5 More Tips to Prepare for your Photo Session
You may have never had your photos professionally taken before, and that’s okay! If you are anything like me, you love to plan and prepare for a wonderful time. With 3+ years of professional experience, here is part 2 of my Photo Preparation series - five more tips to prepare for your photo session.
Photography is a luxury experience, and I am here to give you exactly that, a high-quality, memorable experience that inspires beautiful images you will love. These are tips that I’ve gathered from countless sessions, piecing together a perfect guide to help us have a smooth and fun, yet fully expected shoot together.
Couple above pictured at the Fisher Building in Downtown Detroit, Michigan.How to prepare & what to expect at your photoshoot.
TIP #1
Come Prepared to Let Go of Expectations.
The best photos emerge when you and your partner or family are being your true selves.
It can feel odd to be in front of a camera. The presence of a camera can sometimes make people feel like they have to put on their best versions of themselves, performance-wise, for the camera. I will tell you right now, and I say this because I care about you & your photos - disingenuous behavior will show up on camera. Forcing an ideal behaviors or emotion will show up on camera. This is especially true during family sessions (a more in depth blog on this coming soon!)
The simplest way to make sure that your photos don’t look stiff, overly-posed, or disconnected is by letting go. Easier said than done, right. This is where you and I will work in tandem with one another. Trust yourself, trust your partner, your family - trust that who you are, exactly as you are, is more than enough (perfect actually) to create stunning, emotive and authentic imagery. Trust that your photographer is putting in the work on their end to capture those perfectly-imperfect in between moments that tell your true story. The real moments.
TIP #2
Be Spontaneous.
Don’t be afraid to become fully captivated by a moment.
Let the present wash over you and if you feel pulled to continue a tender moment with your love, or to start doing cartwheels with your family - do it! There may be plenty of times during our session together that I witness an action by you or your partner that looks incredibly raw, sweet or cinematic. It is during these actions that I may simply step back to give you space to feel those moments together. I’ll watch them play out naturally through my camera and step in if you need me.
It is also through your natural body language and actions that inspiration strikes me! Every relationship or family is unique in the way they communicate and show their love. Part of a photographer’s job is to notice. We pay close attention to you when photographing you so that when those special moments inspire us, we will let you know that something you just did was beautiful. From here, these moments typically inspire another image to pop up in my mind. One that is absolutely stunning and will relate to you & your love languages. This is what we like to call “The Art of Noticing”.
You cannot have spontaneity without letting go of ideals or expectations. So I challenge you to try to incorporate impulsive, unplanned moments into your session. I believe you will be so pleased with the photos we are able to create during our time together.
TIP #3
Use This Time to be Present. To be Together. Avoid Looking at the Camera.
A tangible step to implement the two above tips is to avoid looking at the camera as much as possible.
I don’t mean never look at the camera, but to get those super real, casual and story-worthy photos of you and your loved ones, I have found that the photos where you are participating in an action & looking at each other are the ones that feel the most authentic.
I will always be an advocate for capturing some of the traditional smiling at the camera photos too, because these are the photos that your grandparents will want to see or you may want to put on a Christmas card, but to tell your story, avoid looking at the camera as much as possible. I give you full permission to ignore me between moments of direction.
If you are at your session and you’re not quite sure what to do when you’re not looking at the camera, use this time to pay full attention to your partner, your fiance, your children. A photo session should be a laid back experience for everyone involved. Use this time to create memories together, not just the perfect photo for the Christmas card.
Your session has the power to be an hour with no phones, an hour of play, adventure, and connection. Be present and intentional with this time, and watch as the most fulfilling and magical session happens.
TIP #4
The Almost Kiss.
Hover a few inches apart and half-smile with your teeth!
I know what you’re thinking. What is an “almost kiss”? Well, it's when you and your partner bring your faces real close, but instead of actually kissing with your lips, you hover a few inches apart and half-smile with your teeth! Sounds really weird, may feel strange too but that’s the magic of still photography. The goal of trying out a few shots like this is to capture a moment of connection between you and your partner. A traditional kiss may not always appear the most flattering on camera (think uber puckered lips!), whereas the “almost kiss” appears more natural, like a happy moment frozen in time. Don’t just take my word for it! Take a peek through my portfolio on Instagram to see the “almost kiss” in action.
TIP #5
Be Vulnerable. Be Willing to Showcase Your Love.
Think about how you show your partner you love them, and about how they show you that they love you.
This may be the hardest tip to enact. I understand that it feels a little strange to be out in public and be vulnerable enough to let your authentic love and emotion shine through. I’ve been on the other side of the camera getting photos taken with my partner, and yes, even he and I have become uber aware of our surroundings or how silly we may look in the moment. But then I remember that no one else cares what we are doing except us, and our photographer (who is always on your side, by the way!).
Here’s where it gets a little easier. You only have to worry about being yourselves and about loving each other the way you naturally do. This looks different for every couple and family, because we all love differently. Before your session, think about your love languages. Think about how you show your partner you love them, and about how they show you that they love you. Try to incorporate these gestures into your session. Maybe it’s a kiss on top of the head, or a sentimental phrase whispered in their ear.
As your photographer, my only ask is that you arrive at your session willing to have fun, be in love and show it to the level you are comfortable with.
BONUS TIP
Always Share Your Ideas!
BONUS TIP
A photo session is and always will be a collaborative effort between two willing parties. I would never want your session to feel one sided, so during our session, I will always ask if you had any ideas or photos you would like to capture. I would even encourage you to spontaneously speak your ideas that come to mind, as they come to mind. As we’ve established above, some of the best, most genuine moments emerge from spontaneity.
No idea is too silly, too romantic, too anything. If it’s a photo that is important to you, please share that idea with me. We will absolutely capture it.
FINAL THOUGHTS
While this blog is filled with lots of seemingly obvious tips to help you prepare for your photo session, I do hope that you find value in reading about them. Over the years of photographing so many couples, families and weddings, I have found these are bits of knowledge that I believe everyone should hear at least once before their session or wedding. I find that people’s nerves ease up after they read or hear that all they need to be are themselves.
If you missed part 1 of my Photo Preparation series, you can check out the blog here! I’ll see you at our session!
If your session is already booked, I will see you so very soon! If you haven’t reached out to get on my books, there are still a few dates left for December 2024!
“Alaina made sure the process was smooth by sending us a short questionnaire to gauge what we were looking for with our photos, and to understand our personal love story. Our pictures came out beautifully for two newbies to professional photography and our gallery got back to us quick with amazing quality.”
Pres-er-va-tion-ist (noun)
A supporter or advocate of the preservation of something, especially of [history] and artifacts.
A photographer.
