Info Sheet for Families

Info Sheet for Family Sessions

Hi!
Please take a few moments to read through this before our session. It will give you an idea of
what we will be doing, and how to prepare.
If you have any questions, please email, text, or call (773-936-7281).
I’m looking forward to working with you!

The Session
If we are doing a lifestyle session, leave a notebook open in your home for the next few weeks.
Brainstorm! Think of places in the house where your family loves to spend time. What do your
kids do at this particular age that you love and want to remember forever? Write it all down,
because it will be hard to remember everything once the session starts.

When I arrive, I will ask for a quick tour of your home so that I can assess your space. I’ll be
checking out any natural light and any potential areas of your home that will provide a good
backdrop for your photos. If we are using my lights and backdrops, we will need a large, clear
area about 10 feet by 10 feet. This area should preferably be close to a wall and/or a window.
With your permission, I may move some furniture around if we find the perfect spot but need a
little more room.

If I am using lights and backdrops, I’ll take about a half hour to set everything up. Feel free to go
about your business if you have things you need to do, or we can use that time to talk about the
session, or just to get to know each other better. At some point, depending on when your children
are ready, I’ll introduce myself to them and get to know them a little bit before I put a camera in
front of my face. UNLESS there is a picture-perfect moment happening right away and I just
have to grab my camera and start!

It is important to know ahead of time that I will not be spending the entire session trying to get
everyone to smile for the camera. I know these shots are important, but is very tiring (and boring)
for children to spend more than a few minutes at a time doing this. We will spend a lot of the
time playing, talking, exploring, and letting the kids relax and have fun. The genuine expressions
will come naturally when the kids don’t feel pressure to perform.
Another important thing for parents to keep in mind is that when children are told to smile for
the camera, their expressions usually turn out forced and cheesy. I hardly ever verbally ask a
child to look at the camera and smile…I have other tricks up my sleeves to get them to pay
attention to me… J
It might be difficult to refrain from the urge to tell you children to smile for the camera,
especially when you are paying good money for these photos and you want them to turn out
beautifully. Don’t worry! They will! It took me a few months to break myself of the habit of
asking kids to smile and say cheese, but the results – genuine expressions that capture the child’s
true personality - are worth it. So as much as you might feel pressure for your kids to behave and
get the perfect shot, please don’t ask them to smile for the camera. The key to getting good
photos is patience. Letting kids be kids. We’ll take our time and wait for the right moments!

What to Wear
Try to wear solid colors or subtle patterns. Stripes are super fun. For outdoor session in cool
weather, sweaters and blazers look comfortable and fashionable, as opposed to hoodies, fleeces,
and winter coats, if you can stand to be chilly for a little bit.
If you would like a cohesive look (you certainly don’t need one!) you can pick a color theme with
a few different colors and try to dress everyone wearing at least one of those colors. For example,
if you choose reds, pinks, greys, and whites, try to dress each person in a combination of any of
those colors. Sometimes it is fun to have a few ‘pops’ of color (golden-yellow, turquoise, pale
pink, etc.) in a scarf, leggings, or sweater, just to mix things up.
I like to steer clear of graphics and text at all costs, as they are distracting in photographs.

Ahead of Time
Please fill out and return the Pre-Session Questionnaire. This will put us on the same page and
make sure you are getting everything out of the session that you need!

If there is an area of your home that you know we will be spending time in, you might want to
clear out any existing clutter. Just shove it to the side or under something! (I don’t like asking you
to tidy up when you have so many other things to do, but I promise you’ll be happier with your
photos if there aren’t tissue boxes and cell phone chargers in the backgrounds!)

After the Session
Please allow 2 weeks for editing. Editing is a very important step that elevates your images from
snapshots into artistic photographs. I will send you a link to a password-protected gallery that
you are free to share with friends or download, and we’ll also discuss your print selections.

Let me know if you have any questions.
I’m looking forward to our photo session!
Erielle