It takes an act of God-Almighty to get us all together for pictures. Who said modern day miracles didn't exist? We had a brief 30 minute window of opportunity on a Saturday at noon. Every photographer worth her salt knows noon isn't the ideal time to shoot pictures, so I picked a location that would offer plenty of shade. Luckily, our "dream-neighborhood" offered just the ticket, with a cute bridge to boot!
So, Saturday morning comes, and we all go in different directions...me to take a family's pictures, Eric and Eli to soccer, etc. Eli has 10 minutes to shower and change. My hair which was perfect at 8 am has now been in the drizzle/dew. Flat, I tell ya. But, we were a slave to the schedule, or we knew it would never get done. We also only had 30 minutes tops because Eli had another soccer game to get to!
I was a hot mess when we got to our destination. I blubbered out, "I can't believe it is my profession to torture other families like this!!!" But, by the time we started smiling, I was all better...having visions of family cuteness wallpapered to every single wall.
We coerced our friend Michelle to take some of all of us...she did great despite the fact Asher was about to have a meltdown (his naptime had to take a backseat to everyone else's schedule!) I'll show you our family pic after we mail our Christmas cards out. (WHOOP WHOOP--cards are bought!!!)
I wanted our colors to be vibrant and bright, without a lot of matching going on. Here are my tips for coordinating outfits:
1. Pick your color scheme...avoid all one color, especially white because white overexposes the faces. Choose 3-4 colors that coordinate and roll with it.
2. Pick your outfit first, Mom! You know you want to feel your best, so go with what you are comfortable in. Add lots of jewelry, a scarf, accessories, and makeup a bit heavier than usual.
3. Shop everyone else's closets before you go shopping. This year the only thing I had to buy were 2 pair of shoes...but they were needed anyway. Luckily we had colors that would go with the theme. I am a big believer in that you don't have to spend a fortune on clothes to create good pictures. The best thing you can do is mix and match textures and designs. Don't be afraid to mix plaids, solids, stripes, and patterns. Also, add layers and accessories (chunky necklace, scarf, knit sweater, vest, headband, etc.) when you can. This adds depth and richness to the pictures.
4. Lay everything out on the bed and get a "feel" for how it is going to all come together. Shoes, and jewelry and everything! If your eye goes to a particular item, it will do the same thing in the pictures. Consider changing it out.
5. If possible, avoid glasses, excessive cleavage (sometimes the photographer will shoot down on you,) sleeveless shirts, shirts with a tiny check print (will lose its look and become distorted,) or anything with writing on it.
6. Have Fun and Relax! It doesn't matter if you have hired a professional or recruited a friend...you will totally appreciate documenting that one moment in time. For us, the session documented our final days before Asher started crawling!
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