Learn what to expect at your next outdoor family photoshoot with Pittsburgh Family Photographer, Danielle Blewitt.
If you are considering booking a family photo session, here’s what you can expect before, during and after your session. As a lifestyle family photographer, my approach is relaxed and casual. Creating a memorable and comfortable experience is my priority. I want you to enjoy the process and actually have fun at your photo session so that we can get the most authentic photos to record your story.
Whether you are figuring out how to choose the perfect family photographer or have already booked, here is what to expect at an outdoor family photo session with me.
Pre-Session
Once your date is confirmed, contract is signed and deposit received, your family photoshoot is officially booked! To begin, I will send you a few planning emails to get started which will include the following:
Prep Guide
This includes everything I like families to know in order to prepare for the best session possible. The prep guide includes:
- Ideas on picking the perfect location for your family photos
- Tip for coordinating the perfect outfits
- Styling tips for all seasons
- Ways to prepare yourself and family in advance for a relaxed and fun session
- Timeline of what to expect before, during and after your photo session
Location Examples
If you need some help choosing the best location for your family photos, I will send a list of my favorite spots in and around the city. I will include examples of sessions at each location to give you an idea of the landscape, scenery and amenities at that location.
Questionnaire
I want your photo session to be uniquely yours. I will send you a questionnaire to find out exactly what you want captured. If you are including a special announcement in your session, want some extra attention on certain people during the shoot – let me know this here!
Complimentary Styling
I know picking the perfect outfits for your session can be stressful. Every session gets access to my free styling service. You can pick the look and feel you want, choose your color palette, add your family members and get a full list of perfectly coordinated options for each family member. Once you make your selections, you will be sent an email with a link to each of the selections if you want to purchase them.
For more info, check out How to Choose the Perfect Outfits for Family Photos.
Additional Questions
I make sure that each of my clients have my phone number for anything that comes up between booking and their session. I’m available to answer any questions along the way.
Day of Session
When the day of your session arrives, you should feel prepped and ready. A reminder email goes out one week before your session with a last-minute checklist to help you finish preparing for the big day.
I’ll be in touch the day before to confirm all the last little details including where to meet.
Flow of Session
I like to start every session by with some of the more “difficult” shots while the kids are the most interested in whatever I’m doing. This usually involves getting those few photos with all family members looking and smiling. This can also include sibling shots since we all know that kids timers are pretty short when it comes to their attention.
After we get many of the harder shots out of the way, the session becomes a lot easier and more casual. I’ll focus some time for getting individual portraits of each little one and work on the various parings (mom and kids, dad and kids…etc).
The beauty of lifestyle photography is the flexibility to let the kids be themselves. If they aren’t into the photos at first, we can shift our approach. No stress at all! In fact, I can’t convey the importance enough for mom and dad to just relax! If anyone is stressed, kids/babies will pick up on it. The best advice I can give is to just relax and enjoy your family.
Towards the end of the session we move into bonus time. This means I know we got a lot of great shots and any photos we get after that are just icing on the cake. I like to incorporate a lot of photos that include movement and fun for everyone.
Looking for more ways to prepare for your session?
Check out Love Your Family Photo Session with These Simple Tips
Post-Session
I have to admit that I’m usually just about as excited about your photos as you are. I really love capturing moments for your family that you will look back on for years to come. Here’s what you can expect from me after your session is finished.
Sneak Peek
This might be one of my favorite things of all. A few days after your shoot, I will share some of my top favorites from your session via a blog post. This post will have some of the best moments and most beautiful shots from your session. These are the ones I just can’t help but share while waiting to finish the full gallery. This post is meant to give you a little peek of what is to come and is yours to share with friends, family or on social media.
Gallery Delivery
You can expect to receive your full gallery within 2 weeks, but it’s usually sooner than that! You have full access to download and enjoy all the photos in the gallery (with the exception of mini sessions).
My new gallery system has beautiful display and options for purchasing prints, canvases and all sorts of photo gifts with your images. You can feel free to shop or just simply download your digitals.
Check In
At this point we have talked quite a bit but I like to check in one last time to make sure you are completely satisfied with your investment. I’m always more than happy to make any changes at this point if you need another black and white conversion or a different crop.
Request for a Review
After everything is complete, I like to ask each of my clients to provide a review on Google if they loved their experience. This is so important for my small business and I can’t tell you how much I truly appreciate it. If you want to learn more about how to do so, check this out here:
How to Write a Review for Your Family Photographer
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That covers just about everything you can expect when you book an outdoor family photo session with me. I truly love what I do and I make it my priority to make sure my clients have a fun, stress-free and wonderful experience. I want to help you record beautiful memories with your family that you can look back on for years to come. I want these sweet memories to decorate and live on the walls of your home.
If you are interested in a photo session for your family, let’s connect and I’ll look forward to talking with you to plan your next photoshoot. Connect With Me Here
I’ll look forward to the opportunity to connect and help you plan your next family photo session!
xoxo,
Danielle Blewitt
Life moves too fast. Although we can’t slow it down, we can record the moments that fill our hearts and tell our story through photos and films. I am a Pittsburgh family photographer and film maker that helps families record their stories and pause some of life’s greatest moments.
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