In-Home Lifestyle Guide

For most people the thought of having a stranger come to their home and photograph them can be a little daunting, especially if you aren't exactly comfortable in front of a camera.

You probably feel like your house is chaos, you have nothing to wear and you worry that your kids will be absolutely out of control!

Well I am here today to put your mind at ease, to give you the low down on what to expect and help you get prepared!

What to Expect

Lets start with the awkwardness of posing and the fear of the camera. It's a very real thing but with a lifestyle session the pressure is OFF! There will be no awkwardness or stiff poses. Instead there will be fun and laughter. There will be cuddles on the bed and tickles on the couch. With a little guidance from me, you will soon forget about the camera - promise!! 

Of course there will be some initial nerves, that’s normal! To be honest I’m always a bit nervous too. 

I want you and your family to interact as natural as possible this enables me to capture actions as organically as possible, which in turn will make gorgeous memorable images true to your families natural relationship.

If you have little ones children are naturally curious so they will usually interact with me quite easily. There isn’t much need for you to ask them to look at the camera. In my experience this has the complete opposite affect! Instead I find it much easier for the parents to look at me (when directed) and let me grab the attention of the children. Deal?

I try not to ‘pose’ families too much I find it much easier if families or couples just align themselves naturally. If I feel some direction is needed I will always gently offer it to angle you with the best light or in the most flattering way.

Try not to fuss over clothes, hair etc… I know this is so hard as you want everything to be perfect but let’s be honest life isn’t perfect and to me capturing your family in the most organic way will translate to more emotionally connected images in the long run. 

What to Do Before your Session

Now let's get your house sorted out!

You absolutely do not have to have a home that is straight out of a magazine. If you do, well thats great. But it isn't necessary. I'm a mum and totally understand the beautiful chaos that is the newborn phase. I promise I will not judge!!!

Big or small, light or dark, modern or old, we will make it work and in fact no matter what your home looks like it will be the perfect backdrop for your session because it is the place where you will all easily relax & connect.

Your home represents you as a family and when you look back in a few years time you will be so glad you had your session at home. 

A quick tidy round to de-clutter and put things away that you don't want photographed is really all that is needed. When I arrive, I will get you (or maybe the kids) to give me a little tour and from there we will work out what rooms we will use and where we have the best light etc.

Room temperature can make a big difference to how your baby will behave during the session. I find when the baby feels warm in winter or cool in summer they are much more relaxed. I suggest to make the room as cosy as possible with a nice ambient temperature. If it's summer or winter making the room around 22-24'C is ideal.

I generally use the master bedroom so if you have a plain doona cover this is always great but dont worry if you don't. Texture is always a winner too so if you have a chunky wool throw or textured pillows, perfect!

I will definalty l check out the nursery I love getting all those sweet details you have poured into it. I will also check if you or your baby has been given any sentimental items as gifts or if you have something from your childhood please have handy so I can capture these too.

Kids rooms, most kids love showing this off to me so I can spend some time with them checking out and capturing their little items.

Finally the main living area, remember this doesn't need to be show home neat. I will possibly rearrange things a little to make sure we get a good composition and make the best use of the available light. Sometimes we might go outside too.

And that's it ... too easy!

What to Wear

This is a question I get asked the a lot. My reply, something you feel most comfortable in. When you feel comfortable you will look comfortable, simple!

Deciding what to wear for your family portrait session is a task well worth your time and effort. I always recommend picking out outfits at least a week or two before your session and laying everyone's outfits and accessories out to see all together.

Mums, it’s great if you can pick your outfit first (take this opportunity to go out and buy yourself something that you LOVE and feel aaaaaaamazing in!) and coordinate the rest of the family around YOU! It's your time to shine and spoil yourself a little.

Try to coordinate outfits without looking overly “matchy”. Avoid wearing the same colours and instead find a colour palette you love or suits your family home. Neutral and warm tones like whites, cream and tan always are very complimentary but if colour is your thing wearing bright colours in small doses is great too and can make a big difference to the overall look of your images. Avoid black if you can!

For baby, white or cream are always fabulous with a newborns. Have handy a number of wraps and blankets too. Dress your baby in something comfortable relative to the season they are being photographed in.

If there are other little ones remember kids like to move, so fuss free clothes are always best. Layers are fantastic as you can add or remove items to change a look. Avoid any large logos, distracting &/or tiny prints. Larger strips, checks and polka dots always look great, but keep it to one person if possible.

Click the link below for some examples which might help co-ordinate your look.

Feed Them

If you have a newborn feeding them during the session is most welcome, I often find babies need a little extra comfort from mum or dad to settle and assure them which defiantly helps with those gorgeous sleeping newborn shots.

If you have other little ones I would advise either giving them a light snack before I arrive or organise some easy to eat items and drinks prior to the session for when the time arises. Full bellies make for full happy hearts.

Let's Go!

I hope this has given you some information about what to expect with your in-home session with me.

If you have any questions please get in contact, no question is ever too silly!

Oh and one last thing... Now we live in a world of COVID-19 I would like to assure you that I sanitise my equipment before arriving and will wash my hands on arrival and I'm more than happy to wear a mask if asked. I am up to date with my immunisations too so feel safe in knowing I take every precaution not to harm to your precious little bundle. I will reschedule if feeling unwell and please do the same if you feel unwell. We're all in this together.