J E N N C H E N P H O T O G R A P H Y . C O M J E N N @ J E N N C H E N P H O T O G R A P H Y . C O M Your Family Session STYLING, PREPPING & DAY OF TIPS I’m looking forward to our session together in the next few weeks. I wanted to give you some tips to help as you prep!-Jenn

Styling Tips COLOR PALLETS, TEXTURES & MORE! Start by picking a palette of 3-4 colors. Let this be your starting place. Find a dress or outfit you love in this palette. You know what looks best with your hair and skin tones, so plan towards whatever makes you the most confident! Everyone in the family can express their own sense of style within the chosen color palette, and the whole group will coordinate beautifully. Muted colors and neutrals look great. Smaller prints typically photograph better than large prints. START WITH A PALLET! light and fresh warm and boldclassic and timeless Using a variety of natural textures can also create dimension and interest in your outfits. I suggest using a combination of textures. Linen, cotton, chunky knits and denim can all be great options. Flowy dresses look great in photos. If you are going casual, a great fitting pair of lighter wash denim can look great! For men, make sure shirts are long enough to cover bellys if they lift kids in the air. TEXTURES, FABRIC & FIT

Styling Tips HAIR, MAKE UP & ACCESSORIES Layers and accessories are a great way to introduce some depth and variety to your outfits. Adding layers to your outfits always looks stunning in portraits and can keep kids warm and happy! Likewise, accessories can complete your outfit and add a lot of interest to your photos! Think rings, stacks of bracelets etc. Don’t forget to find shoes that look nice with your outfits as they will show in your photos. LAYERING & ACCESSORIES Feel free to go a bit bolder than normal on makeup, as that often looks best on camera. Some moms even opt to get a blowout or have their makeup done professionally before the session. I recommend bringing a small comb for any last minute fixes on hair, especially if you have little ones. For little girls, pigtails or cute barrets can help keep hair out of their faces. We will be moving around and don’t want those sparkly eyes covered with hair! HAIR & MAKEUP This is important! If there are pieces in your closet that make you feel self-conscious or uncomfortable, don’t include them in your family session wardrobe! No matter how gorgeous they may be, if you're not comfortable and feeling confident, it will show in your expressions. Likewise, it’s easier to deal with positioning a kid wearing neon green crocs than it is a child in tears because they were forced to wear those new boots they hate. Happiness is always key! BE YOU, BE COMFY!

Session Day THE NIGHT BEFORE: Lay out outfits for your session - steam if needed (pro tip, throw your item in the dryer with a damp washcloth for 5 minutes and then hang it up - insta-steam for busy moms!) Make sure dressy shoes fit the kids Let your kids know we will be taking photos tomorrow but you found a photographer that will make it fun for them! THE DAY OF: A PACKING LIST Water bottle Non messy, bit sized snack for kids who might need... "enticing". M&Ms, goldfish or cheerios work great! Your lip color for a last minute touch up Comb / spray for last minute hair fixes Layers if it will be chilly!

Bonus: TODDLER TIPS!!! Because photographing toddlers and young kids is my favorite, I’ve learned some tips to make your session a bit easier and less of a struggle. Arrive AT LEAST 15 minutes early to your session to let your kiddo explore the location! Our session time will be limited and we want to make sure your kids are photo ready right at the start time. Don't point at the camera - I'll get them to look, you just keep smiling. Its easy to miss a quick smile if the parent is pointing at the camera. No need to tell them to sit still - If I need them too, I'll ask but otherwise, let them do their thing! It's part of the magic I hope this guide helps you go into your session feeling prepared and confident! I want to make your session something you will look back fondly on for years and years to come. At the end of the day, the location you choose and the outfits you select won’t matter nearly as much as the memories you make. Turning these (often crazy chaotic) moments into memories is the most important thing to me. I want your session to be a time for you to just be with your family and enjoy this season! No matter what, look at them like whatever they are doing is the cutest thing in the world. Scowling parents are a lot less cute than toddlering toddlers! AND *THE* NUMBER 1 TIP: