Pittsburgh photographer Jen Carver shares her photo session secrets!

The sun is finally shining in Pittsburgh, Pa and I have gotten many emails asking for help and my secrets to getting the best images of your children! So instead of emailing all of you back I decided to make a post with the top 10 ways of getting the best images of your children along with some personal secrets used in my  sessions!

1. Make sure the kids are healthy, rested and bellys full

2. Location, Location, Location- choose a location you’ve never been too.. I find this will bring out the most genuine expressions from your children..they are able to explore a new place for the very first time and you are able to capture it!

3. Shoot very early in the morning or right before the sun goes down ( i prefer this time over the morning..the light is just magical!)

4. Wardrobe – as many of you know i’m known for styling my clients on location.. this is really important and can make or break your photographs.  Stay true to your style, but keep in mind what looks good on camera, here are the guidelines I give my clients when choosing wardrobe  (check out my favorites page for a list of retailers i personally like for my shoots and check out my website galleries for more inspiration!)

- Wear clothing that is embellished or that has texture and movement to it

- LOTS OF COLOR , stay away from pastels and white and no small florals

- Think timeless! You dont want your images to have a shelf life. Pick silhouettes that will not “date” your photo.  solids, denim, gingham, stripes are okay if they are consistent vertical and horizontal- no one way stripes

- No logos or graphics..it will take away from the subject and i find very distracting

-Barefoot is best, I like boots too, or mary janes with kneessocks, black or brown shoes for boys

-Don’t forget to accessorize- this will bring your images to life, headbands, scarves, hats, suspenders, jewelry etc

5. Find the light – keep the light coming in towards one side of their face.. if its low it can come directly on as long as it does not cause squinting..find some shade , overcast skies can give you beautiful light as well – the key is to shoot at the right time .. never shoot between 10am-2pm

6. Bring something to entertain them. A small bucket, or object for them to hold.. this will help keep them in one place long enough to get the shot.. fill that bucket with stones or leaves or have them do it..keeping them entertained will distract them from what your doing and make the session fun for them

7. Siblings- my secret to this is “simon says” if you have an unhappy one in the bunch start off with making them all make the silliest face they can make..this will catch them off guard and ease the mood so that you can start the game and quickly get that shot

8. No forced smiles!  Never ask your children to “smile” , instead try making them laugh..on a session I use the parents for this..seeing mom and dad act silly or even share a hug or little kiss will always bring out the absolute sweetest expressions from your children..

9. Bring snacks, this will keep them happy throughout the shoot

10.Reward them! After the shoot is over make sure you reward the kids – Positive reinforcement goes along way in ensuring the success of future shoots!

 

Good luck, Send me ONE of your best images, I would love to see your work!   info@jencarverphotography.com