TIPS FOR YOUR PHOTO SESSION

Capturing the essence of your child is not always easy. However, Anita Allen Photography offers these tips for getting portraits that capture your child's personality...

Tip #1: Parents, come dressed to take a couple shots with your little ones. Sometimes, we need mom and dad to coax them into the "FUN".

Newborns Pictures
We suggest getting portraits done within the first 2 weeks. Photographing a newborn before 2 weeks is ideal because they are sleepier and more limber to pose. There is no going back to those first few days with a brand new, sleeping baby. You have years of ambitious children with eyes open and excitement streaming from head to toe, but the moments to capture the beauty of a newborn are very short-lived and priceless. From 2-5 weeks old, they are more alert and try to resist our poses. They try to lift their heads but most babies are just not strong enough to hold up their heads for a long enough time to capture them. Most babies start cluster feedings, getting acne and dry skin appears; this is why we recommend early or later appointments, but all kids are different. Whenever you decide to take your newborn's pictures, we will work as hard as we can to capture their beauty.

Please bring extra bottles and diapers.
Don’t forget to bring special blankets, hats and toys for their portraits. We also have props that we will be happy to use. 

Pictures of Toddler
Photographing toddlers is a delicate process but with a couple tricks, you can have a successful photo shoot. A well-rested, healthy & fed child is on the right track to happiness; also the right time of day does wonders. We suggest that the first sitting of the day or after an afternoon nap. Child Psychology comes in very handy when dealing with 18 month -3 year old children... Try to get your toddler in the mood to photograph by saying how fun it is. Please do not pressure them to perform a certain way… when kids feel they have the freedom to do something that is their idea, they attack it with full enthusiasm; pressure makes them shut down in the studio setting. Never suggest that it is scary or stressful and give yourself plenty of time to arrive to the photo shoot on time. We like to ease a toddler into the mood by giving them some face time with the photographer. Please do not set the toddler on the stage without easing them up there while holding them. We make slow transitions with your child in order for them to feel comfortable enough to separate from the parent, forcing the child is counter-productive to our process and may force the child to shut down completely. Mom or Dad, come dressed to take pictures, in case your little one wants to start with you in the first few pictures. A sense of security is the bottom line with these little ones.

Check Out The Backgrounds
Coordinate outfits with backgrounds you like. We have a wide selection to choose from. It's important to take your child's complexion, outfit colors & backgrounds into consideration when deciding. Some of our backgrounds are on our website, many others are not. If you get stuck, bring in a couple outfits and we will help. We love to give advice.

Keep Outfits Simple
It's very common to struggle with this one... Wear clothes that you feel comfortable in.
RULE OF THUMB: If you like yourself or child in a certain color or outfit, you will love the picture.

If the outfit is both bright with busy patterns, it can detract from the most important parts of the portrait -- your child's face and expression. To ensure your child is more prominent than the clothes, try outfits with solid colors or simple patterns.  Combinations of patterns can be fun too... like checkers, polka dots and stripes in complimentary colors. Layering clothing for boys is really stylish and adorable, add a hat to spice it up. Overalls with no shirt is still a favorite with most parents. Little girls look adorable with headbands and tutu's.  Sandals, shoes, boots or barefoot? Think of the entire look that you are going for. Play around and have fun; maybe let your child pick one outfit (shows their personality) and you get to pick the other.

Family outfits can be casual, vibrant or mismatched. Most people think you need some brilliant themed outfits in order for the shot to work. We disagree.
Some Family Picture Outfit Ideas:
*Let everyone pick their favorite t-shirt and jeans and go barefoot.
*Little kids get a sweater that has a variety of colors and the adults can pull solid colors from the sweater.
*You could do polka dots on one, strips on another, checkers on the 3rd, maybe solids on one or two people.
*Everyone has a different primary or pastel color on.
*Do it up formal style: Black, white or Brown with silver, cream and gold accents look great together.

You get dressed; we'll get the smile.
 

Bring A Favorite Toy, Snack & Drink
Taking pictures is a lot of work and sometimes a short break is needed to refresh your little model.  Not only during the sitting, but afterwards.  Kids are in heaven after they work really hard modeling to have a yummy reward waiting for them.
 

Take Your Child's Schedule Into Consideration
As a parent you know when your child is at his or her best. Children's portrait sessions should be scheduled for a time of day when they are well-rested and alert. If the timing doesn't work, don't be afraid to reschedule, we want to capture the best pictures possible and sometimes a reschedule is necessary. As parents, we know that our plan is not really the plan.
 

Postpone The Haircut
Plan haircuts one to two weeks prior to your child's portrait session. The day of the session is not the best time to experiment with a new hairstyle or hairstylist.

Stay Calm
Children can tell when adults are anxious and nervous. Make sure to be calm and relaxed about the photo session, the children will feel the same. No expectations usually result in a great experience.

Let us do the work
Sit back and enjoy watching your child giggle and smile. And if they don't giggle and smile, enjoy watching your child respond; sometimes the best pictures are the ones that show your child's expressions and personality coming out. These are often the most cherished because they reflect your child.