
Tips & Advice

I am so excited to capture your story!
I put together this guide for you to help better prepare your session. I hope all these tips and advice help take any stress off of your shoulders! I am here to help you any way I can, so feel free to reach out to me!

My Philosophy
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In a nutshell, my philosophy is this: If you are feeling awesome, you will look awesome. Super manufactured moments and fake smiles are not really my jam! I want to help facilitate you having a genuinely fun experience and then capture the authentic moments that flow naturally from that experience.
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Ways to set your images apart from everyone else:
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Want to make these images really capture who you are as a family? Think of things you like to do as a family, and we can incorporate them into the session! Here are some fun ideas to consider:
Picnic
Going out for ice cream
Hiking
Swimming in the lake/ocean
Walking through a park
Playing your guitar in nature
Walking on the beach
Etc...
You could do several of these, or make up your own, or do none of them and just hang out together. All options are fantastic and will yield great photos and connection. It just depends on your personality and what sounds the most fun to you and your family!
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What to bring:
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Whether we are staying in or going out, it is good to consider what you want to bring and include in the shoot. What things represent you as a family? What things are meaningful to you? What things do you love to do together?
Here are some ideas of things to include/bring:
Blanket (I also bring options, but if you have one that is special to you, bring it!)
Your favorite food
Musical instrument
Your pet
Books you love
Your favorite hat
Soccer ball
Etc…
For outside shoots I always recommend bringing one or two things of meaning. It makes the session more personable, fun and comfortable!
For inside photoshoots, I suggest looking around your house for things that mean something to you and things that your normally do together at your house. Get an idea in your head of a couple things you love to do and which spaces in your house are your favorite! Let me know about them and lets plan something fun!
Some ideas:
Making your favorite meal or dessert together
Working in your garden
Carving pumpkins
Eating popcorn while watching a movie
Jumping on the bed
Cuddling in bed
Playing catch outside
Etc…
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What to expect
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The main thing to remember is that this is going to be a fun experience! The thing I hear most often from my clients after a shoot is how relaxed they felt and how much more fun they had than they were expecting. I don’t want you to feel like this is something you have to do. This experience should feel like a fun date as a family! Your only job is to be present and be yourself, I’ll do the rest!
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Style Guide
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I truly believe with a great location and outfits that coordinate nicely, really make the photos come to life! Be sure to take my advice but remember, If you are not comfortable in what you are wearing, you will be constantly thinking about that instead of focusing on your significant other, your children...your family.
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To get the flow going with wardrobe, start with one outfit that you really like.
From there, build from it for everyone else.
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Bring Options, Wear Layers. Accessories, jackets, hats, cardigans, etc. are great options and can be easily put on or taken off during the session.Layers add dimension and depth.
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Wear what you feel good in!
Moms & Dads, this tip is for your specifically. If you aren’t comfortable in what you’ve chosen for picture, it will show. Mom, If you can’t find a dress you feel good in, but you rock a good pair of skinny jeans, do that! If you can barely walk in heels, there’s no harm in wearing a cute pair of flat comfy boots or pretty sandals. If you can’t comfortably walk in a heel, a wedge is a great option too, and so are the chunky heels. We do get pretty active in our sessions, and to be honest, I usually prefer my clients to be barefoot, of course this is all depending on location and weather. There is a lot of playing and some running around. Keep that in mind when you are looking for your outfit and shoes.
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If you are going shopping for new clothes, purchase clothes that fit—and fit well.
I know we all have a hard time buying clothes for our kiddos that don’t leave a lot of room for growth, seeing as they do grow so fast. However, a too large shirt, saggy ill-fitting jeans or jacket thats falling off the shoulders looks sloppy in photos. Most likely, you’ll be purchasing outfits specifically for pictures, so choose something that fits perfectly, or even just a little bit snug. Make it look tailored. Go a size smaller in jackets, cardigans or blazers. A too-big jean jacket will not compliment shape, rather it hides.
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Matching is out. Coordinating is in. We know your family is together. We’re photographing you as a unit! Wearing the same colored shirt, pants, shoes, etc looks a bit awkward. Coordinating color is what really brings a wardrobe together.
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Dress for the weather, and be flexible.
Being from New England, the weather can be so unpredictable. Be prepared and flexible with your wardrobe in case you have to switch it up last minute. If you have plans for your daughter to wear a cute sundress, and the weather ends up being 20 degrees colder than you were anticipating, switch it up a bit by adding layers. Slouchy hat, tights, or knee high socks and cardigan. Dress appropriately for the weather that day, even if it doesn’t go with your original plan. If your child is sweating in a sweater during his shoot, he won’t be happy. And on the same token, if your child is wearing a tank dress and the weather dips too much in the evening, she will be grumpy, and it’ll reflect in the final images. I speak with words from experience.
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Dress for the location.
Just as dressing for the weather is important, dressing for the location is important. A fancy black dress with high heels is not ideal for a grassy field location. Wearing green in a grassy location is also not ideal. You will blend with the grass, and we want to stand out.
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Movement
This is a big one for me. I LOVE movement and clothes and accessories that can catch the wind. It adds energy to your images and it looks gorgeous!
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Colors
I typically recommend sticking with neutrals and earthy tones. Neutrals doesn’t mean just grays and browns; there’s neutrals of every color (mustard yellow, forest green, navy blue, burnt orange, etc.) Stay away from bright, fluorescent distracting colors. The only specific colors I typically recommend to stay away from are pinks, bright white, bright orange, and reds. If you have dark or olive tones skin, it might be an exception with the light conditions, but a lot of the times it can reflect in the images and make your skin tones look way off.
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Patterns
Avoid big, loud, chunky, crazy patterns. The smaller or more subtle, the better! If the pattern is too loud, it will distract from your faces. Flannels are always a yes in my book! I usually try to avoid pairing too many patterns together because, you guessed it, it makes the photos feel a little hectic and distracting from your faces and the location. Also, be sure to iron your clothes before so there’s not huge wrinkles distracting from your faces either!
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Logos
To be honest, I am not a huge fan of logos or having a quote or large picture across my shirt or hat. I think they can get distracting, that being said, I am a sucker for a faded band teeshirt. It really is all on the placement, and how bold the logo is. If you are questioning it, just text me over a picture! I am always happy to help, in fact, I LOVE to!
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In Home Sessions
All of the above applies, but for in home sessions, I say the more skin showing the better! No that doesn’t mean you need to be borderline naked, I’m just saying the photos will look a lot more comfortable and intimate than if you're in lots of heavy layers! I recommend having options of tank tops, shorts, sweaters, and jeans to mix and match! Anything that will show some skin is perfect!
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See you soon!
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Ashley

Like I said before, I am here to help you!
Please feel free to text me or email me over any pictures.
I’ve put together Pinterest boards to help give you visual inspiration.
Click here for visual inspiration!
©AshleyGracePhotography2019 | ashley@ashleygracephotography.net | 774-253-8203
Douglas, Massachusetts Photographer serving Worcester, Boston, Providence, Shrewsbury, Millbury, Grafton, Sutton and beyond.