Here are some tips from Pgh Family Photographer CTG Photography on how to prep for your Family Photoshoot. These tips are for Families and can also be applied to sessions just for children as well. Take what you need from the advice dependent on your session!

Rest and Relaxation: Make sure everyone gets a good night’s sleep before the shoot and arrives well-rested. A relaxed family will result in more natural and joyful photos.As a momma myself I totally understand this is unpredictable haha. But if you personally have tricks for a well rested fam try those out!

Snacks and Drinks: Bring along some water and light snacks, especially if you have kids. This can help keep everyone energized and in a good mood.

Props and Personal Items: If you have meaningful props or items that represent your family, bring them along. It could be a favorite blanket, a family pet, or a shared hobby.Talk more with me or your photographer about this so it can be incorporated well with your session. If bringing a pet be sure to have someone not in photos there to help with the pup!

Plan Ahead: Arrive on time or a little early to the photo shoot location. This allows for a smooth start and makes the most of the available light ( if we are shooting outside, especially close to sunset is when this is most important).I completely understand things happen. Emergencies, traffic, etc… Even I could get caught up in a situation. But planning to be a few minutes early can help if something pops up!

Communication with Kids: If you have young children, talk to them about the photo shoot beforehand. Explain that it’s a fun activity, and encourage them to be themselves. Children don’t want to sit and smile at the camera all the time.We will be doing playful, movement, prompts. You might want to control the situation. But the best thing you can do is smile and go with the flow. You would be surprised at the in between moments photographers will capture. I do aim for a few smiling looking at the camera style shots. But a bulk of what we will do will get the kids to loosen up and laugh with playful style images. Fun real moments come across in the photos much better than forced smiles.

Bring a Change of Clothes: Having a change of clothes can help in case someone gets super dirty a bit too fast haha. We can play off of that if you want real raw reality haha. But a backup is smart! Especially with the drive home.

If your outfits wrinkle a lot try to steam them before you come to your session and hang them in your car when driving.

Hair and Makeup: If desired, consider having hair and makeup done before the shoot. This can add a polished touch to the photos and boost your confidence.This isn’t a must by any means. But if you want some pampering before the chaos you do it up haha!

Weather Considerations: If shooting outdoors, We can keep an eye on the weather forecast and have a backup plan in case of unfavorable conditions.If your family loves to play in the rain this could be a chance to have a fun rain session! But I can always see if my studio is open ( I share with other photographers) and we could move it indoors. We could also move the session to an area outside that has coverage or an indoor location somewhere!

Patience is Key: Family/Children  photo shoots can sometimes take time, especially when working with children. Be patient, and trust that your photographer will capture the perfect shots.

Relax and Have Fun: Family photo shoots are an opportunity to capture your family’s unique dynamics and connections. Relax, interact with each other, and let the photographer capture candid moments.

Capture Their Personality: With my style of photography I do a mix of poses. Some will be traditional smiling at the camera. We don’t need a ton of them! a good 5-10 max will do your gallery justice. A handful of other images will be natural, playful, interactions. Dont worry too much about always smiling and looking at the camera. I will let you know what and when I need certain things from you!

Pgh Family Photographer

Check Out more work on my IG:https://www.instagram.com/ctgphoto/

Get more info on my website: https://www.ctgphotographyblog.com/information/

The post Tips for your Family Photoshoot-Pgh Family Photographer appeared first on Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer.

A bit before the shoot you and your significant other can take a look at the engagement section of the blog. You can get a feel for the type of posing we will be doing! https://www.ctgphotographyblog.com/category/engagement-2/

My style for portraits is a mix! So you two can expect me to pose you for certain shots, but there will also be times that I’m prompting you to do certain things that might sound super silly but they create great natural interactions to turn into beautiful candids.

Bring 2-3 outfits so you can get an array of looks. Even layers are great ideas. I also have a pop up tent we can use if need be for changing.  Here are some ideas on what you could wear depending on your style ! https://www.pinterest.com/CtgPhotography/engagement-photo-outfits/

Generally shoots can last 1-2 hours depending on your package, and many factors so you will want to have some food in that tummy before we shoot! Sounds crazy but you can work up an appetite posing haha!

If you are bringing an animal or children its smart to have another friend or family member there to help trade off so we can focus images on the two of you as well! Or you can plan for the first part of the session to have someone there to then take them away after .

Shine up your rings for photos!

GET REST the night before. If you had one too many cocktails you will not enjoy the process of the session!

Be yourself! If you are acting out of character its going to show in the photos. Let the session be uniquely you!

Be timely! I know things happen that are out of our control sometimes. If anything on your end or mine were to make us late we need to check in with one another as soon as we can! Depending on the time of the session we could be loosing daylight and need to implement some flash. I am well versed and creative with night shots so thats not a worry if we start to loose light. but know if you are shooting at golden hour and are late for the session you can only get that look for so long. Sometimes I am shooting sessions back to back or have plans of my own I need to get to after your session. So in fairness to my other clients if you run late I might not be able to extend your session time.

Weather:

On wedding days we gotta do what we gotta do. So I personally have shot in it all. Everything from rain to snow to heaaaat. So if its not an extreme day of any of these we could make it work. But I am also down with rescheduling. Just know depending on the season we could reschedule and it still be rainy, overcast etc…. Sometimes having an indoor idea for a backup is a great idea too! I do have a studio in the East End of Pgh. I share the space with others but if the day of we need somewhere and its open we can try it out!

The Locations & What To Wear:

Depending on where your session is being held your outfits should reflect the style. There is a time and place for juxtaposition ( Like super dressed up in a grungy place like the strip district works), but think about the setting of the location and outfits.Does a casual look fit best. Maybe a boho style or sophisticated look tie in better with your location. Feel free to reach out if you’re having a hard time deciding what to wear to your locations.

If your outfits wrinkle a lot try to steam them before you come to your session and hang them in your car when driving.

Props?

Sometimes you would like to tie things into your session that are unique for you. I LOVE that. Maybe you love music and wanna go to a record store and take photos with your favorite records. Maybe you LOVE PIZZA and wanna dig into a pie. LETS DO IT. Just but let me get some too haha. Reach out if you want to incorporate anything!

For Women:

For females it could be a great idea to get a hair and or makeup trial done for your wedding the morning before the shoot. That way you’re already all done up for your session!

Having your nails done and polish out the look if you are into that!

For Men:

The guys typically have less to prepare for with getting ready. But making sure they are groomed and clean shaven (if desired) for their session is a great idea. Some men like the like of fresh haircut while others prefer their hair a few days or a week after the haircut. Additionally, some guys prefer the 3-day stubble look while others want the clean shaven look. Depending on your preference, plan ahead to make sure you get a haircut and shave in relation to the date of the session.

After the shoot:

You are gonna be hungry after all of the losing. Its such a great idea to plan a fun date night after dressing up and working hard!

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