3 Tips to get ready for your Portrait Session

Most of the time, we think the most important thing about getting a family portrait is to decide when, where and who will do our photos, however all these questions can be answered in one consultation with the potential photographer. We often forget about all the little details that pop up when the day arrives. This can cause unnecessary stress.  As a Professional Photographer and mom to three kiddos, and a dog, I firmly believe in the importance of being prepared for your session in order to make it memorable. After consultation and booking, I always provide my clients with a Preparation guide that allows them to get ready without any stress. Here are three tips that will help make your day less stressful:
The first thing everybody thinks of is choosing the attire. When people ask what they should wear my answer is always the same, make sure you feel comfortable and pretty. I recognize this part is the hardest one.  I remember buying four dresses for me to use in my own family portrait just to end up choosing one. The first one was too sexy, the other one looked too elegant and the third one too short. Finally the last one was the perfect one. It fit perfectly in size, color and personality. In the end we chose one dominant color for the whole family and then each of us combined that color with our favorite clothes. My sons wore jeans, a black T-shirt with a dress shirt over it that I bought on Amazon for $15 each. My daughter combined the black T-Shirt from her brothers with black leggings.  My husband wore his favorites jeans with a blue dress shirt that I also bought on Amazon, and I wore a blue dress. Everyone was happy, comfortable, and coordinated, so please don’t feel like you have to spend hundreds of dollars buying a new wardrobe for the entire family. Check your closet, grab your favorites and get creative making combinations. Just keep it simple. 
My second and one of the most important tips that I tell my clients is to make a day of it!  In other words, don’t be rushed and don’t stress. Think of it not only as a day to capture memories, but as a day to make more memories. Most of the families schedule their session on weekends because there is no school and no work and that’s great! Make that weekend memorable! Don’t schedule any other appointments that day. If it is the same day of your cousin’s birthday let her know that your family will arrive a bit after the party starts, that way you don’t have to be stressed about finishing on time. I can be pretty relaxed and flexible so a 1-hour photo session can easily turn into 2 hours if we are having fun.  I have served families that prefer scheduling during weekdays and it turns into a day-off for the whole family.  After we finish they go to the beach or to restaurant to enjoy a family meal together. 
My third piece of advice is to check all the routes from your place to your session’s location to avoid wasting time in traffic. If you’ll have a professional make up artist, tell her or him what time you should be ready so you have plenty of time to enjoy your make up session. (Believe me, you’ll chat a lot with the makeup artist so factor in a few extra minutes). Ask for help to get the kids ready while you are out getting your makeup or hair done and always, always feed your husband before the session! 
To know more about how you can prepare for the big day, just drop your question at info@orianaphoto.com or contact me via my website at www.orianaphoto.com

Outdoor Family Portrait Main colors outfit: White and Navy Blue.