Joyfully Abby: Guest Post: Jen from In a Trance Photography- Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Photography Session

Blog readers, meet the Jacobsons.

From left to right: Talon, Jen, Ryan, and Rozlyn

Please try to believe me when I tell you that they aren't models.

I'm so excited about this guest post. Ryan and Jen, the owners of In a Trance Photography, are some of my favorite people. They, along with their darling little ones (pictured above and below), are like family to me.

I know that there are a lot of photographers out there and that finding a good one can be a challenge. It's easy to see from the images in this post that these guys know what they are doing. They are passionate about their work and it shows. I can barely wait for them to take our family photos sometime this summer.

I know what a hassle it is to have professional photos taken. There is a lot of anxiety surrounding the entire process, from outfit choosing to getting ready to the actual photo session. We always want everything to be "perfect" so that we can get "perfect" photographs. I think a lot of people avoid professional photos altogether because they don't want to deal with the stress.

What I find is that the photos are always perfect to me because I love the people in them so very much. Harper may not look at the camera and give her best smile every time but I always love the photos I have taken of her and usually, it's the randon, quirkier images that are my favorite.

I asked Jen to give us some advice about professional photos- how to choose a photographer, how to make that photographer's job a bit easier, etc. I know that we could all use a little insider information because getting good photos is so important. I love the photos that I take of Harper personally, but am so thankful for the professional images that I have as well. When I look at them, I don't see the imperfections in my own skill. I just see Harper and I love that. The older she gets, the more I appreciate the photos we have of her as a baby and toddler. I am so glad that I took the time and spent the money to have quality photos taken.

Anyway, here is what Jen had to say...

When selecting a photographer it’s important to know exactly what setting you prefer. Whether it’s in the comfort of a studio or in the beautiful outdoors, it’s valuable to decide beforehand what “background” you desire. Freelance photographers tend to be more flexible and accommodating.

In A Trance Photography specializes in creating timeless, meaningful portraits. We are passionate about capturing a memorable photographic experience for every client that honors us with an invitation to document the most important people and moment in their lives. Each session is carefully crafted to suit the needs and desires of our clients. Our ultimate goal is to provide you with photographs that will adorn your walls forever at an affordable price.

We felt it appropriate to provide you with some history about us and why we started In A Trance Photography. When we started out little family, taking photos became more important and we soon fell in love with capturing every milestone and moment. Around the same time, it became important to have professional, regularly scheduled photo sessions so we could reflect and remember some of the happiest times of our lives together. We quickly realized how hard and expensive it was to maintain these professional sessions. Furthermore it was difficult finding a photographer who could meet our immediate needs as well as provide us with the rights to our professional edited images at an affordable price. Suffice it to say, we had trouble finding it and for this reason we created In A Trance Photography.

We wanted to provide you with a few helpful tips we share with each of our clients when preparing for a photo-session with us. We hope that the following will serve to be useful to you and your family when preparing for a photography session. We also hope that if you are looking for a photographer, you will think of us.

Tip #1: Choosing the family wardrobe:

We have clients ask what clothing looks best in photos. COLOR!! Color makes the photo look alive and vibrant. Whether it’s an article of clothing or an accessory, we highly suggest bright colors. Another question we get a lot relates to matching everyone in the photo. It’s our professional opinion that is a definite NO. It’s fun to select a few bright colors and patterns, you will be pleasantly surprised by the outcome of the image and just how much you will love the texture it adds. It’s also important to consider your season when selecting a color palate. Even in the winter months, bright reds, oranges, or purples make for a great shot in the snowy outdoors.

One thing to keep in mind with the little ones is to make sure they are comfortable. If they are uncomfortable they don’t mind letting you know and trust us, their emotions will show in the images. We personally struggle with this as we tend to push headbands on our 2 year old daughter (still doesn’t have a lot of hair) who quit frankly isn’t a fan of accessories. Bringing back up clothing and or accessories is always a smart idea.

Tip #2: Pick the perfect location:

We are natural-light photographers and being outdoors is always our first choice (aside from newborn sessions). Even when we conduct sessions indoors, we utilize the natural light from windows and doors as frequently as possible. When choosing your location, keep light in mind. The time of day is also key. It’s important to be aware of the sunset time while booking your session. We typically suggest early morning and late afternoon. If you want those beautiful back-lit images, then your session start time should begin about an hour and a half prior to the sunset.

The beauty of hiring an on-location, freelance photographer is that you don’t have to go to a studio for portraits. The photographer comes to you at a location close to home, or one that has special meaning, or even in the comfort of your own home.

Tip #3: Know what you want:

All too often, we will have clients come back after a session and ask if we captured a specific image or pose. We always recommend our clients share with us their style and ideas prior to their session. We often suggest creating a photography session Pinterest board or email us a few “must have” image ideas. We also have Facebook albums of all our clients and locations to provide ideas for those that don’t know what they want. This can assist you in selecting a location, color palates, and photo styles (posing or not). We want to ensure we meet your every need and the more we have an understanding of what you want prior to the session, the better equipped we are to meet those needs.

Tip #4: Keep the kids happy during the shoot:

Let’s face-it, this is one of the hardest, most dreadful, parts of family photography. As parents we schedule EVERYTHING around nap and eating times, we suggest the same when booking your photography session. It’s hard keeping those little ones happy and smiling for long periods of time. We want to capture happy faces and the best way to do this is to just let them be kids. If they want to go play on the swing set, run around, or explore..LET THEM! We want them to be themselves and capture the essence of their little personalities; it’s more natural and preferred by the children.

We suggest everyone is well fed prior to the shoot. Have snacks and beverages on hand during your session. Food and toys can be great bribing pieces- and they work! Bring anything you want from props and blankets to favorite toys. We do our very best at getting the little ones to warm up to us and feel comfortable. One last suggestion, bring your patience. We are parents and understand how frustrating it can be. You’ve invested time and money into preparing for your session and it can be extremely upsetting to have uncooperative children but it’s important to remember our kids feed off our energy and emotions. If you remain energetic, calm and simply just have fun with it you will be pleasantly pleased with the outcome of your images.

Here are a few of our favorite images: