Tipful Tuesday | Five Tips for a Successful Photo Session | Kentucky Photographer

Happy Tipful Tuesday Friends,

Today I want to share some tips that will help you with creating a successful session. When you’re investing in a photoshoot it can feel like there are so many things to consider that you didn’t even know were a thing. The key to a successful, relaxed, and fun photoshoot; is knowing all about these five tips.

1] Timeing

Learning about the proper time of the day to schedule a photo session was a game changer for me. Not all light is the same and in the photography world there is such a thing as ‘good’ and ‘bad’ light.  This refers to the direction and intensity of the natural light.  You may have heard of Golden Hour, this is the ‘good’ light, the very best light of the day which occurs in the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset.

Well that’s easy I hear you say, just shoot during those times! You’re absolutely right BUT this time changes throughout the year.  In mid winter, like now, this hour might start at 3pm, the middle of the afternoon but at mid Summer it might be 9pm! At the other end of the day, a sunrise session could be either 6am or 8am depending on the time of year. (Did you know that there is such a thing as golden hour during the morning).

So when booking a photoshoot with children, think about their ages and what time of year the session would need to be.  This is why Spring and Autumn sessions are so popular, the best light of the day is at a time that works well for families. Timing will be one of the very first things I will discuss with you when booking a session through me. It’s so important for the most beautiful end result.

2] What to Wear

This is the next biggest thing that truly make a huge difference in for the end result of your images.  As soon as a photoshoot is booked, it’s wise to start planning the outfits, the styling of a session as it can have a huge impact on the look and feel of the final images. It doesn’t really matter what you wear as such, it’s how it’s put together.  Personally I always start with dressing mother’s and encourage them to be in long flowy dresses because I love to photograph movement and more fabric gives a sense of that movement as my subjects twirl and play with their kids.  It makes magic!

If your session is outdoors then choosing fabrics and colours in soft earthy tones work really well with the colours of nature.  And if you don’t know me already, I am in LOVE with earthy tones in my photographs. Don’t go for a lot of contrast, bright white or solid black because they don’t quite feel right in a natural, environmental shoot but equally if you’re going for a more Down Town centre session, they might work brilliantly.

Work in tones, pick a colour palette of three or four colours and mix textures or small florals to create a beautifully put together feel. If you ever need help with styling, I give all of my clients a session guide that has all of my tips and tricks listed as well as styling assistance. I love to be hands on with this because it truly makes a huge difference.

3] Location

You might be concerned about being photographed, probably 90% of my clients tell me they’re not very photogenic.  My answer to that is always, “There’s no such thing!”. Location can play a big part in how you feel during your session and ultimately how you feel you look in your photos. If you feel you look uncomfortable in your images you’re not going to love them because honestly if you feel uncomfortable it appears in your photographs. Much of that is down to us as photographers to create a fun and relaxed session and location can help.  Being in the big outdoors with no-one else around will help you relax and enjoy your session.  I like to choose locations for my clients sessions based on what sort of a backdrop they will create and where and when I can get really great light.

I have a few favorite spots in the Somerset and Nancy area that I absolutely love and trust. I also am always on the look out for new hidden gems in our beautiful town. Sometimes my clients will say that they would prefer a family piece of land or somewhere that is privately owned by a friend/family, and that Is totally okay too. Keep in mind that I also love to travel to my clients and have served clients in Berea, Richmond, Lexington, Monticello, and other surrounding areas.

But also let’s not forget about In-Home sessions! The comfort of your home can make a huge difference on the feel of your images as well as how you and your family feel during a session. If you love to document more natural and authentic moments in the one place where you create the most memories, an Lifestyle session might be for you. You don’t have to have a big fancy Chip + Johanna Gains styled home to have good images. All you need is beautiful lighting & all the love. What to know a little bit more about lifestyle sessions with me, check out this blog post HERE.

Another idea for a location could be a place that means something to you. Maybe it’s the place where you had your first date? Maybe you enjoy trying new breweries and would love those moments documented. Or maybe you love to go to arcades and play games together. The possibilities are endless and the key to locations is choosing something that is meaningful and helps to tell your story.

4] Style of photos

Now this is an interesting one, for years photographers have been trying to get images with every family member looking at the camera and smiling at the same time, even to the extent of swapping heads in Photoshop!

I have never swapped a head (or anything else), in fact I begin each and every session with a little chat about how a session works which includes me asking clients NOT to look at me unless I ask them to (sometimes just once to get a shot for the Grandparents). Creating images that are full of love and connection will not happen unless you are looking at and are connected physically to the ones you love. This is something that I strive to capture in my images and it also makes for a much better photo experience.

5] Preparing your children

Hopefully by the time your session arrives, you’ll feel well prepared, styled and ready to go.  Depending on the age of your children, preparing them can make a difference too.  Many clients worry about their children ‘misbehaving’ for me but honestly, it doesn’t matter, there is no right or wrong way to behave and putting them under too much pressure with a chat beforehand or threats (“If you don’t behave you won’t get an ice cream”) often has the opposite effect.

Approaching a session as if it’s a fun walk outdoors with a photographer tagging along is pretty much what the session is with a little guidance here and there to get the best from the light and location. Just come along with one of their favorite songs on your phone and everything else will happen naturally. I Promise.