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.
