Guerneville Photographer, Russian River Valley Photography
Child Photography, Fall, Family Photography, Forestville, Guerneville, Russian River, russian river vacation, Sonoma Coast, sonoma county, Spring, Summer, Uncategorized, Wine Country, Winter

Tips for Family Photo Sessions|Russian River Valley, California

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Family Photography on The Russian River

Ok, you found a photographer that matches with your style and you’re all scheduled for photos, now what? What to wear? Will my kids cooperate? Will my spouse cooperate? Should I go on a diet? So many questions are now making this whole thing you wanted to do a bit stressful.  I am here to tell you no more of that! This does not have to be and should not be anything to get you panicked over. I have photographed children and families for over 4 years now and I have some inside info to make this smooth sailing!
Choosing a Location:

I live in Guerneville, Ca and I love this area. I have fell in love with photographing in the serene sunset light as it spreads across the beautiful backdrops here. The river, the redwoods, the coast, open fields, mountain tops we have it all here! While I love this area I am happy to accommodate an area special to you/your family, just ask.

What to wear….

It is important to put thought into your outfit planning  however, I also very much encourage you to not stress too much.  Keep it simple and comfortable. If you wear dresses and heels fairly often by all means wear your dress/heels. If you’re a jeans and boots kinda girl, do it! I want everyone to be themselves in photos. If you’re uncomfortable it will show then I have to get all “hey, none of that grumpy face stuff here” during the session ;). I do have some easy Do’s and Don’ts that will help you choose your outfits

Do:
-Plan ahead
-Choose neutral colors (gray, brown, blue ect)
-Think head to toe (hats, scarves, shoes,)
-Layering is an easy way to look more put together (vest, cardigan, jean jacket)
-Accessorize! little embellishments can make big improvements (jewelry, hair clips,         headbands, suspenders, hats)
-Dress for the weather
-Consider your location in your outfit choice. Think not only color but setting too, choose  colors that contrast the surroundings, I want you to stand out not blend in to the area.
-Coordinate colors of family members outfits so they look nice together. (remember the color wheel you learned in art class)
-Remember to consider textures of things, different textures can really add dimension to your photos.
-Check out my Pinterest Board with great color scheme ideas
Don’t:
-Match everyone in the same outfits (Don’t worry I’m guilty of it too, but let’s live and learn from that fad)
-Wear clothes that are too big or too small
-Force your kids into something they don’t like. Instead offer them color choices and let them help especially older children/teens.
-Don’t wear clothing with logos,words, or busy prints.
-Avoid neon colors.
-Don’t experiment with makeup you do not normally wear.

 

Ok on to the next big issue that almost every parent  worries about for the photo Guerneville, Photographer, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coastsession…their kids!  First of all let me say this I have 4 boys..yes 4! Ranging from 7-18 and I have seen a lot of interesting things from them so please do not worry about your kids being kids at photo sessions. Anyone who photographs kids knows that kids are not perfect little statues that sit and smile. I promise your child is not the only one to cry, run away or give me the stink eye lol. However, at some point they end up thinking I’m not so bad and that’s when I put my ninja/photography skills to work and get awesome photos.   FYI all this applies to husbands too or maybe it’s your wife who knows, right? Regardless of who or why, I get it and I won’t judge, I promise. I actually see it as a challenge and want to work even harder to make sure they end up being the one they want to call next time photos are needed. I love what I do and I like everyone around me to be in on the fun I’m having.

Last I want to chat woman to woman with all you ladies reading this. Women are all too often so incredibly hard on themselves. Here you are in a photo with your amazing family and you find something wrong with yourself in it. Stop it, please…pretty please 🙂 Cherish the beauty of  the whole picture. You’re beautiful! You are incredibly lucky to have this family whether it is 1 person or 20 beside you, they love you! Rest assured that I use various techniques such as lighting, poses and the right lenses to flatter you and your family so everyone looks their best. If you tell me ahead of time any specific concerns you have I will be extra aware of that and ensure you look your very best. The best photos come when you relax and trust me to capture you being the beautiful person you are naturally with your family.
Ps years and years down the road when your babies are grown they won’t care if you’re overweight, too thin, bad hair style ect.  They will simply see a photo of their family. The same way you cherish photos of your loved ones, you too are loved and cherished for who you are not how you look. 🙂
I hope this helps take some of the pressure or worry out of your next family photo session. Please feel free to comment below any other questions you may have. Also if you have a great photo session tip please share.
See you soon!
-Jess
Guerneville, Ca, Family Photographer serving the Russian River Valley
Child Photography, Documentary Photography, Family Photography, Forestville, Guerneville, High School Senior Photography, Russian River, russian river vacation, sonoma county, Summer, Wine Country

Throop Family| Russian River Valley| Family Photographer

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Each October Guerneville Elementary School holds an awesome Halloween Carnival and fundraiser put on by the F.O.G.S organization. It is so much fun! Along with the fun of games and activities is a pretty impressive raffle. No joke the local businesses and families donate some fantastic items (do not miss it this year!). I added in a gift certificate for a mini family session and The lovely Throop family were the lucky winners!

I really enjoyed getting to meet Maile and her family. We actually had another location in mind when we set up her session.  However a day or two before I messaged them saying I found this awesome place close by that had a great view and lovely light and asked if they would be interested. Thankfully they were and the evening sunset  and gorgeous backdrop did not disappoint!

Here we have the sweet and sassy Miss Zoe being totally adorable!

Followed by the stunning Miss Micayla. She is such a natural in front of the camera and from what I could see an awesome big sister!

I don’t like to let the parents think they can get away from the spotlight too easily lol. I also captured some shots of mom and dad being love birds together. Such a beautiful and loving couple. The light was perfection here along the Russian River. Throop FamilyOnlineUse-19Throop FamilyOnlineUse-18

Now images of the whole family together. I love capturing families connecting and relaxed in addition to the posed photos.

After all the official photos it was fun to also capture some always popular (with the kids) rock tossing into the river as the last of the sunset slipped behind the trees.

Thank you so much Throop Family for trusting me with your family memories! If you want your own family photos along the Russian River or among the Redwood Forest please contact me today…I cant wait to capture the magic of your life!

Child Photography, Documentary Photography, Family Photography, Forestville, Guerneville, Mommy and Me Photos, Russian River, sonoma county

Stephens Mother/Daughter Session| Guerneville Family Photographer

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russianriverphotofamily1I have been photographing these girls for a couple years now and they never disappoint. I have watched them grow from little babies to toddlers and now young girls. They are always full of spunk and fun!! I always get excited when  Christine (mom) contacts me for a session. This time I was really excited that Christine said she wanted a session with her girls! Christine is an amazing mother to 6 children. 4 boys and 2 girls. We relate on that being a mom of 4 boys but she tops me with having girls too haha. I really thought it was special to have a fun playful session capturing all 3 of them loving and playing together.

I really love to use this session as a great example of outfit choices. The color scheme is perfection they all compliment each other without being to “matchy” The layers and accessories really top things off. Most importantly you can see each person is comfortable in their outfit. It is important to dress in clothes you feel good in for your photos.

Guerneville Ca Photographer

I love the love captured here of these lovely beautiful ladies! Thank you Christine for choosing me capture your family 🙂

If you are local or visiting  Guerneville or anywhere along the Russian River area in Northern California I would love to capture you and your family! Contact me today to schedule your session.