Choosing the clothing you want for your family photo session can be challenging. Here are some tips to get you started before you run out and buy new clothes for everyone.

  1. Think about your family first. What makes you all special together and as individuals? I have had families that are all about being in sports, extreme casual. But they showed up in suits and ties. No one was comfortable except mom in a flowing dress. I get it, Mom wanted them to look nice. But also know that a change of outfits is allowed at your sessions with Marnie. With the use of taking so many photos on cell phones you may think you have so many of them in their everyday wear, but how many of those photos do you have hanging around your home? Show off who your child is, not what you expect them to be. Yes, there are dress clothes and they look good, but are your going to get the real kid to come out if they are not comfortable? Try to determine if black and white photos would work best. That way color will not matter, but their style can shine. Working with a color pallet that you all agree on besides black or white and not be so matchie matchie may be the way to go.
  2. When it comes to what you are going to use the photos for is a key factor. If they are going on the wall, you want to complement the room you are currently going to place them. Remember you can change the paint color of the room more often than you can change that moment in time.
  3. Bring a change of clothing. You never know when the weather will change and play tricks on us here in the north shore. On the hill, it may be 70 degrees but down by the lake, it may be 50 degrees. As adults we prepare for the kids to have a change of clothes due to spills, dirt piles they may encounter, but don’t forget about mom and dad. That kid’s shoe bottom will ruin dads shirt the second he puts him on his shoulders. Having a backup plan for clothing is not only smart but a must have for everyone.
  4. No Devices! I mean it, no devices are to be present during a family session. This will allow you all the play and interact together. It is especially necessary for the men in your life who put it in their front pockets, sit down and then you see this large square press through their pants pocket. Not fun to edit out and can be avoided really easy by just leaving them in the car. This is family time. Marnie does carry her devices along for emergencies when kids need to be distracted while parents are in front of the camera, but that is only when necessary. We do our best to keep them entertained while you get your turn. I get it devices are part of our lives now, and there are times you want them involved in the story. Plan on discussing this in advance if you want to include them.
  5. SHOES. Yeah, I said it SHOES. In my world, these are a necessary evil. After all is said and done the outfits look great, makeup and hair and looking great, but did you remember the shoes. Sure enough one of the children grab the grubby shoes from the back of the closet. If this is a summer session, bare feet are the best.
  6. Bring your Smiles. You may want your child to smile for every photo, but you are going to get only fake smiles. The smile happens with more than the mouth. It is in the eyes, ears, nose, face and more. An expression of happiness is that images I try to capture. These are what makes this experience fun. Mom, I got this. My son only smiles a true smile when he is truly happy. Crooked teeth and all. When he is forced to smile for photos, his eyes wander, his nose curled and his lips do this weird up and over the maneuver. Getting frustrated at the photo session does not make for great images. We are capturing a happy family. Relax, enjoy a few hours with your family and know that I am there to capture this moment in time to have lasting memories.
  7. Bring food. With all the food allergies and not knowing your family. bringing snacks they will enjoy is a good plan. And makes for good bribes at any age. Bring the cooler to enjoy a picnic where ever we are going. When was the last picnic you had with your crew?

Your photo session will be something you want to talk about for years to come. My goal is to ensure that you talk only about the good memories of the experience. Children hold on to those memories more than we will ever know.