CLEARLY I’m biased, but I truly think that family portraits are one of the most important gifts that you can give to your children in the present and in the future. As a family, I make it a priority to get our own portraits done several times a year! If you’re on the hunt for a PA family photographer, I have some tips that you will find helpful on your family portrait planning process.
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Schedule your session for a time of day where your kids are well rested.
Most outdoor photography sessions are planned for the times of day when the sun is lowest in the horizon: either in the morning or in the early evening. While any PA family photographer worth their salt will be able to photograph a session at any time of day, we generally like those particular times because the light is soft and warm, and there aren’t the harsh shadows that we have in the middle of the day.
For some of my families, a 7pm session just isn’t in the cards. However, an early morning session can be a great option! Not only do you have the rest of the day available – no time off of work or late daycare drop offs – but your little one will be photographed at their most chipper time of day.
Choose a location that is close to home (or at home!).
If the prospect of getting out of the house seems overwhelming – or you just want to photograph your family in the space that you spend the most time – an in-home session is a great option. Hanging out on the front porch? Snuggled up on the couch? Reading a book in bed? Chat about the options with your PA family photographer and decide if an in-home session is right for you. Many of my families with young children find that it’s a lot easier to stay at home than wander out for the session.
Another perk is being able to plan the session around naps, dinner, and awake times. Outdoor sessions generally happen in the afternoon or evening, while an in-home session is great in the morning and early afternoon. That way, everyone is wrapped up before dinner and can stick with their normal routine!
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Select a PA family photographer who is experienced with children.
This is the most important aspect of booking your PA family photographer; photographing children is part art, part science, part magician. If you’ve been photographed as an adult – sans kids – you’ll know that you (for the most part) followed the photographers instructions because the portraits are important to you and well, social norms, am I right?
Kids – especially the toddler crowd – are different in that they are motivated by neither of these. If you know anything about child development (I have my Master’s in Elementary Ed so Lord knows I spent enough time in classes about it!) you’ll know that toddlers are notoriously self involved but that’s SO normal! Concern for other’s thoughts and feelings is scientifically linked to the development of a specific connection in the brain, which doesn’t fully mature until a child turns four.
What’s this mean for your session? You’ll need a PA family photographer who is experienced in the art of toddler whispering and negotiation. Find a photographer who has extensive experience photographing young children. Ask for full galleries with children the same age as your child, and ask for strategies that your photographer can utilize during the session if your toddler decides to be, well, toddlery.
Top 3 tips for making family portraits a breeze from a PA family photographer
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Awarded “Best Main Line Maternity Photographer” & “Best Main Line Newborn Photographer” by Main Line Parent
Veronika Paluch is an award-winning and highly sought after maternity, newborn, baby, and family photographer offering luxury, organic fine art portraits and an impeccable client experience. She specializes in documenting authentic connections and simple moments of children & families and the quiet beauty of motherhood. Stripping away all of the extras – the costumes, the props, the rigid posing – leaves room for her to capture classic, timeless images that showcase love & family connection.
Veronika serves clients in her beautiful natural light studio, as well as on location throughout the Greater Philadelphia area including the Main Line, Wayne, Plymouth Meeting, King of Prussia, Devon, Malvern, Paoli, Exton, West Chester, Swarthmore, Media, South Jersey, and Northern Delaware.
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