Ever wondered how a professional photographer prepares for a portrait photography session? Well, this blog is all about tips and best practices involved in portrait photography.

The blog will feature useful tips about: lighting, posing, props, wardrobe, makeup and more. Plus, we’ll cover the legal issues involved with shooting portraits.

If you’re interested in learning more about portrait photography or want to become a better portrait photographer, this blog is for you!

We are here to assist you in your portrait photography session. You might feel a bit nervous, or even somewhat excited. You want to look your best, and you want the process to be smooth and easy.

The photographer is the one who will take the pictures of your child during our session. I will also take some photos, but there are no worries about my skills in photography, because I only shoot for personal works.

So what can you do at home to prepare for the session? I was asked this question by a mother who recently sent her daughter to me for a session. I thought it would be helpful to share my answer with you all.

It isn’t really that hard to prepare, especially if you know what you’re doing and have an idea of what the photographer will be expecting from you during the session. You should also know that we do not require any special preparation on your part. We are grateful if you prepare but it’s not required.

We have been in this business for many years and we have handled many children so far. We know how to handle them even if they are more shy or fidgety than usual. We will observe them carefully so as not to cause any unexpected happens that might make them feel uncomfortable with us and

~The session will take place in your home or mine. I usually do a majority of the portrait photography on location, however, if you prefer to be photographed at my studio I can accommodate as well.

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~Location: I prefer to photograph portraits in your home as opposed to going to a studio. There are many reasons for this preference, but the most important being that photographs taken in a studio often look “posed” and staged. My preference is to capture the individual’s personality in their favorite surroundings. And second, it makes the experience more enjoyable for everyone because it takes place in an environment with which the individual is familiar and therefore less likely to be nervous.

A few points about your home: I try to respect anyone’s home, especially those that are being photographed by me. So if there are things or places that you are particularly proud of or want photographed, please let me know so we can make sure they are included in some way. Additionally, if there is anything that might make it difficult for us to capture a good photograph (see below) please also let me know so we can try to adjust accordingly.

For example, if there is a mirror directly behind you that reflects sunlight; perhaps we could avoid photographing during times of day

-First and foremost, a portrait session is all about the art of posing your client. This is not as hard as it sounds but it is important to have a few tricks up your sleeve to help you get the most out of your client’s session.

-The best way to get a great portrait is to have great light so be sure to plan your session close to sunrise or sunset, this gives you the best light possible with the best colors. -Try to pose your subject in front of an interesting background like a brick wall, this will give you a lot more options for editing later in Photoshop. -Get your client dressed for the occasion, if you are doing something outside then make sure they dress accordingly. -Make sure that you understand what your client wants from their photos so you can provide them with exactly that. -When looking at clothing lines or styles ask your client what they like and do not like, this will help you tailor their session to exactly what they want.-When looking at hair styles try to find something that will complement their face shape.-Find out what colors they love or hate so you can use them when picking out clothes.-Find out what style they are going for and try to incorporate that into their shoot.-Bring props along with you and change

I love my kitchen and I love to cook. Usually when someone takes a photo of me in my kitchen, it’s pretty ugly. There are dishes on the counter and stuff everywhere. So I decided to show you how to make your kitchen look good for a photo shoot.

TIP 1: CLEAN YOUR KITCHEN!

You don’t want your kitchen to look like this. A little time spent cleaning will pay off big in the end. You don’t have to do a deep cleaning of your whole house, just make sure the counters are cleaned and free of clutter. Make sure there aren’t any dishes sitting around in the sink, or if there are, they’re clean and there isn’t anything else (like pots or food) sitting on top of them. And make sure the stove is spotless (if it’s not electric).

TIP 2: GET THE RIGHT LIGHTING

This is so important! Find some light that is flattering for you – see if you have a large window with natural light coming in, or maybe an area with several lamps with warm lighting. If you don’t have great lighting, take a trip to Home Depot or Ikea and get some inexpensive lamps that will do the job for you! 

TIP

Our studio is located in the heart of Little Italy, San Diego. The studio is easily accessible. There are two parking lots located directly behind the building. If you park in these two parking lots you will not be charged by the meter. There is plenty of room in the parking lot but we suggest you arrive a few minutes early to get your spot. We are located on the corner of West Date and India St behind Santini’s Pizza.

Tethering or using an outside flash is strictly forbidden inside our studio