I love photographs. They are on every available surface of my house. The smiling faces of my kids at various stages of their young lives. Myself and friends on some far flung adventure. My husbands sporting achievements. My parents wedding anniversary. Happy times. Here's the but - I love unposed, natural photos. For some reason when someone produces a camera and says "cheese" that's exactly what I turn into. A giant, awkward, ball of grinning cheese.
So although thrilled when we were gifted a family photo session, I was also anxious. First world problems, I know but a legacy of horrendous communion and confirmation photos has taken it's toll.
I found myself frantically googling what to wear, how to stand, how to not look like a complete idiot in your family photo. For the woman who has to make a daily choice between having a shower or eating breakfast I knew getting and keeping five of us clean and out the door was going to be no mean feat. And don't even get me started on choosing outfits. Thankfully I found loads of helpful tips from photography websites.
Choose coordinating rather than matching colours
Having two boys and a very girly girl I really wanted to find something that would work for us all so I choose my daughters favourite skirt and built around the colours in that - beiges, blues, pinks - all complimenting colours.
Limit the use of patterns
I limited patterns to one item of clothing each for the kids and us grown ups just wore a straight block of colour. Patterns can detract from the overall image by making it appear too busy.
Say no to novelty or character t-shirts
Like patterns these can really detract from the final look of the photo. They will also date.
Don't be afraid to accessorise
As in any situation accessories can really add to the look of an outfit. Things like ties, scarves, hats, necklaces and even teddy bears can all be used to add character or as a talking point.
Planning ahead
Think about the kinds of photographs you would like. As well as a good family picture I also wanted to get individual photos of each of the children, all three together, just the boys, just the girls etc. It's good to give the photographer a list of your requirements so that you come away from the experience happy.
Relax & Enjoy the experience
My family are my favourite people in the world. I love spending time with them so even though I look like a deer startled by headlights when put in front of a camera I just tried to view the photography session as something new and fun for us to try. I loved seeing the kids interact with each other, pose with silly faces, hug each other fiercely and I just tried to relax and let that shine through.
The end result is a mixture of some really beautiful shots which I'll proudly display coupled with some dodgier ones which will play hide-and-seek in a very dark drawer for a very long time!
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