A Few Things That Will Make Your Session Easier
Getting everyone ready for family pictures can feel like a lot, especially when you're trying to plan for children, pets, outfits, weather, and everything else that comes with being on vacation.
The good news is that you don't have to make everything perfect before you arrive. A little preparation helps, but some of the best photographs happen because things don't go exactly according to plan.
What Should We Wear?
This is probably one of the questions I get most often.
My biggest suggestion is to coordinate rather than match. Choose a few colors that work well together and then let everyone wear something that feels comfortable and fits their personality. You don't need everyone in the exact same color or wearing the exact same style of clothing.
For beach sessions, I love blues, greens, tans, creams, whites, and other natural colors, but that doesn't mean you have to stick to neutrals. I love color too. If there is an outfit you love that has some color in it, start there and build the rest of the family's clothing around it.
Textures and different shades of the same colors can work really well together, and mixing things up usually looks much more natural than putting everyone in matching shirts.
Most importantly, wear something you are comfortable in. If you're constantly pulling at your clothes, fixing a strap, or worrying about whether you can sit down, you're probably not going to be able to relax and enjoy your session.
If you're stuck between a few outfits, feel free to ask me. I'm happy to give you my opinion.
What Should the Kids Wear?
Comfort is even more important for kids.
Choose something they can move around in. They should be able to sit, run, play, and explore without constantly needing someone to fix their clothes.
For beach sessions, just assume they're going to get sandy. They may also get wet. They may decide they absolutely need to dig a giant hole in the sand or go into the water when you specifically told them not to.
Let them.
Some of my favorite photographs happen when kids are allowed to be themselves instead of being told to stand still and keep their clothes clean.
Barefoot is completely fine for beach sessions and often looks more natural anyway.
How Should We Prepare the Kids?
You don't need to teach your children how to pose, and I would actually recommend not spending the week reminding them to smile for the camera.
Kids pick up on stress very quickly. If they feel like they are expected to behave perfectly for an hour, everyone can end up frustrated before we've even had a chance to get started.
Make sure they've had something to eat, bring snacks and drinks, and if they have a favorite toy or comfort item, bring it along.
It also helps if I know a little bit about them. If your child loves dinosaurs, soccer, Pokémon, dancing, mermaids, trucks, or something completely random that I know nothing about, tell me. It gives me something to talk to them about and an easy way to start building a connection.
And if they aren't cooperating, that's okay. We can take a break, change what we're doing, let them run around for a while, or come back to something later.
There is no prize for the child who sits still the longest.
What Should We Bring?
You don't need to pack the entire house, but there are a few things that can make your session easier.
For summer sessions on the Outer Banks, bring water. Seriously. It gets hot, and nobody has much fun when they're dehydrated.
For little ones, bring anything they may need during the session — diapers, wipes, snacks, drinks, a change of clothes, or a favorite blanket or toy.
If we're doing a beach session and there is a chance your family will end up in the water, bring a towel and a change of clothes for afterward.
And if you're bringing your dog, bring water, treats, waste bags, and anything else they may need. Your dog does not have to be perfectly behaved for their close-up. We'll work with them!
What If the Weather Doesn't Cooperate?
Welcome to the Outer Banks.
The weather here likes to keep things interesting. We can have wind, clouds, humidity, cooler temperatures, and occasionally a completely different forecast than the weather app promised us five minutes ago.
A little wind or cloud cover isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, some of my favorite beach photographs happen when the conditions aren't perfectly sunny.
If the weather is unsafe or it's clear that we're not going to be able to have a good session, we'll talk about rescheduling. I don't want you trying to wrangle your family through a miserable session any more than you do.
If you're worried about the forecast, reach out. Don't sit at home refreshing the weather app every three minutes. We'll figure it out together.
What Should We Expect During the Session?
You do not need to know how to pose. That's my job.
I'll give you direction when we need it, but I don't want your entire session to feel like you're being told where to stand and what to do every second. Depending on your session, we may walk, talk, play, snuggle, explore, laugh, or just hang out together.
For family photography, I want more than everyone looking at the camera in every photograph. I want photographs that show your relationships too — your kids laughing with you, someone getting picked up, everyone walking together, siblings playing, or a quiet moment between people who love each other.
Those are often the photographs you end up loving the most.
What Happens After the Session?
After your session, I'll typically send your proof gallery within 1–3 days. These are your initial images, shown in lower resolution and with a watermark. Depending on your package, you'll be able to choose the photographs you'd like to have edited.
Once you've made your selections, I'll begin working on your final images.
As both the photographer and editor, I take a lot of pride in the finished product, so I don't rush through the editing process just to get your gallery out the door. My typical turnaround time for final images is 1–2 weeks, although it can occasionally take 3–4 weeks during peak season, particularly from May through September when the Outer Banks gets very busy. Larger sessions and events may also take a little longer.
I know you're excited to see your photographs, so I try to get the proof gallery to you quickly even when I'm busy. That way, you can start choosing your favorites while I work on the final edits.
The Most Important Thing
You don't need a perfectly behaved family, perfectly coordinated outfits, or a perfectly sunny evening to have beautiful photographs.
Come as you are. Bring your people, your personality, and maybe a snack or two.
I'll take care of the rest.
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