Take my pictures WHERE? ~ Tips From a Photographer

If you've EVER had family portraits taken, you (as the mom) have had that panicked feeling in your gut thinking, "where are we going to take them?" As a photographer I know you want your location to be PERFECT!! Think beautiful wide open field, waterfall in the background, maybe you like the awesome city lights blurred in the background, or maybe even the perfect red barn with moss hanging off the tree's. There really are all sorts of AWESOME places around to take some pretty amazing pics, but as a photographer, what I REALLY want you to know is that is JUST DOESN'T MATTER!

 I know what you're thinking, "Say whaaat? Oh, yes it does!"  I know it goes against every fiber of your being, but honestly, it doesn't matter. What does matter, you ask??  YOU!!!  Your family and your loved ones! As long as they are there, in that picture, it that moment in time, and eventually on your walls (for you and everyone else to adore on a daily basis)...that is what really matters! 

 Don't believe me? Check it out... 

Does it really matter where you are, as long as you have a pic of your your daughters cutest chubby legs?

 

This adorable pic is just on a bed in a bedroom.

 

Seriously, just a bed in front of a wall.

 

In the back yard.  Does anyone notice the ugly fence in the backyard or are you too busy admiring the sweet mama and baby boy?

 

Most of you don't even realize the cool stuff you have at your house.  How about that 1970's piano bench you've been meaning to reupholster?   And that awesome patio you have with ivy growing up the side of your house?

 

Again with the ivy!!  You guys seriously have some awesome scenery around your house!!

 

hmmmm, I wonder if she would have twirled like that after traveling 20 minutes to a unfamiliar location??  :)

 

Maybe the brightest room in your house has a big dresser in it, I'm sure we can make it work!!

 

You think your yard is ugly?  Well, you or your family DEFINITELY are NOT!! :)

 

 How about we just sit down in the front doorway and see what happens.

 

Or even just a little walk down to the bottom of the driveway.

 Or we can just put your gorgeous baby girl on the rug in your screened in porch.  Oh, you don't like that rug, you say...

And the garage door.  We decided to stay at home for this shoot at the last minute and it sure put their busy MOM of 6 at ease!

As a photographer, I love a cool place just as much as you do, but If all you notice is the background, then I'm pretty sure I'm NOT doing my job right! :) Some of my FAVORITE sessions have been in my clients back yards, in their doorways, in front of their garage doors!!

First off, NO, you don't have to have a perfectly manicured yard and mansion of a
house to pull it off, and second, let's not forget to mention how CONVENIENT it is for you! No packing the kids in the mini van wrinkling their perfectly ironed clothes, No more worrying about traffic or getting your hair messy on the way, or the WORST, your child has to pee pee when your 10 miles away from humanity out in a field! HA! :)

 Right now,  every mother with small children reading this just had a light bulb go off in their brain. You see what I'm saying, huh? Now, I don't mean to say toss all those awesome places you've been thinking about aside and lets just go to your back yard.  Hello, one of my FAV sessions EVA was at the fair...



 What I AM saying, is that if your stressed and just can't decided, let's make it easy on you. All that matters is that all your loved ones are there...in the pictures. They don't even have to be smiling or looking, but that's an entirely different post! :)

TTFN,
Nicole