PREPARING FOR THAT SESSION + KATIE TYREE PHOTOGRAPHY + PART ONE

What to wear? Jeans and white shirts? When do we do this? Where do we do this? Lets find the sunniest location! My husband doesn't like photos! My kids won't sit still! I'm too embarrassed to bribe. These are all questions and concerns that nearly every customer will have when booking their session. Lets start with a little background and move forward from there. ...

As I began to hear the same thing over and over from each customer I realized that not everyone feels comfortable making every decision. Your photographer is the expert and should know these things right? Of course he or she should.

What to wear?  Phew... what a big question right?  You're staring at your closet and thinking no one has "matching" outfits.  It's ok.  You don't need MATCHING outfits.  We don't all have white shirts or black shirts?  It's a good thing you don't need that either!  Look through each of your closets.  The white shirt/jeans and black shirt/jeans idea.... I'll be honest, that's so 2000 (i'm smiling as i write this).  I would suggest if you're going to go casual wear nice jeans.  Preferably ones that don't bunch and for men that's sometimes a hard thing to do.  For girls and women wearing jeans, if you don't want to look large then you want to stay with a jean that is fitted.  Not a jean that is too tight and makes you feel like you can't bend over, but a jean that you just removed from the dryer or wherever else you do the drying at and make sure it fits you well.  If your jean is baggy, you will look about 15 pounds heavier in the thigh.  Now if you're a gal with very thin legs and you like a wide leg jean, then just make sure it's pressed and you have the tall appropriate shoes to match.

Brown vs black vs no shoes?  I suggest avoiding your running shoes and I suggest trying to stick to a dress shoe.  Some older fashion men I know don't agree with the dress shoe and jeans look.  For instance when we did our own family photos we had adults in shoes and children bare foot.  We didn't want to stress about which kid was wearing which shoe and make everyone buy the same color shoes or over coordinate.
Now!  Back to that question about "what to wear" ??? If you're able to go to each closet and look to see a semi neutral color.  That color could be blue.  that color could be gray or charcoal gray and brown.  But a color that overall looks good on all skin tones, ethincities, and hair colors.  The color orange or the color red wont look necessarily "flattering" on every skin color and on every ethnicity.  Maybe your shirt is blue and it has some teal pin stripes or flowers.  Maybe your child has that teal, but doesn't have a dark blue.  No problem!  The teal in the shirt you're wearing is going to look amazing next to that teal that your son/daughter/family member is going to wear.  This goes for every style of shoot.  Are you wanting to put everyone in shoes?  Maybe your other child is a girl and has cute teal flats, by all means put them on her!  She doesn't have blue or teal top but she maybe has a purple top that has some blue in it or charcoal color .  Lets hold that and go look in dad or other family members closet.  OH look that that, dad has a gray shirt.  Well lets put dad in that gray shirt and our other kiddo in the purple top that has the blue or charcoal in it.  Now when you're going to  get your photograph taken please.. don't wear a shirt with a graphic or iron on look.  The huge sparkly butterfly that is oh so cute or the angry bird shirt is very appropriate for almost any other occasion, but i'd strongly suggest to this one time leave it out.  If it's all you have, it's all you have and you work with it.  Maybe use it as an under shirt to a sweater or jacket if you want that look.

Lets share a little something that you can take home and use for any situation that involves a photo whether it be a photo session with a professional photographer, your iphone photo or aunt Gerdy who needs to take your photo every family reunion.  Want to know what is more important than anything!?  When you're not having a professional photographer take your photos.... AVOID THE SUN.  Run to the shade for your family photo, make aunt Gerdy come under that big maple tree or simply just wait until evening time or do it early in the morning.  When your photographer schedules your portraits you can pretty much guarantee they wont book your session at high noon unless you're doing a lifestyle portrait session inside your home.  I wont be booking your session at high noon because I don't want you to have racoon eyes and I truly want you to fall in love with your photos.  Your photos, meaning your art that you have forever to look at and admire.  The most beautiful times of day for your family photos are 9:30 am summer time / 10 am winter and 5:30 to 6pm summer time / 3:30 pm winter.

Let me just say that YOU matter.  What you love and care about matters to me as your photographer and should matter to any other photographer you hire.  If you don't want these images on your wall for a lifetime then either one, you absolutely love to update those walls and have tons of them or two I didn't do my job right.  I indend to keep your session classic, unique to you, your session, your special day and your family or friends.

Where should we do this photo session?  Well do you love the city?  Do you love the country?  I tend to attract more clientel in the range of country to lifestyle portraits, but that being said... I love the city and there is absolutely nothing more adorable than a session under the fall maples turning from green to yellow and red and brown.  There is nothing more beautiful than standing right smack dab in the middle of that street and getting an image of you or your family right down that isle of trees or on the sidewalk adjacent to them.  You don't have to get your photos taken in the country to feel more natural, naturey and beautiful.  You can still capture that right in the city walking down the city street and learning where those beautiful images really are.  I have some favorite images of my own and they are right there in the middle of the city of Tacoma where I had my engagement session when I was getting married some 8 years ago.  You often don't need to travel far to get the look you want.