Classic Kid Portraits | Session Guide
Thank you so much for booking a portrait session for your child! I started offering these sessions in my garage in 2021 as a way to safely take photos during the pandemic, and the response was astounding. I’m so glad they’ve endured over the years because truthfully they’ve become some of my favorite sessions.
I also think these simple portraits are the kind of photos we all want of our kids. They can be emotive and silly, stoic and classic. I love that they truly capture their personality in this present time and I hope they will become images you will cherish.
I want to use this guide to go over what to expect and to answer any questions you might have to help our sessions run smoothly. I am so excited to work with you and your sweet littles.
-Sarah
What to Wear
I know clothing choices can be such a daunting part of getting photos done— but it doesn’t have to be!
No logos, no words, no graphics. Words, logos, and graphics can steal focus from your child’s adorable face, and we definitely don’t want that! Solid color shirts, jeans, and especially chunky sweaters are my favorites for this! (Seriously, sweaters with some texture are so dreamy.) Think classic pieces.
Layers! This is the first time I’ve offered these sessions in October, so plan for a chill! We will be in my garage, but with the door open— so a little protected from the elements, but it could still feel cold. Just like sessions out in the wild, I always suggest dressing your kids in some layers. We can always take layers off and make kids feel cooler, but it is a lot harder to make them feel warmer. Think of this as the golden opportunity to use that cute sweater you spent way too much money on, but they hardly wear. ;)
Avoid white. The only reason I say this is because the background is white, and I don’t want them disappearing. :) Cream and other neutral colors are fine.
Think about what your kid loves right now. I’d suggest picking an outfit that your kid loves right now or a piece that is a personal favorite and one that you want to remember. Do they love twirly dresses? Awesome! Pockets? That’s such a cute detail. Do they love a shirt that has a giant excavator on the front of it and you want their photo in it? Great— feel free to throw out anything I said that doesn’t feel authentic to you and your kiddo. These photos are going to capture what your little one is like in this time— and clothing can play a huge role in that.
Bring extra shoes. I’m asking parents to please bring a pair of shoes for kids to change into once you get to our little studio. (Or your kid can also wear socks or go barefoot!) I’m going to try to limit the amount of dirt and mud that gets dragged onto the backdrop, and the best way to do that is to change into different shoes once you’re here. (I’ll have a little space where kids can sit and do this.)
What to Do & Bring
You don’t have to bring anything if you don’t want to! Easy right!?
However, if your child has a super-special lovey, blanket, stuffed animal of some sort— you’re more than welcome to bring it to your session. I’ll grab this lovey from you at the beginning and then I can use this to help get attention during the shoot, and later on we can grab a couple frames with the stuffed animal too.
If you child is too old for that, no worries! The best thing you can do before your session is to fill out the questionnaire that came with this email. Your answers will give me lots of insight into your child’s interests, and I’ll be able to build rapport with them a lot faster.
Please leave other toys, noisemakers, etc. at home.
What to Expect
When you arrive at my garage, I may or may not be wrapping up the session right before you. Feel free to grab a seat on the porch or hang out in your car while you wait. Since these sessions are scheduled back-to-back, it is important to be on time— and I will be doing my best to be on-time too. If you are late to your session, we’ll have to stick with the time that is remaining in your spot and I cannot guarantee the number of images you’ll receive.
Once I’m ready for you and your children, you can come on over to the studio area. I’m going to have a huge paper backdrop set up in the garage and a little changing area to change into different shoes or go barefoot.
There’s something about those first few seconds when a child sits down on the stool to take their photo that I truly think is magical. Those are often some of my favorite shots. Sometimes they have a curious expression, a shy smile, or some are just ready for it and loving it from the get-go. I love to be ready at this point to grab those shots. So I ask that you help get them situated, and then step back— because BAM! Magic. The best place for parents to be is in the chairs off to the side or if I need your help for shy ones, I might have you stand behind me.
For the first few shots, your son/daughter and I are just going to get to know each other a little bit. I’ll ask them some questions, make some funny sounds— and I won’t be using props yet. Props, squeakers, and their stuffed animals will be a last resort for some kids. Also, please don’t feel that you need to get their attention or tell them to smile. It stresses lots of kids out and they get overwhelmed. I can usually tell when I’m going to need back-up from parents, and will definitely ask you to make some silly faces or dance around behind me— but other than that, you’re off the hook and can just stand back and watch.
For sibling sessions, we will start with the most willing participant first. I’ll work through similar flows with each child, making sure we are getting some solo portraits.
Then after we’ve gotten all that I want for each individual child, we’ll do some sibling shots together.
I also didn’t advertise this, but I’d love to offer a chance for parents to jump into the last few frames if you’d like. No pressure, but I know how hard it can be to get in the frame with your kids!
About 2-3 weeks after your session, I’ll send you an online proofing gallery with your child’s best images. Proofing galleries are watermarked and some photos may be more edited than others. After you’ve looked over your images, you’ll select your favorite 5 images. If you like more than seven, that’s great too! (Additional photos will be available for purchase at $20/photo.) After you’ve made your selection, you’ll receive an updated gallery with your chosen photos (and of course no watermark.)
Please let me know if you have any questions. I’m so excited to work with you! Thanks again! -Sarah