Tis the season for lots of photo sessions as people hurry to get those Christmas cards ready. While downtown Greenville is the typical destination for family photos, I always prefer the charm of Greer, SC. With everything being so close, it’s so easy to get a variety of shots and enjoy the beauty of this town.
The Bogners are returning clients and my friends, so of course, I was happy to spend time with them, capturing their beautiful children. And as you can see, their daughter is so fun. I love getting her in front of the camera. I hope you enjoy this family lifestyle session in beautiful Greer, SC.
There are a couple of things I try to remember when capturing a family.
- It can feel super awkward in front of the camera
- Kids don’t care about your christmas cards
- Dads usually don’t either
Keeping those things in mind, time is typically limited. I am always willing to stay as long as we need to in order to get the gallery, but I want to be mindful of the fact that this isn’t high on most of the family’s list. How do I handle that? One, I try to be as purposeful as possible, utilizing each pose as best I can. Two, I try to worry less about everyone looking at me and smiling and focus more on everyone connecting and having fun together. And finally, three, I try to give the kids breaks and activities to do in order for it to feel like a game. My goal for each session is for everyone to have fun and to capture moments together. I never try to get everyone perfectly posed and looking at me.
The beauty of photographing children is that they aren’t trying to look a certain way. And I want to capture them as themselves. Honestly, I would prefer to just come to their house and let them play and take pictures of them doing their thing. But I realize that sometimes, moms just want a sweet family picture together for Christmas cards, and so, I try to invoke that same level of comfort with the kids by playing. I let them see the pictures I’m taking, we talk about our favorite shows, and I give them games and ways to create movement. That’s what I do with my kids as I take pictures of them daily, and that’s how I feel comfortable working with other’s kids as well.
If you’re interested in a family session, please contact me below. I’d love to capture your family in the most authentic way. I offer both lifestyle and documentary sessions and in 2019, will be offering studio portraiture as well. Thanks so much for reading.
