Choose a time and day that considers your family’s schedule and habits. With any young children be sure to schedule around naps & mealtimes. Kepp in mind that mornings and afternoons work best with the daylight.
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Keep clothing consistent. Dress everyone in the same style for each part of your portrait session.
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Avoid sharp contrasts and match-matchy clothing
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Coordinate Colors
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Keep it simple. Solid colors are best.
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Accesorizing can be cute. Get creative with accent colors for hats, headbands, scarfs, vests, belts and shoes.
Visit the website below for color inspiration pallets. Browse trough and pick yours accordingly to the season and your personal taste.
Family session
Maternity
The ideal time for adorable maternity photos is late enough in your pregnancy to have a round belly, but not so late that you’re super uncomfortable and not feeling fabulous. For most women, this is between 32 and 38 weeks. Contact me as soon as you decide you want maternity photos in order to secure your preferred session date.
You have the option for outdoor photos, studio or both. Boudoir maternity is an option as well. Whatever your vision is for the maternity photos, together we will bring it to life. :)
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Wear whatever you feel comfortable and pretty in – long, flowy skirts, especially solids are nice, and strapless bras that coordinate with them. Tube dresses are great for showing off your shape. Bring a pair of regular jeans, not the belly panel ones. A button-up shirt also makes it easy to transition into showing your belly.
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If you’re doing semi-nude/implied nude photos, bras and underwear will create noticeable lines on your skin, so wear loose-fitting clothing to the shoot. You can add undergarments as necessary for photos later in the shoot.
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Do bring your significant other! They’ll make a great prop for your photos, and greatly expand on the number of different photos you can make during your shoot. They should bring outfits that coordinate with what you’ll be wearing.
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Bring in baby items you would like to incorporate in the later newborn shoot.
Senior Portraits
You’re unique and beautiful. Be yourself in how you dress. Be fashionable. Wear clothing that’s stylish and put a lot of thought into your choices. Wear make-up. This is a unique opportunity and we want you to look amazing! Bring in couple of outfits.
(I have a hair/make -up stylist available upon request. You would have to talk to her and depending on how many looks and how long your hair is , she would give you a quote)
Outdoor photos suggested for senior sessions. However, the studio is available as well.
Bring props that help show who you are. Some popular choices are:
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Sports uniforms
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Musical instruments
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Sports equipment (soccer ball, basketball, softball bat, etc.)
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Activity related items (dance, art, school clubs, etc.)
Newborn
(Outdoor, studio or your home)
It is never too early to book a newborn session. Due to the unpredictable nature of newborns, your newborn session is reserved based on your estimated due date plus 10 days. As soon as baby arrives, contact me to see if the session needs to be moved.
Newborn sessions usually last about 2 1/2 hours. Most of that time is spent putting the baby to sleep, feeding, nursing, changing diapers setting up the shots, etc. Only about 40 minutes or so will actually be spent taking the photos.
We keep the studio a nice and toasty 80 degrees during these sessions to ensure the comfort of the baby. You know that means that we adults, will be sweating! So bring short sleeves to wear while you aren’t being photographed.
No need for clothing in the newborn session. Clothes tend to be too big and bunchy on the baby, and honestly what we are looking for in the art is the cuteness of smallness of the baby.
Feel free to bring blankets, hats and sentimental items to photograph with your baby. We love to make your images personal and unique pieces of art.
We provide a variety of hats, head bands, blankets, wrap -ups for the baby, baskets and backgrounds.
It is very important for your baby to have a full tummy prior to the beginning of the session. Please feed the baby before you leave your house .
Have baby lotion with you. The lotions helps a lot to reduce the appearance of the dry skin.
There will be poses where I uses either the Mom's hands or Dad's hand for the special shots with baby's head or feet. It's nice to have groomed hands and rings.
Parents, keep it simple. Clean, neutral tones like shades of gray look great.
The first half of the session will be dedicated towered the family and sibling poses. For the second half, the focus will be exclusively on the baby using playful, tasteful, simple set-ups.
Boudoir
(Outdoor , studio or your home)
1. Do not apply fake tanner. I know this is hard, especially if you are totally white like I am. But really, the camera is only going to enhance that un-natural orange glow you have and you will end up looking weird.
2. Do apply lotion. LOTS of lotion, or oil. By keeping your skin super moisturized, you will create a natural looking glow that will come across in your photos as ethereal and heavenly.
3. Wear false eyelashes. I really can’t stress this one enough. When I did my first shoot, all of the girls opted to wear false lashes. They might look somewhat fake in real life and you may feel weird wearing them. However, in the photos they make a HUGE difference. You actually don’t really notice them in the pictures, but you will notice their effect. They accentuate your eyes and give them a gorgeous almond shape. These are a must-have!
4. Treat yourself to some pretty lingerie. You will probably never do anything like this again (although some people make it a yearly practice!) so really make an event out of it. Treat yourself to some beautiful lingerie. Not only will this make your photos more interesting, it will boost your confidence, making you look your best. Be sure to try the lingerie on befrehand, and maybe bring a friend with you to the dressing room that will be totally honest. Something may look gorgeous on the hanger, but not be the most flattering for your body. The opposite is also true. Something may not look like much on the hanger, but if it plays up your body’s best features, it will look stunning. Choose a lingerie store where you will receive personal attention and helpful advice from experts, such as Pampered Passions Fine Lingerie in Engelwood. Their staff is top notch when it comes to customer service, helping you choose the right look for you and proper fit.
5. If you’re worried about your mid-section, watch what you eat and drink. Now, I certainly don’t mean go on a diet for your shoot! However, there are certain foods and drinks that can cause bloating so try to avoid those for a day or two before your shoot. But please, eat!
6. Get a manicure and pedicure, or at least do one yourself. People tend to forget about their nails, but they do show up in a majority of your photos. Chipped nail polish is not pretty. Also, try to choose a neutral nail color so they don’t distract from your gorgeous face.
7. Look at this as a once-in-a-lifetime investment. As I said, most of you will never do anything like this again so the photos you receive from it will be a keepsake that should last forever. How fun will it be to show your granddaughter (when she’s older of course!) how beautiful you looked and what a nice gift you gave to your husband!
8. Don’t be nervous. I promise you, you will look FABULOUS. Your insecurities will melt as you get in front of the camera. This is your time to feel sexy so you need to relax and have fun! Nervousness and lack of self-confidence will show up on your photos. Just remind yourself that no matter how you THINK you look, you will look amazing in the end. We will highlight your favorite body parts and downplay your least favorite ones. You.will.look.hot!
9.Do this for yourself. No matter who you are doing this boudoir shoot for, deep down it is really for YOU. The end result (photographs) may be going to someone else, but the experience itself is ALL yours. It is just me and you during the shoot and I want you to be comfortable, have fun and WORK IT!
10. Do push yourself to go a little bit outside of your comfort zone during the shoot.Some girls think they will stay totally covered up during the entire shoot. Of course, you can if you want. But many girls, once they are in the swing of it and having fun, decide to get a little risqué. I am not talking about totally nude or anything, but maybe a hint of nudity. I am all about making your photos tasteful and classy, but also creating something that you (and your husband) will LOVE. Some of the best shots come when you let down your guard a little. And remember, I NEVER post your photos without your permission.I hope that helps you get a better idea of how to prepare yourself for your boudoir shoot. I’ve never met a lady who said, “Gee, I wish I didn’t get gorgeous, sexy photos of myself taken!” So treat yourself to a confidence boosting shoot today that you will cherish for the rest of your life!
For best result, please inquire for a hair/make-up artist on site. My professional vendors are eager to help.