my goal is for you to relax & enjoy your Clearwater Beach Photos
As an experienced Clearwater Beach family photographer, I am here to help you prepare your family for your upcoming session!
Maybe you booked your family session with me or have been too scared to get all of your kids together for a professional family photo. Either way, I am here to help! It can seem overwhelming trying to get everything together and investing in family session can put even more pressure on everyone.
My goal for every session is to have fun and let it be stress free! Here are some of my tips to help your Clearwater Beach photos go smoothly!
First things first
First and foremost, I want you to know that I am SO EXCITED to capture your family portraits! Meeting new people and capturing your sweet family is something I will always be so honored to be a part of.
Choose your date and time
The lighting is best up to 1 hour after sunrise or 2 hours before sunset. This is also known as the “golden hour.” This creates the best lighting and the dreamiest looking portraits.
When booking, if your children do best after breakfast, let me know! If they do better in the afternoon after a nap give me a heads up! I can work around different lighting situations, but a sleepy/cranky kid only lasts so far.
Plan on having your session your first full day on vacation. I go more into all of this on a recent blog post, which you can find here:
location, location, location!
When picking out locations for your Clearwater Beach photos, it can be as simple as walking out of your condo or hotel onto the beach! Now, some rentals or hotels may not be directly on the beach. OR some are right in the hot spots and are simply way too crowded for a session. Not to worry, there’s some great parks and places that are less crowded and offer better backdrops for a photo session on Clearwater Beach. One of my favorites in the area is Sand Key Park, and North Beach.
You also have to consider if we have anyone in your session with mobility issues, or if you will be bringing your furry 4 legged friend along.
what to wear
Moms, I suggest you pick out your outfit first, and then work everyone else around that choice. Pick something you feel comfortable in. Dresses flatter the best, and its fun to splurge and pick out something you have had your eye on. A beautiful flowy dress? Sounds amazing!
As for colors, neutral softer tones pair well with the beach and green landscape we have here in Florida, and some of my favorite colors are also bold reds, yellows, and turquoises.
When you book your Clearwater Beach Photos session with me, you will receive my Portrait Session & Style Guide, with lots of clothing and color inspiration for your photos.
Styling your session
I am a low prop type of photographer. I rely on the natural surroundings, park benches and ground when photographing. Feel free to bring a hat, blanket, special item or floral crowns or bouquet to your session to add a pop. I will never use props or items that litter, or trash the natural surroundings of the beach.
Prep your family
Need someone who is great with kids? Look no further! I have hardly met a kid that won’t warm up to me. I have tricks in my back pocket if I need to use them.
It’s also perfectly ok if not everyone is smiling at the camera at all times. This gives us variety and a chance to show your family in natural settings and natural poses.
Some kids might be more shy so tell them up front what’s going to happen. Tell them a friend will be taking their photographs and that we are going to a park/beach to play and have fun. Show them old family sessions or pictures of them. Plan a reward (not bribe lol!) for the whole family to enjoy after the session. Tell them everyone will go out for ice cream or the movies after the session. Whatever helps bring together the family.
I also want to note, I find bringing snacks, edible items, and even favorite “objects” can actually be distracting during a shoot. We move so fast and I keep them entertained that it’s best to leave these items in the car.
Prep the men
Does a family session sound worse than getting your teeth pulled to your husband or family member? Most men can be apprehensive about getting in front of the camera. If you explain how important the session is to you this typically helps. Show him some of my sessions and tell him why you chose me.
One of the most common, and delightful comments I get from the guys is “wow this wasn’t so bad!” And “I actually had fun!” – Literally words from dads at previous sessions.
I think because I keep my sessions moving, interactive and break it up with posing, it really does go by fast and we end up having lots of fun.
Portrait Session Guide Included With Each Session
While these tips will get you far, every session that books with me receives a detailed Portrait Session & Style Guide in their inbox after they book. This has fun photographs and more detailed tips and tricks for your upcoming session. I want my clients to feel prepared and ready to have a blast at their stress free family session!
book your clearwater beach photos today!
If you have been thinking about booking a session with me and haven’t, now is the time! My calendar books up fast and I would love to get you scheduled! Please fill out the contact form and I’ll send you my detailed pricing info.
