can be very see-through so make sure the light isn't shining right through, if it does, just get a slip off amazon or target
CHEERS TO THAT, CHRISTINE & DANNY
WWW.LOVEANDSOLPHOTO.COM