Family Portraits
Would you like to have a family portrait to hang in your home. It should be better than the group shot at the last wedding you attended or the selfie you snapped at a Halloween party. Let me help you capture a “wall-hanger” photograph of your family. I know how hard it is to get everyone to coordinate schedules and wear something without a team logo, all at the same time, so I try to make our time together friendly, easy, and just long enough.
I like to get to know you so we can get comfortable working together and find the best setting that reflects your family’s personality. I have portable lighting and backdrops so we can make your photographs where it is convenient for you; in your home, your yard, or a nearby park or forest preserve.
Would you like a photograph of everyone in your family or multiple photos with each family grouping? Would you like a formal background or something that shows off your family's favorite place or hobbies?
We will arrange to meet at or near your home. If we are going to be outside, I will try to scout it out ahead of our appointment. I will do some preliminary set up for lights, etc. and be ready when you arrive for our appointment. We will finalize the setting and the set up together and make several photos. You will have some shots to choose from after I eliminate the ones with blinking eyes and photo bombs.
Rich, we can't thank you enough! Our family portraits are beautiful! Who would have thought that getting 6 adults and 3 dogs to not only cooperate but look good at the same time, well all we can say is you are a true artist! Thank you and Sue for a truly delightful and memorable experience.
- The Dalton Family, Mark, Stephanie, Meghan Will, Mike, Nicole, Molly, Charleston and last but not least Kenji
Here's what is included in the Family Collection:
- Classic portrait lighting (indoors) or supplemented natural lighting (outdoors)
- A variety of light and composition setups
- In-session image review and private online proof and download gallery
- Image files prepared in high resolution print-ready JPEG and small web-ready JPEG and provided to you from our download gallery
- License for print and social media use
Ready to go?
Contact me and let's talk about the best way to get a family portrait you will be proud to hang on your wall. Here are some tips to prepare for it.
- For men, try to get your hair cut a week or two before your session. Your hair will look more natural if you get it cut several days in advance.
- On the other hand, women may want to have their hair styled the same day.
- Get a good night's sleep the day before your session, drink plenty of water, and avoid salty foods and excessive alcohol. This helps reduce dark circles under your eyes.
- Mid- to late-morning are ideal times to schedule your session--you'll feel more energized and typically have fewer things on your mind.
- If your session is late in the day or in the evening, take time to freshen up your appearance. Men should consider shaving again to reduce any five-o'clock shadow. For women, a camera seems to exaggerate details so makeup should be simple and minimize shine on your skin from lights or the sun.
- Wear clothing that fits well--not too tight and not too loose. Long-sleeved clothing that creates a v-neckline looks flattering in portraits.
- Everyone should wear what they are comfortable with, so they look natural. Solids in darker colors (blue, gray) and mid-tones photograph well on most people. Busy prints seem to distract from the people themselves. For studio portraits, I use a gray background since it works well with nearly any color clothing.
- Generally, a group photo looks “formal” if everyone wears the same type of shirt (e.g. all short sleeves or all long sleeves) and a similar type/color on the bottom (e.g. all jeans or all slacks/skirts).
- Keep your accessories simple. Neckties, scarves, and jewelry should not draw attention away from your face.