When should we have our session?

We prefer to book outdoor sessions in the late afternoon around 1-2 hours before sunset. The afternoon light is the most flattering for portraits and as a bonus, we often get the gorgeous glow of sunset too. In summer and during daylight savings time this can be very late in the day and if you are including young children, it may be better to book in April – October when the sun is down by 5 pm. We have done many late evening shoots with young children and we have had very few issues but parents may have a grumpy little one the next day!

What should we wear?

These photos are your memories. Dress in something that makes you feel amazing and it will show in the photos! You’ll be looking back at these images for decades to come – you need to love them!
We will be moving, cuddling, sitting and walking throughout the session so choosing something that allows you to move without adjusting too much is a good idea. Nothing too short (sitting and squatting may be involved) or anything that only looks good if you’re standing up and holding everything in, we are not into stiff poses so keep it movement-friendly.
Think simple and coordinated- not all matching like a uniform (please no jeans and white t-shirts for everyone!) Think of a colour pallet of two or three colours and mix it up with textures, linens, knits, etc.
Please avoid all logos or graphics on shirts– it can be an eyesore when you see only a tiny bit of a print on a shirt (picture a sneaky paw patrol puppy peaking out in an otherwise perfect photo of you snuggling with your child), it makes it harder to photoshop images together if needed (imagine there’s only one image of your toddler smiling and we can’t move them into another image because of a fiddly outfit choice) and it will date your images and be out of style before you blink. You want to look back on these photos and love them not be distracted by an out-of-style logo or graphic.

SHOES ARE IMPORTANT
Think boots or a leather-style shoe or loafer – not sneakers or skate shoes unless that suits the whole group’s look.
When shooting outdoors in our park or bushland locations we recommend a closed-in shoe or boot- there is always the possibility of encountering wildlife and bugs and keeping little (and big!) feet protected is a must.
Keep in mind we will be walking and moving around so delicate high heels are not the best idea.

Hair and Makeup

• For men and boys please get a haircut at least a week out from the session.
• Ladies make sure the colour is fresh! There is no way to fix regrowth in Photoshop and greys are a nightmare. Make sure you feel the best you can! If you’re not confident in doing your hair, book a blow-dry- you’re investing in these photos you deserve to look and feel amazing!
• The same goes for makeup. If you are not confident in doing your own please consider a professional. Even light makeup done professionally is better than badly done or poor colour matched. I can recommend someone if you need one! Don’t forget we will do close-up shots of you and your face! AVOID glitter and shimmer please- it gets on everything!
• Little girl’s hair is best if it is left out but if it is a bit wild keep it off the face so maybe half up or pinned a little back. Big bows or hair accessories are troublemakers that get in the way of other people’s faces and move around a lot looking messy.
  Headbands on little ones will always be moving and twisting around. Bring them with you if you love them and we can see if they are workable.
• Please check fingernails for polish and cleanliness- I know it’s easy to overlook but chipped old polish or dirt under nails will stand out like a sore thumb!
  Below are a few ideas that we sourced from Pinterest– have a look and see what you can find!

What happens if the weather is bad?

The weather is the boss when it comes to an outdoor session. We will be keeping our eyes on the radar in the leadup to the session and we will reschedule for the following reasons-

• It is extremely hot (nobody looks good red-faced and sweaty)
• Very windy (like wind whipping your hair and outfit, branches breaking, crazy type of wind)
• Heavy smoke from bushfires or backburning (basic breathing is important right?)
• Rain only if it’s bad- sometimes it can rain for a few minutes and then the sun is back out and can even bring a rainbow 🙂

If we need to reschedule (and it doesn’t happen often) we try and call it with as much notice as possible and we will find the next date available and get the session happening ASAP.