TAYNEE MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY

Utah Wedding and Family Photographer

family

How to prepare for your photo session

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Sometimes the hardest part can be finding someone and committing and hiring them! At this point, you have now found me, and I am so excited to show you how to prepare for your photo session and then photograph your session! Now let’s get down to business! I’m going to walk you step by step through the entire process. This really is such an exciting time for you but also can feel stressful and overwhelming, so I want to help take this off your shoulders.

Here we go!

WHAT TO EXPECT

Nervousness: I know you are thinking that you are worried will everyones outfits look okay, will you look okay that day, will everyone be smiling and doing what they are supposed to do?? This is where I say trust the process and ME! I have done this so many times and I know exactly how to get the people in your session engaged and involved. The more we let our family feel our nerves, the more they will be nervous and potentially act out. I will help get their attention and keep them on track and make sure I get beautiful images while I am at it.

In general, try your best to treat it like any other time. That is the best way for me to get candid shots of your family. The more relaxed you are and the more you can be yourselves, the more you’ll love the photos. I will mix up posing and prompts, so don’t feel like you have to come with any of those ideas. I will be your idea factory that day so you can relax!

Fun: Do your very best to treat this as a fun activity. If we go into something stressed, others can feel it, so remember to have fun and just really lean into the session!

WHAT TO DO AHEAD OF TIME

Choose a location: I have a list of spots I love, but also am open to hearing if there is a spot you want! I am always open to doing the shoot at your home also if that is something important to you!

Pick a date: Do you want a fall session or summer session? Do you want to make sure you can have enough time to send cards/invitations out at a certain time. This will all be critical information to decide on, so that you have plenty of time to get the images back from me to use.

Pick a time: As a photographer, I will always recommend doing it at a time that is best for the light! Keep in mind how much time you will need to get everyone ready, get them to the location, and then give us at least an hour for your session!

Communicate: I will give you a beautiful session, but if there is something you are hoping for, please tell me so that I can make sure we achieve that for you!

Prep your outfits: Don’t wait til the day of your shoot to pick your looks! Start thinking now of coordinating outfits, get them ordered and planned, and then get them prepped for the session by ironing them or steaming them ahead of time!

Prep yourself and family: Make sure to get hair cuts a few days in advance and start practicing how you will do your hair or book an appointment to get your hair and makeup done! It’s a fun way to treat yourself also!

WHAT TO WEAR

What to wear and how to coordinate: The most important thing is to feel comfortable and happy in what you are wearing. If you feel beautiful it will shine through. Also think classic styling so that in years to come you love them just as much!

Be yourself: Don’t dress totally out of your normal style, find a style you love and know you will look back in and feel confident and happy!

Color: I always love more jewel tones or softer neutrals for your session! This is huge that everyone is in a similar color wheel so that everyone can coordinate color wise!

How to coordinate: Don’t match too closely so that it will all balance the photos. Go for complimentary colors, patterns so that it all flows nicely!

I have a whole post here dedicated to what to wear! Make sure to check that out!

This whole process can feel overwhelming but I promise you once you are there it will be amazing! I can’t wait to get to meet you and photograph your session!

What is the best season for family photos?

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Moving from California to Utah, having four seasons has absolutely been a change for me! This last year I have really started to gain some perspective on what seasons I love to shoot in and would be best for family photos. At the end of the day, any season will work, it’s more about the pros and cons to each season and what you prefer.

Living in Utah we get four full seasons. I love that we do because it truly offers a lot of variety. The first thing you need ot decide is what scenery would you like. My favorite is spring time with all of the flowers in bloom. Anytime from April to October are prime months for photos in Utah. This makes it easy because really you could have spring, summer, or fall photos.

PROS FOR SPRING FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY- This is my FAVORITE!

  1. Warm weather
    -the kids will be happy it’s not to hot or to cold
  2. Blooming Flowers
    -This is my favorite time of year for pictures because the flowers truly can make for a stunning backdrop.
  3. Light colors and pastels are so beautiful in images.

CONS OF SPRING FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY

  1. Bad Weather – It rains quite a bit from March-May sometimes even snows, so you need to stay flexible and ready to reschedule.
  2. Busy Photographers – this is when our season begins so we are focusing on engagements, bridals, families, it can get really busy.
  3. Hard to dress for- Bringing kids to this type of shoot, you want to be sure you plan for layers because if it is a breezy day the kids for sure will get cold.

PROS OF SUMMER FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY

  1. You can start later and have the most BEAUTIFUL sunsets at the end of your session during the summer season
  2. Weather is hot, but that means you can dress in sundresses and linens
  3. Beautiful locations! The hills will be so green and that makes for some beautiful shots.

CONS OF SPRING FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY

  1. HOT- Now I also called this a pro but it can be a con if it is way to hot! This is important to keep in mind what time you book at and where. If you book in the mountains it will be a little easier because the temps are a little lower.
  2. Scheduling issues.  
    – People travel a lot so it can be hard to find a time for a photographer to book you and have it work for everyone
fall family photography

PROS OF FALL FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY

  1. Awesome temperatures – This is the best time to get some images while keeping everyone cool
  2. Beautiful fall foliage – Utah has the most amazing leaves, trees, and fall season. It’s also a great chance to get some more themed photos like at a pumpkin patch.

CONS OF FALL FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY

  1. Turn around time -This is the BUSIEST time of the year as people are getting photos for Christmas cards and with these great temps. You should expect a longer wait time.
  2. Locations Crowded- A few of the main spots I love I know get so busy in the fall so you should plan to have multiple families and photographers at most locations .
  3. Busy timing – This is when school starts back up, holidays are coming, so things are crazy in scheduling world. This is important to notate if you also have kids in sports because your photographer might not be able to be super flexible.

PROS OF WINTER FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY

  1. Open Schedules –This is probably the easiest time to book! Things are super mellow for most photographers this season and slow so it makes it easy for you to get in on your time frame.
  2. Chance of snow- I can’t even tell you how many shoots have had it start to snow during the shoot! It makes for some magical photos!
  3. Beautiful color tones – Majority of outdoor spots will be dead and be more neutral which can be great for images you will be putting in your home so that they work anywhere.

CONS OF WINTER FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY

  1. It’s COLD! – I have been at shoots before that have been so freezing and that can be incredibly hard. You sometimes will have red hands, noses, other body parts from being so cold. It also typically goes a lot faster because of that.
  2. Limited on looks- you can go without coats but you will for sure be cold! This is something to keep in mind as you plan outfits and if you have kids in your shoot.

I hope this helps you! Which is your favorite season for family photos? Have you done each season? Would you want to try each season??

Ready to schedule your family photo session? Don’t wait! Send me a message here!

Williams Family | Utah Family Photographer

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Winter is flying by which means we will be in spring and summer soon and that’s the perfect time for family photos! This session was done in the late fall early winter, but if you want something a little warmer, the next 6 months coming up will be for you!

Planning ahead of time not only takes some stress of you for the rest of the year but allows you to prepare for your shoot also. I love when a client has a vision just as much as I do for their session but allows me to create the magic!

The Williams family is my husband’s best friend from high school and it was so fun to reconnect with them and get some fun lifestyle images! We really focused on being fun and energetic so that the boys personalities would be reflected.

We did the William’s family session in Daybreak and it was such a fun setting. They have some great backgrounds, cute field areas, and even some water areas that really give you a diverse look for the session. Her boys were so lovely and well behaved and I hope I get to keep continuing to capture their friendship as it grows over the years!

8+ Fun Photo Ideas to do with Kids

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One of my favorite things about photographing families is the interaction with little kids. I love getting a good mix of both candid and posed shots to capture their spirit and personalities as they grow up! 

I put together a list of 10 ideas you can try to get kids to come out of their shells and feel more comfortable at your sessions. These have worked for me time and time again, and while I know it’s different for everyone, they are worth the shot to get those emotion-filled images. 

  1. Kids Run Under Blanket: Having a prop can help distract them and give them something to play with, but also can help mom and dad not feel like they are having to keep the kids in major control and tied down! 

2. Dance to Favorite Song: This is a favorite for little kids. When you have kids who just won’t listen, try a little of their favorite music to get their attention and to get their little bodies moving! It’s so fun to see them do little dances and you often get such darling images from it. 

3. Puppet Master: Mom or dad will hold them up as a puppet and make them do silly things! This one is fun because you can get the parents in the shot with the kids.

4. Bring Personalized Props: Like I said earlier, having some type of prop really is great for little kids to keep them distracted and great for older kids because it’s something they love. I had a darling group of boys who LOVED soccer, so we brought their soccer ball and got a few shots. The boys loved it so much, they kept saying how they will totally do this again next year! 

5. Ring around the Rosie: Another great one for siblings. If you have little kids, this gives a way for the big kids to be involved and do something with them! As kids age, I know some people can feel a little more uncomfortable with asking them to do things, and this is a great way to get older kids to play with younger kids!

6. Toss Them Around: This is great for mom or dad to do with the kids! Kids love being tossed around! Plus, this is a great strategy for kids who won’t hold still – the parents can toss them in one shot and then the kids are already in their arms to hold still for more serious shots.  

7. Have a Pretend Picnic: Kids love getting to play and adventure out in nature. This is a perfect way to get them interacting with you during their “picnic” to distract them from the actual photoshoot. 

8. Throw Leaves: During fall time, find a spot with leaves so that you can have them throw the leaves up in the air. This is a great way to inject motion into your images as well. 

9. Running Away From and Towards the Camera: These are some of my favorite shots because you get a genuine smile of them “racing” or feeling like they are super heroes. So many ways to encourage them to do this and get them invested with you. 

I hope these tips help you to create some magical sessions for your and your families!