Don’t schedule your shoot during naptime. Robin naps usually between… Oh sorry, I was talking about your child’s naptime.
Consider taking a vacation day and shooting on a weekday. Places we would go would be less crowded.
If your child is afraid of bugs and spiders, probably best to not plan a hike in the woods for our shoot.
Look for locations with open shade. What is open shade, you ask? Open shade happens in parks with tall trees that provide complete shade, or spaces with tall buildings that completely shade out the sun. Full sun is flattering only in early morning or late afternoon light. Dappled shade is the worst because it’s hard to expose a shot so that the hot spots (where the sun is shining through) don’t blow out the picture’s highlights. High noon sun is also yucky.
Be prepared for the weather with a backup plan. If it’s a hundred degrees, strawberry picking in full sun should be punted in favor of the backyard sprinkler. It it’s raining and the shoot date can’t be changed, plan plenty of indoor activities: reading, a bubble bath, a trip to the mall, the grocery store. Have some bright and colorful kid-fun umbrellas. Brighten up dreary days with bright, fun hats, and big colorful lollipops.
Save the messy activities for last. We will get all of the more formal, posed family shots early in the shoot, so wear the dressy outfit first.
If you’re meeting me somewhere, put my cell (239.823.8468) in your cell.
If you’ve got an appointment to meet me somewhere, and you’re running 20 minutes late, we’re losing good light. Get a move on and call me asap!