What you need to know before your Lifestyle Session

What is a Lifestyle Session?

A lifestyle session aims to capture the everyday moments in a beautiful way. It’s captured in your home, with your own surroundings, and your own memories. One day you can look back on the photos and remember that bedspread you had, the toys across the floor, the nursery set up, and those couches you spent your days and evenings on. Lifestyle photography aims to express the essence of you and your family, with minimal posing and no additional props. With newborns, it aims to catch those little details – such as the tiny toes, the way they hold onto your finger, the resettling in your arms when they won’t sleep, or the multitasking of holding a baby while making lunch.

Where do you take photos in a Lifestyle Session?

Photos are taken inside your home, and usually in the areas where you spend the most time. When I arrive, however, I’ll have a quick walk through to see where the best lighting might be – and maybe I’ll suggest something strange like having a little picnic in the hallway instead of the kitchen because the light is better in the hallway! Most of the time there are at least some photos taken on Mom and Dad’s bed – and sometimes the kids will even be allowed to jump on it if allowed (just this one time!).

What do we do in a Lifestyle Session?

The aim of Lifestyle Sessions is to photograph you and your family in a REAL way – not just in a way where everyone is dressed nicely and smiling for the camera. Lifestyle sessions have very minimal posing – although situations will be set up so that we can capture some of the memories you want to freeze in the time allocated for the session. For example, we may see you dressing your little one, reading your

child a story, doing dishes together, making a cake together, playing a board game together – whatever is real and relevant for your family. If it’s a newborn lifestyle session, we may just see you just laying and looking at your new little baby and their little toes and gorgeous features, you feeding your baby, dressing your baby, or putting him/her to sleep. Before the session I encourage you to think about the things that make your family special and let me know the type of things you might like to freeze in time.

We will also likely just spend some time with your family hanging out on your bed. You don’t all need to be sitting nicely and looking at the camera – although we will often get some of those as well – lifestyle is all about keeping those real and genuine connections. What happens when the kids start jumping on the bed? What happens when your little one comes in for a snuggle? In your session just be as relaxed as possible. The aim isn’t to be perfect – the aim is to be genuine.

Do I need to clean the house?

No! Lifestyle is real and authentic, so things don’t have to be perfect. However, I would recommend some decluttering and a basic tidy – you just don’t need to go crazy! Especially if you have a newborn, you don’t want to be worrying about everything looking perfect!


What do we wear?

Lifestyle is about being genuine and authentic. There is no need to go out and buy new outfits (although – any excuse for a new outfit, right?!). Wear clothes you feel relaxed in and comfortable. Avoiding tops with logos is very important! Also keep your hair in a way that won’t cover your face at time of session. Having said that – avoid wearing your worst/oldest gym clothes that you might normally wear around the house on the weekend! A nice jumper or jeans with hair loosely tied back,

looks beautiful and natural because it is a good compromise between being too casual, and being too dressed up. With kids, you might like to let them choose what to wear so that they feel that they can let their little personalities out. For example, if they want to wear their tutu and tiara – let them! It captures who they are at this moment in time! You may want to restrict their choices, so that they at least pick something you have pre-approved!

How long does the session go for?

Lifestyle sessions usually last for 1-2 hours. If there are particular activities you really want to show, but they are only done at certain times of the day (example:

putting your little one to sleep) – then let me know and we can try to book the session so that the time suits. Many activities can be recreated so that they are done at times you wouldn’t normally (example: making pancakes at lunch time instead of breakfast, or getting your little one dressed in pj’s in the middle of the day), but some do require very specific timing.

Please give me a call or text 407.773.2463 if you have any questions! I am excited about capturing this fun day for you and your family :)

What to wear for family portraits?

When it comes to family portraits, one of the most common questions I get is "What should we wear?” It’s a hard decision! Since this photos will be for a lifetime, you want to make sure your entire family looks good as possible. You also want your family to look like themselves and most importantly, you want to wear clothes that makes all of you comfortable. I always recommend wearing clothes that makes you feel and look your best, and this can be different for every person.

Understanding what colors complement each other, will really help the colors in your portraits. Aqua, turquoise, navy, and sea glass always photograph well and work with nearly all skin tones. If you leave in Florida you should avoid wearing solid green, because here the majority of the backdrop will probably be GREEN!

1. COMPLEMENTARY COLORS:

Using combinations of these colors with your subject and background, will help create a flattering portrait. I love this pink, blue, and yellow combination! Yellow is an awesome color to pop the image!

2. PULLING COLORS TO DRESS EVERYONE:

I recommend choosing one pattern and pulling colors from there to dress everyone else.

This family is the perfect example! Not afraid of colors they started with Mom’s top, then dressed everyone else following same tons of pink, white and blue. They could even go further and add more yellow on the mix… Dad could wear a soft yellow top or bottom per example.

Something else to keep in mind: avoid matching polos and khakis! Soft, natural fabrics in cotton and linen that drape and flow also make for beautiful portraits.

3. FUN COMBINATIONS THAT ALWAYS WORK:

Using bold colors, blues and tons of maroon and hot pink is always fun, like examples below:

HOW ABOUT TEAL COLOR SHADES?

You have lots and lots of teal in your closet? Not a problem! Teal really pops with white… But it also works with cream, navy, pink and specially brown tones. Look below how teal contrasts well with blue and pink. Teal, white and black is also a timeless combination.

HOW ABOUT WHITE? White can be a challenge, but it can also be beautiful for classic portraits, we just need to avoid EVERYONE wearing white at the same time :) At this example they mixed white with different shades of blues.

HAVING A BEACH SESSION?

Using an accent color such as coral or pink will contrast nicely with the sea, and create a more contemporary portrait. This combination is very soft and the blue totally works with it! Like I said before, it is hard to go wrong when you mix any color with blue :) I also love the TEXTURE at girl’s skirt!

4. LET’S TALK ABOUT DOS AND DON’TS

SAY YES TO: timeless and classic pieces

• simple dresses

• button downs

• pea coats

• khakis

• v-necks

• cardigans

• ballet flats

• brown knee high boots

• scarves

• blazers and fedoras

YES to classic choices: Try to steer away from current trends, since they’ll date your photos 10 years from now.

YES to mixing patterns. Checks, plaids and stripes are all okay to include in your photo session wardrobe! Keep them on a smaller scale if you are trying to style a big group.

YES to TEXTURE!!! Add some visual interest to your images with unique fabrics, like: laces, cable knits, chambray, tweed, herringbone, faux fur and wool.

YES to keeping it real. I have never gone out and bought something special for a photo shoot and I tell my clients they don’t need to either. I can guarantee you that there is already something in your closet that will work perfectly for your photo session wardrobe. Keeping it comfy is key, too. Anything stiff and too formal will translate so in the picture, especially for kids. Keep the dresses and boys clothes in soft cottons or flannels. Not only will they be more relaxed in these types of items, but these materials photograph better, too. They don’t get wrinkled or look too starchy, know what I mean?

SAY NO TO :

NO logo wording on clothing. No “GAP,” “Old Navy,” or “POLO” splashed in huge letters across a shirt. Sorry, but this is never okay. When shopping for your family, just stay away from this trend all together and you will never have this issue. Your eye will go straight to those words, therefore deeming them the most important part of the picture!

5. BRING PROPS!!! It adds a special/personal touch to images;

6. ACCESSORIES: Accessories give your photographs that needed punch!

They lend pops of color, personality, and interest. Everybody wears them well and they work for all ages. Here are some ideas and what they can do for your photograph:

• HATS: Hats frame the face, protect the eyes from squinting in full sun, and overall are just fun, fun, fun! You can also use them to strengthen and/or tell your story better, for example putting a baseball cap on the boys if you are shooting a baseball themed image. Wouldn’t a boy in a Cubs hat at a baseball game make your image that much stronger? Now you know what team the boy is cheering on! This image of my daughter was made stronger by giving her my hat to wear before I snapped this frame. It frames her, distracts the viewer from the background and gives the photo some juxtaposition… a little girl in a big fancy hat chowing down on a cheeseburger!

• BELTS, SOCKS, SCARVES and JEWELRY: All these things are going to give pops of color, and work to completing the outfit. They can be unexpected bits of fun, too, like crazy and colorful knee socks on a girl. Striped belts make a boring khaki and polo outfit more interesting. Shiny necklaces give an image a little glimmer and can be a good prop to give to someone who doesn’t know what to do with their hands.

• SHOES: I photograph in homes a lot, so I actually am a big proponent of no shoes. To me, they don’t look right in the setting of home sweet home. Who hangs out on their bed or couch with their shoes on? Not anybody I know! But shoes in other settings can really help support a story and can be an important part of the photo session wardrobe. Patterned or colorful rain boots for a rainy day, cowboy boots to pair with a feminine dress for that awesome prairie girl look, motorcycle boots to amp up a street casual look, boating shoes to lend that extra dose of preppiness… the possibilities are endless!

• GLASSES: I love all things glasses: sunglasses, reading glasses, movie glasses, weird glasses. Glasses can be so fun to work with. Big sunglasses are so fun on a little one and on a sunny day can help eliminate squinting and raccoon eyes from harsh shadows. Tortoise eyeglasses can make a library story way more interesting or be the perfect thing to pair with a school day theme shoot or a really preppy session. No movie picture is complete without the free 3-D frames that are handed out. And weird and silly glasses can make for some exciting shots, too!

7. LET KIDS HAVE INPUT

If your daughter hates wearing dresses, don’t force her to wear one for picture day. If your son thinks that bowtie is uncomfortable, ditch it. Happy kids make for happy photos!

COLOR PALETTES

PLEASE don’t get overwhelmed … you can use this sample colors and tips as a starting point:

• Choose your palette,

• Pick two or three bright colors,

• Then filled in the rest with neutral colors like beige and gray.

NEED A BIT MORE INSPIRATION?

Look below for more sample clothing boards and color palettes.

Still in doubt? Just go to your room and decide, who has the most colorful dress/outfit for the session? Maybe you or your daughter? Lay it on your bed! Now you can build/add all other colors… laying all at your bed can really give you an idea if colors go together or not. Don’t forget the Accessories!

Take pictures on your phone and text me! I would love to see it (407) 773-2463

No need to be afraid of colors! BE BOLD BE FUN!

CALL/TEXT ME ANYTIME!