Rachel McHardy is one of the premier Baton Rouge family photographers. She specializes in contemporary family, children, newborn, and senior photography.
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I am in the midst of coordinating family pictures, and am now appreciating just how difficult it can be to get everyone in a family looking somewhat cohesive and coordinated without some work. (How is it that in 3 closets full of clothes, I cannot for the life of me find an outfit for my husband, my daughter, and myself that all go together?!) Sound familiar? Have no fear! I have created this What to Wear Guide- Family Photo Session just for you! Take a look below.
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Did you catch my post last week with my What to Wear Guide- Kids? If not, be sure to check that out first! So here’s the back story on the outfit I used for my little girl- my husband had a light day at work, and was home early. Being the five-star husband he is, he agreed to help me run some errands. One of the things on my to-do list was to get a few pieces of clothing for my daughter who had recently decided to eat some miracle grow… or something… and was outgrowing her other clothes. Rory was mostly tasked with running after our very mobile little girl and monitoring the small tornado she occasionally whips up around her. But he started browsing the clothes a little too, and he came across this outfit. “She HAS to have this,” he said as he held it up for me to see. Truth be told, I did NOT like the outfit when I saw it on the hanger. But I could see that Rory had already imagined our daughter wearing that, and I had never seen him so insistent on any article of clothing let alone our little girl’s clothing, so into the cart it went. When we got home, Rory immediately put our little girl in the outfit. And I was smitten. The outfit was infinitely cuter on her than on the hanger. So… the short version of that is: I had the outfit for her before I even had the idea. So was I inspired by the outfit to choose the “Country Girl” photo shoot? Or did I have the idea for a “Country Girl” photo shoot and decided to act on it because of the outfit? I don’t know. But the point is it fit the vision I had. When I think country clothing I think: boots, denim, plaid, a touch of shabby, and red (for some reason!). So I wanted to make sure my little girl’s clothing fit most, if not all, that criteria for the photo shoot. The result- the outfit below!
Lately, I feel like my creativity has been stifled a bit. It’s just too easy to put my need to create on the back-burner while in the midst of motherhood, pregnancy, running a business, etc. But my creativity is important to me. Any time I do something, even if it’s just a little bit creative, it’s like I come out of a fog I didn’t even know I was in. Ergo, I decided to give myself a challenge. I decided to do a little themed shoot with my daughter each week between now and the end of the year. Honestly, I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it… or if my daughter will be up for it! But that’s the point of a challenge, right? Right. So for my first themed shoot, I decided to do a “Country Girl” theme. One of the first things I had to decide was the location. First, I started coming up with words that I associated with a “country” location. Here were some of the words I came up with: open, long grass, leaves, rugged, leaves, and trees. I took those words and started looking for possibilities as I was driving or walking around throughout the day. It wasn’t too hard to find possibilities because of where we live. I made a list, and at the very top of my list was this spot I found with a green, abandoned tractor. I loved how the tractor matched the rugged, rural feel I wanted from the location. It also had long grass. Cha-ching! I also chose an old schoolyard for a second location. It’s near the tractor, which was a definite plus since working with a toddler means working in a very limited time frame. The leaves of the trees at the schoolyard are also gorgeous right now which I felt complimented the vision I had in mind. Here are a couple of shots that show off the locations.
Here’s a question I frequently get asked: I want to get a good camera. Should I get a point and shoot that I can upload directly or go for something better? I want it for a hobby and find photography very interesting. My camera phone is not cutting it. The vast majority of you reading this already carry a camera in your pocket or purse everywhere you go allowing you document (and share!) everything from your adorable new puppy to the “present” some bird left on your windshield. Ah, what a time to be alive! But eventually, most shutterbugs are going to start itching for something more than what a camera phone can do. Truth be told, I use both the camera on my phone and my DSLR regularly. There are times, for example, when my daughter is doing something adorable that I want to capture, but I’ll miss if I have to get out my DSLR, put on a lens, and adjust the settings. For those times, I simply whip out my phone and document the spontaneous moment. At other times, I want to create a piece of art. I want to blur the background, bathe my subject in dreamy sunlight, and still get a great exposure. For me, only a DSLR will deliver. I’ve put together a list of questions to ask yourself if you are wondering if you should buy a DSLR. If you answer yes to most of these questions, then, in my humble opinion, you should consider investing in a DSLR: 1. Do you feel like your current camera is no longer cutting it? 2. Photography is an expensive hobby; are you willing to put money into it? 3. Are you wanting to create art? 4. Do you have the time/ability to really learn how to make the most out of your camera? 5. Are you okay with carrying around a heavier camera? 6. Do you want to shoot in low-light conditions? 7. Do you need to capture action faster than you’re currently able? 8. Do you want better optics? 9. Do you want to order large prints of your photography? 10. Do you feel a passion/developing passion for photography? If you’ve determined that a DSLR is for you, than you’ll also want to learn how to make the most of your camera. After all, a DSLR left on auto mode is little more than a glorified point-and shoot! Shooting in manual and learning how to use natural light are crucial elements to improving photography. To learn more check these out: Capture My Life: Learn to Shoot in Manual Mode and Unleash Your Inner Photographer Light Up My Life: Your Essential Guide to Natural Lighting in Portraiture Figuring out how to dress your kiddo for a photo session can be stressful! But stress no longer- I’ve got your “What to Wear Guide” for kids to help you out! You can also download it for FREE in the store.
[…] you catch my post last week with my What to Wear Guide- Kids? If not, be sure to check that out […] |
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