Mini Session
Prep Guide
I am so excited to capture you and your kids on Sunday! Below, you'll find everything I've learned over the past decade as a photographer to help you get ready for your mini session as best I can, so we can make the most of our short time together!
My goal with every session is to capture who you are in this moment. Kids grow so fast, and having these genuine interactions and reactions will mean so much when you look back years from now and remember what this day was like and everything you overcame this year. I do some directing, to help make those natural interactions possible, but we won’t be doing anything stiff or fake. I promise we’re going to have a lot of fun!
What to wear
Mom gets to pick her clothes first. You're going to be in most (if not all) of these photos, looking gorgeous and loved on, so make sure you're wearing clothes you love that make you feel your most confidant.
Look for casual clothes that you can move in that also make you feel chic/cool.
Texture and movement are magic on film, so look for things like linen, silk, knits, and anything especially flowy.
Don't be afraid of vibrant colors and prints (but small scale prints usually work best).
Babies usually look best in as little clothing as possible (just a diaper?), since they'll be held most of the time and clothes will just bunch up. If you have to do clothes (I get it), make sure that they fit snuggly.
Toddlers love lifting their dresses up, so it's a good idea to have something underneath that you don't mind in photos.
Pregnant? Look for form fitting dresses, empire waists, anything at accentuates your bump on the top and/or bottom.
Nursing mamas, think about wearing something you can nurse in easily. Pull-down necklines, button-ups, and wraps make for better images than "secret panels", or pulling up from the waist.
What not to wear
Anything neon.
Anything with logos or writing.
Anything too formal (suits, gowns, blazers, etc.), or too informal (sweats, camoflage anything).
Mini skirts or dresses - we'll likely spend some time on the ground and those shorties just make everything...awkward.
Shoes - be prepared for everyone to slip those puppies off for our short time together. It makes for better photos AND keeps the fabric on the floor clean.
Glasses - only if you wear them all day every day - and no transition lenses (because they never really stop being sunglasses).
Diapers with "wetness indicators". That's not information we need in your photos...
The "Safe" Option. You're not boring, lady - don't let your clothes say otherwise...EXPRESS YOURSELF!
Anything that doesn't feel like YOU. And this one goes for everyone, including kiddos. If the kids don't like what they're wearing, they're gonna look at the whole shoot as a chore rather than an adventure. I'm not saying don't give any input, but make sure that everyone is really on board with what they're wearing.
And please,
don't stress about everyone matching
- it's not worth the time or energy, and the photos will be better if you don't.
shops I love
Ideally you've already got a favorite outfit in your closet, but if you're looking for a reason to splurge, here are my favorite shops!
Mom
(local vintage)
MATERNITY & NURSING
kids
(local boutique)
(local maker)
DIAPERS
Hello Bello (cute patterns, many without a wetness indicator)
Got a favorite shop in DC? I wanna hear about it!
I'm hopping to add to this list, and I'm especially looking for
local & woman-owned businesses,
bonus points if it's BIPOC-owned!
Final Touches
Clothes should be wrinkle- & stain-free; you might consider pulling everything out the day before to give it a final once-over.
Make sure if you're wearing a bra that likes to play peekaboo, it's one you don't mind seeing in photos. Consider a strapless bra if you're wearing spaghetti straps.
Check nails for chipped polish - either reapply or take it all off. TOES, TOO!
Everyone's hair should be dry and brushed. And if at all possible, no haircuts this week. (I know, I know, but isn't their pandemic hair kinda cute in its own way?)
Makeup tends to photograph a few shades duller so feel free to dial it up to 11. No need to take it too far (full foundation & contouring aren't necessary if it's not your thing), but I'm a die-hard fan of using a bit of coverup for any pesky blemishes or dark circles, and a clear primer - my favorites are Smashbox's line of Photo Finish Primers - because it basically is you on a really good day. Definitely include mascara and subtle eyeliner, and of course, don't forget to grab your brightest lipstick!
At the session
The Kids
Tell them beforehand
No one is ever their best when taken by surprise. Even if you want the Santa thing to be a surprise - still tell them that photos'll be happening, i.e. "We're going for a surprise and our friend is going to take pictures of us while we're there!"
Feed them first.
Kids are grouchy when they're hungry, so the closer to session time they get food in their bellies, the better. And feel free to have (non-messy) snacks on hand, just in case.
No bribes, please
That means no promise of a reward of any kind at the end of the session in exchange for their cooperation; it pretty much always backfires and gets you the opposite result of the one you want.
I've got good news for you. When it comes to the session and your children, you're off the hook. It's MY job to wrangle them into the moments that capture your story. Your job is to just be crazy in love with your chaotic, wild, wonderful kiddos.
I get that this is easier said than done. Of course, you want the most out of your mini session! But when it comes to little ones, I expect them to be unpredictable, and I count on them always being their authentic selves. So if they're crazy high energy and running (crawling?) circles around you, or need to be attached to you the whole time, either way, it's totally fine, and will actually help tell the story of this moment in your journey through parenthood better than anything I could arrange.
Even if during the session your kids have moments of limit testing, lack of cooperation, and full-blown tantrums, no worries. I'm a mom too and would never judge. Your patience and empathy will not only help them through it, but can also be some of the most amazing and tender moments of parenthood, and, if you're comfortable, moments I'd love to help you remember.
The grown-ups
As for the kids-at-heart, I've got three simple guidelines:
- don't look at me unless I tell you to
- if I have asked you to look at me and I'm working on getting your kids' attention, just keep looking at me.
- only smile if you're happy
My decades of experience performing opera, theater, and ballet have inspired my unique approach to directing my clients to showcase their best qualities. (Which occasionally means you'll hear me say, "I know it feels weird, but it looks AMAZING!")
If you're feeling a bit self-conscious about being photographed, that's totally normal. I promise my sessions are fun for everyone, including you. But if it helps, you can always have a little "something" before the session to relax those inhibitions. Eggnog, anyone?
Logistics
I'd recommend giving yourself a lot of extra buffer time. Kids (at least my kids) ALWAYS take longer than you think they will to get out the door, and then with traffic and finding parking, it's easy to show up all frazzled about being late...which never makes for a good session. If you're worried about bored kids, why not bring an activity, or better yet, give them a chance to get all their crazies out by wiggling around beforehand.
Since you're all friends, it can be tempting to sit in on each other's sessions, but if it's possible to avoid it, please do. It's hard enough not to feel self-conscious being photographed without also feeling embarrassed in front of your friends. The more intimacy we have, the easier it will be for everyone to relax.
When it's your time, I'll pop my head out and call your name, so please be ready to go. We'll spend 10-15 minutes making magic and celebrating this magical moment. And at the end, if there's time and the kiddos aren't completely overstimulated, we'll get also get some photos of the whole group together!
after the session
On Monday, I'll package the film up from the mini sessions and send it to my lab. Once I get the scans back, I make my final edits, curate your gallery, and create your custom cinematic slideshow.
Seeing your images
As you might remember, I like to do things a bit differently at this point in the process. Rather than just sending you a link and being done with it, I want you to truly experience your custom art for the first at the scale it was meant to be seen, which is why I sincerely hope you decide to make it a big event. Premier it on your biggest TV with the whole family watching! The first time you see your photos is always the most magical, so I hope you savor the experience.
Your slideshow will be available for 24 hours from the time you first click to view it, and you can watch it as many times as you want during that window. After that glorious day, it will be time to choose which of the three collections you want to invest in.
The Collections
Basic Mini
COLLECTION
$225
30 day access to your custom shop
One full resolution image file
$50 in print credit
standard MINI
COLLECTION
$350
30 day access to your custom shop
Three full resolution image files
$100 in print credit
Premium MINI
COLLECTION
$475
30 day access to your custom shop
Complete set of all 10-15 full resolution image files
Download of your bespoke cinematic slideshow
$200 in print credit
Once you've chosen how much you want to invest and made your purchase, you'll get an email with your print credit code, and gain full access to your gallery and custom shop! You'll have 30 days to chose the image(s) you want and download them, and decide what products you want to purchase with your credit. Everything in the shop is carefully curated with items crafted with the highest quality materials, and the most refined and timeless design.
Downloading
Your gallery will already be set up to allow you to download the number of files included in your collection choice.
It's a good idea to finalize your file choices and download them as soon as possible. The process is simple:
Basic & Standard Collections
1) Select the images you want (1 or 3 depending on your collection choice) and use the down arrow in the upper right corner of the gallery and click it. Then go to step 2 below.
ˆNOTE: Be sure you've only selected the number of files associated with your collection. If you've selected more, you'll only get the first one/three until your download number has been reached. Because of the nature of digital files, I'm not able to offer exchanges if you download the wrong image, though you can purchase an additional image file from your shop.
Premium Collection
1) Click the down arrow in the upper right corner of the gallery and choose "Download Fully Gallery"
2) Follow the instructions for the download process
3) The file you download is a zip file - double click to expand it
4) Make a second copy of the expanded file to a backup (i.e. dropbox), or better yet, make physical prints - they last much longer.
The biggest reason for this last step is this: ALL TECHNOLOGY DIES. Having your files saved in separate places means you don't have to worry about losing them when your computer bites the big one. We often think of digital files as an archive, but that's faulty logic. Think of your photos from just ten years ago that are stuck on a CD-rom you have no way of opening, and think of your grandparents snapshots that have lasted a century. Here's the truth of the matter:
You print what you want to preserve
Printing
Your custom shop includes only the highest quality products. With a few exceptions, everything is printed using archival techniques that will maintain image quality for up to a century when properly cared for.
That being said, I get that you'll also probably want to make prints of your own, so here's some guidance on that front! I recommend printing locally with Dodge-Chrome. If you plan on keeping your prints loose, I recommend including a white border to give fingers a place to hold without degrading the image.
Your full-resolution files are printable up to 12x18. Larger than that and the scan of the negative isn't high enough quality to accurately reproduce the image. All large-scale prints require the negative to be rescanned on a drum scanner in order to get the required resolution.
Contact me for pricing if you'd like one of your images scanned for large-scale printing.
Copyrights (& wrongs)
Once you've got your digital files in hand, you're free to print them whenever you want, but the actual copyright stays with the artist. This means you can't sell them, enter them in a competition, or use them for commercial purposes.
In the same vein, because I don't include a watermark on the images you download, I ask that proper photo credit is given anytime you share a photo online. That means adding a link to my website whenever possible, and for instagram, tagging me in the image AND in the caption as the photographer.
site: www.alexandrafriendlyphotography.com
instagram: @alexandrafriendly
facebook: @alexandrafriendlyphotography
Thank you to the moon & back!
Still got questions? Shoot me a text! 202-285-3944
(202) 285.3944
hello@alexandrafriendlyphotography.com
