You know when you see a photo that stops you in your tracks?! Those are the photos that seemingly have that "it factor" but you can't pinpoint exactly why. There are a few small things that you can do while planning your session with your photographer to help give your photos that extra pizzazz!
1. Location choice:
This obviously has a huge effect on the overall photos. Your location is the backdrop of all of your photos and while a location doesn't have to be this elaborate place, it should have some forethought behind it!
Some things to consider are: how do you want your photos to feel? Are you looking for something cozy and intimate or something more playful? Do you want nature included or are city vibes more your thing? You have to loosely envision what ~vibes~ you want to emmulate and then find a location that matches that!
Another consideration should be are there any locations that are MEANINGFUL to you? If you always spend time at a certain nature trail or love the block you live on you can find cute ways to incorporate those memories into your photos, giving even more meaning to every image!
2. Styling:
As someone who is no fashionista herself admittedly, styling can be an overwhelming part of preparing for your photo session but man it can make a world of difference! All of my sessions come with a style guide to help inspire you to coordinate outfits with ease that will be flattering and photograph well. You can also check out this blog post I wrote for more in depth information about styling for your photo session. I did a ton of research and compiled some photos to help translate words into visuals and give you a wide array of looks to inspire you!
3. Activities:
Now this is not applicable for every photo session. But especially for my families with older children and my couples/engagement clients there are a lot of ways you can spice up your photos by incorporating activities! Do you love painting together or playing music? Cool, let's get artsy! Are y'all big foodies?! Let's go on an ice cream or pizza date! Love hiking? Well, let's not do anything too crazy because I'm no pro, but let's find a trail and get you guys on it! You can add SO much personality to your images by included a favorite activity. If you're here, you're likely already interested in lifestyle photography anyway, so why not add even more of your life into these photos?! And hey, for my more nervous friends it helps to have an activity to focus on rather than the camera and posing ;)
4. Trust in your photographer:
This one seems like a no-brainer but trust in your photographer! Communicate your vision and ideas with them and listen to their suggestions. Our knowledge of lighting and locations throughout the area will help steer you in the right direction to make sure we can bring your vision to reality! I always am willing to get creative with clients and figure out a way to make their photos stand out among the crowd.
Trust also comes in hand when it comes to following direction from your photographer during your photo session. Sometimes our poses and prompts can feel downright silly and weird and sometimes even a little uncomfortable. But there's always a reason to the madness, so trust in us and know that your photographer is just trying to get some kickass images for you and your loved ones!
Feeling Inspired?
You can chat about all of these things with your photographer and they can help you build your vision up!
If you're interested in exploring options for a photo session of your own feel free to reach out!