What’s that saying? “Behind every Holiday Photo shoot is a mom threatening to cancel all joy and happiness until the end of time if everyone doesn’t sit still and smile for 2 seconds…” Can you relate?
Wrangling kids, outfits, husband, and smiles for a photo can be daunting, but we just had pure magic and maybe by sharing my experiences and tips from a local expert it can help you as you secure the perfect shot, after all, aren’t we so happy when we get one?
This fall our family was invited into Classic Kids Photography studio in Hinsdale for an in studio family session and although we had never done an in studio session before I was excited to give it a try.
When you book with Classic Kids Photography in Hinsdale (either in studio or on location) you can feel right away that both Crystal, head photographer-studio manager, and her studio assistant, Diana, really want this to be a wonderful experience that ends with amazing family heirlooms. You have the opportunity to sit down with them for a pre-shoot consultation where they review everything from what clothes to wear, what to expect, pricing and of course the top shots you want captured. My children are getting older and I feel like for the most part they are cooperative, with the exception of my youngest. Jules is 4 and the thing about Jules is once she decides to cry and pout it can be very hard to get her out of it. Sitting down with Crystal beforehand really put my mind at ease and I left feeling like we stand a chance for this to not end in tears and me in a full mom sweat. The most important thing they instructed me to do was to NOT put pressure on the situation before hand, to just tell the kids we were going there to have fun. Maybe you all typically do that, I do not. I am the mom who pleads with them ahead of time, bribes them and in hindsight probably really make things much work. Trusting Crystal’s advice I told them it would be all about fun and you know what? It really was!
The studio is warm and beautiful and very comfortable. With the weather being so terrible already this year being in the studio was so perfect and made it much easier. Maybe this is a silly thing to be hyped about but, my kids did the shoot barefoot, no shoes to coordinate or squeeze unwilling little feet into! Amazing!!! Crystal and Diana had my kids laughing so hard within minutes, so many natural and real smiles. The props they use for smiles are seriously amazing; I’m talking tight white grandpa undies and more. As expected my little Jules had a moment of refusal and tears and I was very pleased with how well Crystal and Diana handled it. They were so cool about it, so calm and so patient with her. More than that I didn’t feel rushed or pressured to make her cooperate. They tried a few things until they found out what made her giggle and in no time she was back on board and smiling. The shoot goes so quickly and I honestly felt very relaxed and so did the kids, total win! Another big test that Classic Kids Photography in Hinsdale passed with flying colors was the husband test. Casey was shocked when it was over, “that’s it, and we are finished? Wow! Painless.” We left there and my kids even asked when they could come back and not a drop of sweat on this momma. Win. Win. Win.
Next up, the picture review and if you like seeing great pictures of your family on a large screen TV while soft music is playing then this is for you! Crystal sits with you and helps you to narrow down your favorites, and honestly it wasn’t easy because there were so many good options. Believe me when I say that’s not the norm for our family pictures!
Once you narrow them down you can even see them grouped together as you would like them to be or even more amazing, you can see them on your walls! Classic Kids Photography in Hinsdale has an app that allows you to photograph your walls and you can then preview the pictures as they would be in your house. No more guesswork on sizing.
I know that family photos don’t always go this smoothly, no matter what tricks you try. But, you better believe I’m so grateful to have these sweet memories and little face, because as we all know they don’t stay this way for long.
Now, allow me to turn it over to the experts for some of her best tips on making your family photo shoot a total breeze!
• At CK, we approach all our photo-shoots as fun playdates! We certainly do not expect our little subjects to sit still. Our biggest tip, as Margot mentioned, is to avoid putting pressure or prepping kids to smile on cue. Our goal is for all kiddos to come in, have fun, and capture their personalities and giggly smiles that you know and love!
• The best time of year to book an outdoor shoot is May – September. While we do shoot outdoor on occasion, past September, we find that the weather starts to get trickier as we head into October. High winds, rain and the unexpected snow, can cause a shoot to be post-poned or having to move the session indoors. September still has great colors and most likely, better weather!
• We all want hair to be picture perfect, as far as haircuts go, be mindful of getting your kids hair-cuts at least 1 – 2 weeks prior to your shoot date. They just never quite look like themselves right after, giving it time to grow in just a little, goes a long way!
• Have littles ones that still take naps? Book your session based around their nap schedule! A refreshed and energized baby is a happy baby!
• Have itty bitty ones? The best time to capture newborn work is in the first 10-14 days after baby is born. We can even book based on your due date!
• If you bring snacks to your photoshoot for the kiddos, keep it a secret. Keeping snacks hidden and tucked away until we know they need them, can help prevent a bag of goldfish from sneaking into the family photo 😊
• Coordinate outfits by thinking about colors that complement each other, there is no pressure to match tones and outfits perfectly. Neutral colors work very nicely!
• As far as hair accessories go… Minimal is best! We want the focus to be in your little darling’s beautiful face! 😊
• And most importantly… get in the photos parents! We know time goes by so quickly! These are moments to be cherished and ones your children will want to look back on, so don’t be shy and jump in for a family photo!
Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory. – Dr. Seuss
Hope to meet your beautiful family soon!
<3
Crystal & Diana
Want to capture your beautiful little faces? You’re in luck! For a limited time Classic Kids Photography in Hinsdale is offering a SPECIAL offer for The Hinsdale Area Moms Network. (Be sure to tell them The Hinsdale Area Moms Network sent you)
$195 Photo Session that covers the full family
(limited to immediate family members only)
Offer Valid Now Through December 7th
Call 630-323-7223 to book yours today!
Wishing you sweat and tear free family photos!
