MOMENTS BY TIM ENGLE
IMPORTANT MOMENTS As a father of four and a photographer, I have been blessed with the ability to capture very important moments in my children’s life with my camera. I am also the one at family gatherings who documents the event and all the participants. When my father past away, I understood how important these images became. There were no more chances to capture Grandpa with my my kids. There is also no more time to capture my 18 year old daughter’s 5th year of life. The few family portraits we have of all of us are very much treasured. I would like to create some images of your family with some images that may become important moments to you.
TIM@ENGLEPHOTO.COM • 916-996-9743
Your Photo Session
Getting Ready
Getting ready for your photo session: Remember that planning goes a long way toward making your portrait session successful. The portrait is a collaboration between the photographer and the subject. Please take a few moments to look over the following suggestions to see how you may participate in the planning of your successful portrait. Feel free to discuss any questions or ideas you may have in advance of the session. Try to get a good night’s sleep before the session and drink lots of water. Both will reduce puffy eyes. Choose a color theme that simplifies the look of your portrait. Too many busy patterns and colors are especially distracting. Colors should be harmonious. Coordinate the clothing for all subjects in a group portrait so that one person will not dominate the scene. Color coordination lends harmony to the portrait.
Dark clothing tends to minimize body size, and light tones tend to emphasize body size. Most people look best in darker colors. Choosing solid colors is usually flattering to everyone. A busy pattern is distracting. 2
Shoes and socks are often overlooked as a significant aspect of portrait clothing. They should compliment, not contrast. Carefully consider your apparel from head to toe as a variety of full length and close up poses may be taken. Dress for Small Children While cute, play clothes detract from your professionally made portrait. Stick with the basic guidelines for adults. Dress for Outdoor Portraits As a background, the outdoors is very busy. It is important to choose only one or two theme colors. While blues are excellent all year, white, ivory, khaki and
salmon are great against lush green foliage. Burgundy, brown, tan and gray are nice late in the season. Avoid all greens, as they clash with Mother Nature. The simplicity of two colors help separate the subject from the scenery. Busy backgrounds and busy clothes result in hard to find faces. Jeans and sweaters always look good outdoors. Please don’t wear any large broad-rim hats that might cast a shadow over the eyes.
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Choosing the Location When it comes to choosing the location for your family portrait you really do have a lot of scope. Long gone are the days where the only family portraits people got were studio portraits. Now you have the option to choose almost anywhere you want. Here’s some advice on how to choose a perfect location. " •" Pick somewhere that means something to you. Maybe a place that you met your husband/wife or always take the children. " •" Always keep an eye out for good locations when you’re driving about. " •" Browse online for some further inspiration. " •" Make sure to ask your photographer about the location ideas that you have. They will be able to offer their professional decision to whether it’s a good idea or not. Consider Using Props
Props that have been well thought out can really help to make a great family portrait. Unfortunately a lot of people tend to associate props with really cheesy family portraits so tend to avoid them. Here’s some great advice for choosing some awesome props for your family portrait. • Keep props minimal and realistic. • Choose props that allow your family to act natural. • Consider props that have meaning to your family. The Poses It’s always a good idea to have a few posing ideas in mind, even if your photographer is going to have some ideas of their own. This is because knowing a few different poses will allow you to determine what you do and do not like so that you can make sure that your family portrait is exactly how you want it. There are plenty of different poses to choose from, just do 4
some research beforehand to gather some ideas. Location options include
PRESTON CASTLE
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LOCAL PARKS
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SEASONAL
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STUDIO
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING YOU! 8
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