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I am very fortunate to not only be a Hamptons photographer, but a Palm Beach photographer as well. This past winter I while I was working in Palm Beach, the Mezoff family scheduled a portrait session for their beautiful 1-year old daughter. This child is a uniquely cheerful, happy baby. I say uniquely because so many children at that age can be grumpy, often due to the pain and discomfort of teething.

I noticed that the baby was wearing a very lovely necklace. Her mother, an acupuncturist, told me that it was an “amber necklace” and it’s used to help teething babies. Her daughter had worn it from an early age and never once did she fuss about teething. The photo session went very well, the baby was happy the entire time, and the photos are delightful. Here’s one of my favorites:

Kalas_blog_necklace_P9924

I did some research and discovered the website, Amber Artisans. Apparently, amber is being used to relieve the symptoms of  many kinds of things, including having happy babies for portrait sessions! Check it out!
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Over the years, I’ve worked with countless families in hopes of catching the perfect family portrait. Whether I’m working with a large extended family gathering or a couple and their firstborn, I’ve developed a certain workflow to capture the perfect moment. I would like to familiarize you with how I work and also provide my tips and insights so we can best prepare for your family portrait session together:

  1. If we are working at a location I am unfamiliar with, I make sure to visit it before the session at the same time we will be shooting. I observe where the light is falling and what possible locations I can work with in that setting. Then, I watch the weather carefully in order to be able to adjust the start time for optimum lighting conditions.
  2. In most cases, I begin the session with more controlled portraiture starting with the largest groupings first and then paring away. Young children being with their parents helps them feel more comfortable. The light may also be a bit bright so I can control the lighting better. However, if you have an extremely active child who must be moving all the time, I will start with moving photos first. Usually even a very active child will calm down, and at this point, it’s easier to bring in other family members for portraits together.
  3. From there, I like to move into active play. Each individual has “their turn,” and then I work with all of the children playing together. Sometimes I need parental participation to engage the children. I will direct you where to be. It’s important for you to be in close proximity to the camera, which may mean kneeling down so your children’s eyes are focused in the camera’s direction.
  4. I come to every session with lots of patience. It’s important to acknowledge each child’s personality and timing and let myself be guided by their comfort zone. If they need a short break for refreshments, it’s important to give him or her that time.
  5. Though the sessions are meant to be relaxed and enjoyable, I am very aware of the changing light: approaching clouds, setting sun, and wind and will move the session along to accomplish what I have in mind to give you the greatest range of images.
  6. I like to end the sessions with family play. By then, the light is gorgeous, everyone is very relaxed, and it’s a great time for spontaneous photography.

I hope this gives you a better understanding of what to expect when having your family portait taken. I thought I’d also share a finished photograph of engaging children in active play on the beach:

Hamptons Family Portrait

 
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During the first year of a baby’s life there’s something new to celebrate nearly every day. Whether it’s the first smile, the first word, or the first step, every stage provides delightful memories. To make it easy for parents to capture each of these wonderful stages, I started offering baby portrait packages a few years ago.

It works like this: we schedule 2 to 4 separate baby photo sessions during the first year at these milestones:

photocrati gallery

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