The Spring Mini Sessions are 15 minutes long and include 3-5 digital images with a print release and suggestions for where to print.  It may seem like 15 minutes isn’t a lot of time but you’d be surprised just how much we can do in that short time span!  It’s also nice because even the least enthusiastic member of your family can be talked into 15 minutes in front of the camera.   While Mini Sessions are great for a lot of families and situations they aren’t the best for families with babies under 3 months or with small children who are super shy and take a long time to warm up to strangers.

Call or email me to book your preferred time slot!

For babies I love soft textures and colors with attention to details.  I absolutely adore rompers and cried when my little guy outgrew them.  Simple is often best.   However simple doesn’t have to be boring, bold geometric patterns fit the bill just as well as soft muted shades of solid color.  Accessories are lots of fun and there are loads of adorable hats, ties, suspenders, diaper covers, tutus, leg warmers, and more that are easily available.  Etsy is a great place to look for unique and handmade items.  I know that several of the children’s consignment stores in the Salem area carry hair accessories made by local artists at very reasonable prices.  If you’re the crafty type you can even do some quick searches on Pinterest for tutorials on making things like tutus (seriously, if I can make one you can too!) and leg warmers.  Just remember that it’s very possible to go overboard on the cute accessories, too much and you barely notice the adorable baby wearing all of them!  If you’re really lucky you may have some family heirlooms passed down like a vintage baby bonnet or dress.  These items are free to use and can really make a portrait session special.

For toddlers it’s important to make sure they can move around freely in their outfit, and that you don’t have to bribe your child with 24 blue M&Ms to wear it.  Some toddlers are very opinionated on what they are wearing and others could care less.  If you have a child that doesn’t care what you dress them in then count your blessings!  Take your child’s personality and session location and theme into consideration when you are choosing outfits for portrait sessions.  For example a little girl wearing a funky hip hop outfit might feel a little out of place in a sunlit field, and a girl in a white sundress and cowboy boots might look out of place in a more urban backdrop.  Regardless of the style you’re going for it’s often a good idea to build an outfit in layers.  For a little boy this could mean a collared shirt under another shirt or sweater with maybe a puffy vest on top.  Toddlers have lots of the same fun accessory options that babies have with the added addition of shoes.  Don’t forget to remember their shoes!  If at all possible it’s best to avoid characters/writing on both shirts and shoes.  Save the Elmo tee shirt and Dora the Explorer shoes for later.

Now that my kids are 5 and 7 I have them help me plan out their photo session outfits.  I find that they are much more cooperative with the process when they feel like they have some input which in turn means they are motivated to actually put forth effort when the camera comes out.  Sometimes I’ll give them 2-3 choices to pick from, other times I let them pick out the whole outfit (within reason…I still hold veto power!).  If you and your child have vastly different ideas on what they should wear let them choose one outfit for half of the session with the rule that they wear the outfit you choose for the second half.  Who knows, you might even like the photos of your child in the outfit of their choice better since it will be 100% them!  Another way to stylize your child’s session is to draw from their interests and bring props or outfits that spotlight their love of reading, basketball, dinosaurs, rock n roll, or whatever their very favorite thing is.  The same rules from above also apply here.  Layering, accessories, and coordinating shoes are still important!

I started a Pinterest Board called Baby & Kids Style that I will be adding outfit ideas and inspiration to for more visual aids.  I have more specific advice for dressing boys and girls including some of my favorite brands of clothing to photograph.  I am also more then happy to help you plan your child’s outfit(s) prior to your session if you have a specific look in mind or just don’t know where to start!

Photographing two friends together worked really well, and I would highly encourage it.  It’s a lot more fun and the memories we make will be something you’ll treasure.

I don’t get as many questions regarding how to dress little boys for photos as I do little girls, but I still thought I’d share some of my favorite tricks and tips and places to shop for my son.  For the record I have just as much fun and enjoyment shopping for my son as I do for my daughter, boys are fun to dress too!  It can take a little more work to plan a little boy’s outfit for portraits, especially as they become more and more attached to tee shirts the older they get.  My son would happily live in super hero and sports shirts forever but for photos I can usually talk him into a Mommy approved outfit.

The key to dressing boys for portraits is layers, patterns, and colors.  Layering is pretty easy for boys, just have him wear a collared shirt with a non collared one or sweater and you’re good to go.  For even more layers consider adding a vest or jacket.  I love dressing my son in stripes and since boy clothing manufacturers make striped boys clothes by the truck loads it’s pretty easy to find a shirt or sweater that will work.  Plaids are also a great option, and baby boys have the added bonus of all the adorable baby patterns at their disposal.  I love to mix and match colors with my son, bold colors seem to photograph really well.  Try mixing and matching bold colors and patterns.  Don’t forget about shoes and accessories…girls don’t have a monopoly on cute shoes and accessories you know!  Check out Etsy for some fabulous handmade ties and bow ties or suspenders.  Hats of all varieties are also a nice touch, I have a fondness for newsboy caps myself.  I love Converse and especially appreciate the pop of color they can add to my little guy’s outfit to help make it a little more special.  Jeans go with absolutely everything and every little boy should have at least one pair.  Stay away from screen printed tees (unless the tee happens to fit with the theme) and plain white sneakers.

Baby boys have a few extra considerations.  Baby boys that aren’t sitting yet should avoid overalls and shirts with a collar as they tend to ride up and don’t look as good.  Onesies and regular shirts are a much more flattering look for a wee ones.  Don’t forget about the adorable rompers that are out there, they are a really classic look and only work for a short time!

My favorite stores to shop for boys clothes are Baby Gap, Mini Boden, Janie & Jack, Old Navy, Target, and Gymboree.  If you come across an awesome boys clothing brand please share it with me since I’m always on the look out for my little guy!

This little guy is wearing a striped shirt (score for the stripes!) and classic overalls which work well for a baby who is old enough to be sitting.

My son is wearing a puffer vest over a striped thermal shirt in this photo.  The spider man shoes aren’t my favorite for photos, but I was in a hurry not to lose the light and didn’t want to fight him on the shoes.  The puffer vest is from Gymboree and the shirt and jeans are Baby Gap.

My son actually picked this outfit out for his preschool photos all by himself.  The argyle vest and gray polo are both scored from the clearance bins at Gymboree.

Shirts with numbers on them work really well for birthday portraits, I found this “four” shirt for under $4 at Target a year before he turned four!

This little guy is wearing layers really well, there’s a lot of patterns and textures which work really well together.

This little guy is showing off that babies can pull off red plaid flannel just as well as full grown men!

This is an Easter photo of my son wearing a plaid shirt and coordinating newsboy hat that I picked up at Target.

For this fun themed rock n roll photo shoot with my little guy I put a green plaid dress shirt under his Rock Band tee shirt with jeans and bright green converse.  We also gelled his hair into spikes which completed his “rock star” look.  Themed photo sessions can be sooooo much fun!

This is my son wearing his Christmas outfit from two years ago.  We found the vest and white collared shirt at a consignment store, the gray pants and newsboy hat at Gymboree, the tie from Petite Peanut, and the bright green Converse make the outfit!

Contact me to book your spring session today!

I get a lot of questions regarding what to wear for photo sessions and I am planning to share some of my favorite clothing brands and styling tips to help you look your best for your photo session.  Rather then have one long blog post I am going to do separate posts for boys and girls and possibly one for coordinating the whole family.  I am starting with the girls because they are probably the easiest to dress, and who doesn’t love shopping for little girl clothes?

First of all I will share some general rules to styling little girls and then I will share some of my favorite clothing brands.  To start with please make sure that whatever outfit you choose for your little girl is comfortable and is something that she enjoys wearing (if she’s old enough to care!).  If she’s not comfortable or hates what she’s wearing then she’s going to be less cooperative for photos and her discomfort and bad mood will be evident in the photos.  It’s also best to keep the outfit weather appropriate since a little girl in a sundress may be absolutely adorable in August but is going to freeze her patootie off in that same dress in February.  Of course if you have an awesome jacket and boots to coordinate with the sundress then by all means have her wear it in February.  Layering is important for bigger girls, it creates more interest and is especially important in cooler weather.  Pairing different textures together can also work well, like putting a fuzzy sweater with a soft tutu.  Don’t forget about accessories and shoes, not only can they be a lot of fun but they can also infuse a lot of personality into the final images.  I love, love, love hair accessories and will share some of my favorite Etsy sellers but they are also pretty easy and fun to make on your own.  I keep a stash of girls hair accessories (and a few hats in sizes 12 months and smaller) which you are welcome to use as well.  For baby girls who are between 6 and 12 months consider bringing a ruffled diaper cover or tutu.

My favorite girls clothing brands for photos are Matilda Jane, Gap, Mini Boden, Naartjie, and Gymboree.  These are definitely not the only brands that work, they are just my favorites and often have outfits that photograph really well.  When I’m choosing outfits for my own daughter I look for clothes that she loves that are simple and bright.  I stay away from clothes with words and logos for the most part (though I do make exceptions when I think it’s appropriate) and do a lot of layering.  I always consider her shoes and hair accessories and make sure we have something that will match.

The images above and below are all clothing from Matilda Jane.  Dresses and outfits from Matilda Jane run on the spendy side (expect to pay $65 or more for a dress) but they have a wow factor and are gorgeous.  I take advantage of their rare sales and have also bought it second hand off Ebay (which isn’t much cheaper!).

The image above is a mish mash of clothing companies and was not a planned out session (taken on the way home from gymnastics when I spotted a new location I wanted to try out).  The Super Girl shirt is from the Gap Outlet, the denim skirt is from the consignment store, her gray leggings and pink boots are both from Gymboree.

The pink rock star outfit is from Gymboree though the gray Abercrombie sweater is from Goodwill.  I usually stay away from shirts with words/appliques but this one fit the theme of the rock n roll shoot and it got my daughter excited about taking pictures so I let it slide.  Mostly I just love those pink fringe boots we scored at a Salem consignment store for $4.50!  The red polka dot dress at the top of this post is also from Gymboree, I bought it this past winter for a song during one of their big sales.

Grace’s Valentines day outfit is another mish mash.  The shirt is from Target, and does feature words but again, it works with the theme of the session so I didn’t mind.  All three tutus (yes three!) are from Baby Gap as are the striped tights.  The pink fringe boots are Gymboree and I made her flower headband.

This was Grace’s first day of school outfit this year and the shirt is from Mini Boden.  I’m also a huge fan of Converse, my daughter has like four or five pairs in her shoe bin right now!  Her headband was made by a friend of mine who owns The Paisley Underground.

The camera shirt is from Mini Boden and the tutu/leggings are from Baby Gap.  She’s wearing yet another pair of purple Converse.  I told you I have a small Converse obsession didn’t I!

This little cutie is wearing Naartjie, another one of my favorite brands.  Naarjtie lends itself to layering really well which I like.  It can be hard to order it online because dye lots can be a little different between items and it’s way easier to buy in person.  They just opened a store in Woodburn and also have one at the Washington Square Mall.
As for hair accessories, I have several Etsy sellers I have worked with in the past that I highly recommend or you can make your own.  I’ve also picked up a few awesome ones for a reasonable price at the Mother Goose consignment store on Edgewater in West Salem.  The pink headband in the photo above came from Baby Gap.  My favorite Etsy sellers include The Petite Peanut, Dolly Priss, and The Mod Market.