Session Prep

I often get asked by clients, "Can you recommend any locations for our session?"  Well OF COURSE, I'd be happy to! But let's pick a spot together! Let's pick somewhere that you will be comfortable.. Somewhere that reflects you, the client. Somewhere... AMAZING! :)

Since we live in Michigan, and the weather does what it wants, when it wants, I have to consider that when picking locations. If at all possible, I'll try to have a backup location in case it is not weather permitting outdoors. Indoor locations are trickier.. and are not always a possibility. I am mainly a natural light photographer and use very little artificial light, so if we shoot indoors, we have to find a location that has a lot of windows and great natural lighting! I have pretty decent natural lighting in my in-home studio, so I always offer that as an option to clients as long as they have small groups. If indoors is not an option, sometimes we just have to keep watching that weather and reschedule. Or a romantic rainy day session could be fun.. ;)

Living in beautiful Michigan surely has it's benefits; one being our beautiful four seasons. Considering what season it is will be very important to choosing a great location. In the summer, your options could be endless with the beautiful sunshine and warm weather. Among the many warm weather options, we could shoot at the beach, a park, a lake or river, in the city, in the country, or anywhere you'd like! Fall can get a tiny bit more difficult with more chances of rain and cold weather, but it obviously has it's gorgeous colorful benefits. You might choose an apple orchard, pumpkin patch, or a beautiful scenic overlook for your fall photo shoot. Winter is probably the hardest season for an outdoor photographer, but it is certainly not impossible! A lot more studio sessions are shot during these months, but if you're brave and willing, I don't mind trekking out in the snow for a beautiful winter day session. And when we can catch a gorgeous snowy day, it's most always well worth it! Even so, we'll still try to keep these cold weather sessions as quick as possible. Spring is always fun for sessions, as everyone is ready to get outdoors, flowers are blooming, birds are chirping, and that warmer spring breeze is so refreshing after a long Michigan winter. I often offer bloom sessions at the orchards in the spring time, but much like summer, you have many options for this season. Spring may be the perfect season to add rain boots to your session outfits, as many areas have wet and muddy spots.

Now I know what you're thinking, because MOST of my clients tell me the same thing, "I want something different. Something unique. I don't want that exact session that everyone else is doing." And my response? That's PERFECT! I don't want to shoot the exact same session over and over (unless I'm doing mini sessions, and even then I like to customize each session at least a little). So really.. What are your options? Let's get creative here! Step outside of the box with me, and I assure you it will be worth it! Instead of just scheduling and shooting a session, let's tell a story. YOUR story. What are your hobbies? Your favorite places? Do you have a special spot that means a lot to you? What do you enjoy doing together, as a family, etc.? Maybe you enjoy the beach, but instead of just the beach, what do you enjoy doing at the beach? Do you swim and splash and go for ice cream after? Do you enjoy walking the shops and having lunch overlooking beautiful Lake Michigan? Do you always walk the pier and watch the sunset? I want to capture breathtaking portraits for you, but sometimes that means you aren't always posing and smiling. :) So when deciding on a location, keep in mind your interests. Make sure you'll be comfortable where we're shooting and that it's a location that reflects you, whether it's just you, you and your loved one, your family, etc. And don't be afraid to suggest a session right in your own backyard! I'm pretty good at finding the beauty and making the best of every location! Below is a list of just a few fun session ideas to help you begin thinking outside the box, and they can all be customized for nearly any type of session and for any person or group.

Let's Have Some FUN Session Ideas

A Picnic- Whether it's in a park or at a special place on the river off an old dirt road, a picnic makes for a beautiful session that could be a lot of fun. We can pull together to style your session in a way that best reflects you.

A Carnival- Who doesn't have fun at a carnival? From riding the carousel to the ferris wheel, playing games and winning big goofy stuffed animals, and eating yummy treats like cotton candy and elephant ears, a carnival can bring out the fun-loving child in all of us. Lots of laughs and good old fashion fun is a perfect recipe for a gorgeous photo shoot.

An Apple Orchard- There are many different options for a session at an apple orchard... In Spring or Fall, the orchards are absolutely perfect for any type of session. Fall often offers a few more options, depending on the orchard you go to. Many orchards or cider mills also have pumpkin patches, corn mazes, apple picking, hay rides, and more. Picking a location like an orchard or cider mill in the fall can be more than just a session, but you could make a fun-filled day of it after photos are over. And the photos from a session like this are guaranteed to be stunning! This is just another place that can bring out those real smiles and laughs you want to see in your photos.


Getting Ready For Your Session

Makeup: 

Start with a clean moisturized face!

When applying your makeup to prepare for portraits, use natural lighting! Try sitting near a window or anywhere that provides a lot of natural light. Using natural light when applying makeup will give you the best idea of what your makeup actually looks like, and what it will look like in your portraits. I shoot mainly outdoors and in natural lighting, so you'll want to do your makeup in a way that will look best in those conditions! :) 

Use foundation without SPF to avoid an unwanted shine in your portraits.

Setting powder will help your skin to appear flawless in photos instead of oily.

Don't be afraid to add a little blush to give your face a beautiful natural flush look.

Bright lighting during shoots may cause some running or smearing in eye makeup. Avoid this by using waterproof mascara for your shoot. Apply lighter eye makeup to the bottom lashes, as smudges on the bottom lashes stand out more in photographs. 

Avoid shimmer or glitter on your eyes and face, but play up your eyes. Use neutral colors to enhance your eyes and avoid trendy or dark colors. 

I recommend bringing lip gloss (and chapstick for the guys) to keep lips looking full and hydrated and to avoid dry cracked lips in photos.

A natural color lip is most flattering and timeless. 

Outfits:

When selecting outfits, it's good to select coordinating colors! Choosing a color scheme that you like and pairing outfits in colors that compliment each other will make for gorgeous photos! If you plan to print and hang your photos, consider your home decor and color schemes when selecting outfits for your portraits.

BEWARE of getting to matchy matchy! If everyone is wearing the exact same outfit, it gets kind of boring. 

On the flip side of that, you don't want everyone in off the wall different clothes either. Make sure that everyone is dressed for the same season. If brother is in shorts and a t-shirt and sister is in a winter jacket, things will look off in your photos for sure. You also don't want to have too many patterns going on in your photos. Patterns are okay if done right, but you want to use them minimally and be careful that there isn't so much going on that attention is drawn immediately to your busy patterned clothing.