It’s always a little nerve-wracking walking into someone’s home for the first time to photograph their newly growing family. This sweet family put me at ease as soon as I walked through their door, and their little boy even walked up to me and gave me a kiss! I know a lot of people are nervous that their children won’t cooperate for an hour long photo session, and let me tell you: they probably wouldn’t! Ha! But fortunately I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve to get those sweet, candid moments. You’re certainly not going to hear me say “Smile and look at the camera!”. The best way to ensure your session goes smoothly is to just relax and enjoy your session (…easier said that done, right?), and that’s exactly what this family did!

We had an overcast, drizzly day in February but I didn’t want that to stop us from getting bright and airy photographs! I loved the outfits Melanie chose for herself and the children. The simplicity of color and style kept the focus on the connection between family members, as well as kept the images clean and bright.

Rachel is a family photographer in Birmingham, AL. If you are interested in a family, maternity, or newborn session, please reach out! I would love to chat more about photographing your family.

This session came together beautifully, and I was so pleased with the final gallery. I met Deanna about a year ago, and have photographed her and her beautiful family three times since! I get to know them a little better each time and am convinced they are some of the most genuine, kind people! Deanna and I talked over email and text during the weeks leading up to the session. Since this session was shot in February, we wanted to be intentional about the location since very few things were blooming and most trees were still without leaves. During the winter months, I look for locations that will provide some texture and interest. I love shooting at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens since there is almost always something in bloom, plus so many interesting architectural elements that can be incorporated into the photos.

Deanna had such a great vision as she was pulling together their wardrobe! I absolutely love the dress she chose for herself. I am a big fan of long dresses for photo sessions- they photograph beautifully by adding movement and interest to your photos, plus they are flattering from various angles. (See more of my favorite Spring dresses here!)

In addition to taking photographs, I also shot video during this session which I will share below. From choosing the perfect song to capturing the littlest details, I have loved being able to offer video as an add-on to my sessions. We both decided that video really captures your children’s personalities in a way that photographs can’t!

Here is the final video:

You’ve booked your session, set aside an afternoon for photos, decided on the perfect location, and picked out outfits for the kiddos. Now you just have to decide what you are going to wear. Easy, right? I understand that having your photos taken is both an investment in your time and money, and I want to help you every step of the way to make it an enjoyable process and leave you with pictures you are in love with! I wanted to share some tips for choosing your wardrobe, as well as some of my favorite dresses for a Spring photo session!

Tips for choosing wardrobe for your photo session…

1. Ladies, choose your outfit first! It will be much harder if you are limited to a certain color or style based on what everyone else is wearing. If you’re indecisive like me, order several things and return what doesn’t work!

2. Go classic! Opt for classic pieces over trendy styles.

3. As you are choosing a color scheme, think about how the photos will look hanging in your home. Choose colors and styles that are going to compliment your home decor and blend in well. Neutral and organic colors are going to give your photos a more fine art feel!

4. I am quick to recommend ladies wear a dress for their photo session, for many reasons. First off, dresses tend to have a more classic and elegant style as opposed to a trendy top or pants (any other millennials out there refusing to part with their skinny jeans?! me!). A long, flowy dress will photograph beautifully by adding movement and depth to your photographs. Also, dresses are flattering from various angles on women of all shapes and sizes. If you’ve ever had your family photos taken, you know that there is lots of wrangling, chasing, and holding involved! I appreciate the freedom a dress allows when kneeling, sitting, holding little ones, etc.

A few of my favorite places to shop for dresses

1. ASOS

2. Morning Lavender

3. Free People

4. Baltic Born

5. Wren & Ivory

6. Nordstrom

7. Christy Dawn

8. Poshmark/Mercari - amazing deals on gently used dresses!

My favorite dresses for a Spring photo session…

Well, there you have it! I hope that was helpful!

Rachel