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4 Tips to Ensure a Successful Newborn Photoshoot – Our Guide

  • Happy bub with Mum 2

 

Ensure a Successful Newborn Photoshoot

People relish in memories—a household or two would have wedding memorabilia safely stored away or on display for generations to experience. Some invest in memoirs to keep their legacy alive, but for the majority, photographs are the most ideal way to keep memories alive.

The birth of a child, for instance, is a milestone that deserves a celebration. Many come to our studio for newborn photoshoots, to keep the memory of the arrival of their precious angel alive forever.

While taking a newborn’s photo may seem straightforward, a lot of work and rules need to be laid out to ensure a successful newborn photoshoot. In our years of experience, we’ve gathered some helpful tips to ensure the success of your photoshoot. We share our secrets to success, in the hopes that you create photographs of your child your family and friends will love!

4 Tips to Ensure a Successful Newborn Photoshoot

Tip #1: Consider the lighting options

As you may very well know, newborn babies are sensitive, especially when it comes to flash. If you want to have a quality photoshoot, opt for an area of your home where natural light is aplenty. You can either start early in the morning or the afternoon, so long as the sun offers you the best possible lighting for the photoshoot.

Do consider your options—natural light may produce good photos, but don’t let the magic of shadows pass you by. You may have window coverings that produce interesting shapes, so never hesitate to play around the room. If you’re working with a professional photographer, allow them to play around with the lighting! Alternatively I also love heading outside, particularly on a cloudy day!

When I’m working in a studio setting, the huge flash is always covered by a muting filter and I slowly ease the little one into having it flash. The first few shots from the shoot are usually not the best, but once they get used to it, it can work well.

Baby in a basket on wooden floor

Tip #2: Dedicate ample time

Newborns demand a lot of time and attention, and that will naturally transcend to the day of your photoshoot. Make sure to wake up extra early to gather and arrange everything you need, including snuggles, feedings, and clothing changes. Photographers understand that babies need ample care, and any disruptions during the shoot will be met with patience.

All you need to do is to ensure that you schedule your day accordingly, with extra room for changes, diaper accidents, burping needs, and other baby needs. Don’t fret—professional photographers would be more than willing to wait!

This all being said however, try not to spend too long actually in front of a camera. Little ones don’t tend to react well to doing something they arent used to for too long, so as soon as they show signs of ‘cracking’ make sure you comfort them ASAP.

Baby in Basket

Tip #3: Allow your photographer to see your everyday life

This is connected to the previous tip, but as you feed, change diapers, and snuggle with your baby, allow your photographer the chance to see your everyday routines. They would make for amazing photos, especially since your newborn can only be posed so much in a fairy costume.

While your photographer has your desired photos in mind, the little moments make up for some of the best newborn photos. That’s certainly how I work with most clients, as the soft and quiet moments between a mother, a father, and the baby turn out to be what they’re looking for.

Mummy cuddles

Tip #4: Broaden your perspective

Taking photos of your baby in cute clothing is the main goal, as with family photos that proudly show off your precious one. Your baby will naturally end up tired, prompting a feeding session and a nap. As they’re indisposed, allow your photographer to roam once more and take photographs of the nursery.

That stuffed animal by the corner next to the crib can be an amazing shot, as with those tiny children shoes right next to dad’s boots. These may not be significant now, but once your child graduates from college, these baby items will be long gone—to have proof that they once existed will be incredible and really is the main goal of a successful newborn photoshoot.

Baby Turtle

Making Memories to Cherish With Your Newborn

The prospect of a successful newborn photoshoot session is exciting, especially since you know that you’re solidifying a happy memory that will be fleeting. It entails hard work, however, especially since babies are beings that need round the clock attention and love. You will need to incorporate your care routine into your sessions, but the tips we’ve mentioned above intricately weave best of both worlds together and hopefully help create a successful newborn photoshoot.

For the best newborn photography services in Adelaide, Sven Studios has you covered. We primarily offer wedding photography solutions, but we’ve worked with countless families that capture newborn baby moments—we make them fun and relaxed, ensuring that you have photos you’ll be proud to display forever. Work with our talented team—reach out today.

 

 

 

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3 Tips to Consider for a Smooth Family Portrait Session

  • Family walking though trees

 

Preparing for a smooth family portrait session

Family portraits are a classic in almost every household, but the ear-to-ear grin, effortless poses, and loud personality behind each imagery aren’t as simple to capture as you would think. From screaming children, camera-shy teens, to impatient moms or dads, there are various factors that can make or break your smooth family portrait session.

Family photoshoots are tough for professional photographers too, especially since there are tight deadlines and temperamental subjects to consider. With that in mind, the simple tips below should help you nail your photoshoot and strike the perfect pose with your family:

3 Tips to Consider for a Smooth Family Portrait Session

Tip #1: Choose The Location That Suits Everyone

A picture at the beach with the sun beaming down everyone’s shining faces may look visually stunning, but behind the scenes, not all members can beat the heat on a hot summer’s day. The same goes for a snapshot of your family in a winter wonderland, as standing in uncomfortable conditions won’t make it realistic for everyone.

With that in mind, be sure to pick a time, day, and location where everyone can stay comfortable for an extended period. It’s also a good idea to have a back-up option when shooting outdoors, so you can get ahead of unexpected weather reports.

I personally actually prefer to shoot in a shaded, wooded area. It makes for a much easier shoot without any harsh shadows or highlights streaming across people’s faces, and people tend to appreciate that!

Smiling family photo in the grass

Tip #2: Wear Or Bring The Right Clothing

It’s often a good idea to change into themed clothing when everyone is ready to shoot, especially if it’s for a festive holiday set in an outdoor backdrop. This ensures everyone stays comfortable for the most part of the shoot, but if you find yourself experiencing a cold snap, always go for a look where everyone can feel cozy.

Forcing everyone to follow a dress code may result in sour moods and unwillingness to have fun in front of the camera, which will mostly reflect in your images. To that end, it’s best to discuss clothing plans with the family so everyone can agree on the right outfit to wear for the shoot.

Walking together as a family

Tip #3: Be Sure To Prep Your Kids

Kids that are bored, hungry, and see no purpose in what you are doing can often result in a disastrous portrait. If you want to ensure they stay in their best behavior, at least, for the most part, talking to them beforehand should give them an idea of what to expect in the photoshoot.

Giving an incentive such as ending the shoot with a treat – be it ice cream or dinner to their favorite place – are some simple ideas that push your kids to join the bandwagon with you. It can also help to choose a location which you know your little one has enjoyed in the past and make it a bit of an outing. The best family photographers can work without being overbearing and forceful on children.

Baby looking over shoulder 2

The Bottom Line: Preparation Is Key When Unlocking The Ideal smooth family portrait session

Family portraits capture special moments between your loved ones, but the picture-perfect imagery isn’t as easy to achieve. Ideas can clash, outfits don’t match, and some members are too shy to let loose in front of the camera.

Working with the right photographer can make all the difference – be it in breaking the ice or finding everyone’s best angles. Speaking of which, SvenStudios are experienced, award winning professional photographers in Australia that can capture a family portrait that is worth keeping for generations.

Get in touch with us today and see what we can do for you!

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4 Crucial Details Your Wedding Photographer Must Know

Details Your Wedding Photographer Must Know

Your wedding photographer has the job of ensuring that the most precious moments of your big day are captured. Right from your preparations to the moment you walk down the aisle and even to your reception, the photographers are there to document the most memorable day of your life. 

With their skills and experience, they can produce photos that you will surely love looking at for the years to come. 

However, it’s worth mentioning that your photographers will still need your instructions. Whilst they are skilled in what they do, they won’t be able to provide the documentation you want if you do not communicate any details your wedding photographer must know. If your photographers are not aware of that special, unique moment you had planned, this will only stress you out on what is supposed to be your special day. 

Bride and groom under the leaves at the Stockade Botanic Park

On that note, here are four of the many crucial details your wedding photographer must know about the day:  

4 Crucial Details Your Wedding Photographer Must Know

  1. The Day’s Schedule 

The big day will be full of events that you may want to be captured in beautiful pictures. Considering this, it is best to let your photographers have a copy of the day’s schedule along with the locations they need to be in. 

This copy will help them get a better idea of how the day is going to flow. On top of that, this will enable them to be where they need to be and when they need to be there. Ultimately, this helps them anticipate the next activities and set up their gear in advance. 

Once a photographer has this schedule, it would also be easier for them to use their experience and perhaps provide advice on how long things actually take. Knowing this and planning for it makes any wedding day that much less stressful.

Dog running through vines on wedding day
  1. Parking Space 

This is perhaps one of the most essential things you need to sort out in advance and prepare for your wedding photographers. 

Reserving a slot for them will help them park easily and spring into action right away. If your chosen venue has limited capacity, they will not have to spend minutes finding a vacant spot. Rather, they can park quickly, unload their equipment, and start setting up their gear. 

This is particularly important when holding a wedding within the city where parking is often at a premium and hard to find, also if asking your photographer to also provide a photobooth or other bulky equipment.

With the Wedding Car
  1. Group and Specific Photos

If you want to take several family and group photos, it’s a great idea to let your photographer know beforehand. However, take note that you will not be able to accommodate everyone as this will consume a lot of time. You need to pick out the important ones to give time for the other parts of the ceremony or reception. 

You must also let your photographers know if you have any family or friends who have a disability or a strong aversion to flash lighting. This will help them plan the location and lighting for the group shots appropriately. 

Finally, let them know about other special shots of you and your partner that you want to be taken. If you have any location in mind, feel free to share it with them as well. They will take it into consideration when planning the locations. 

Informing your wedding photographers of your preferred group and specific photos will allow them to prepare in advance. Ultimately this will help save time and make it easier for everyone to get the pictures taken. 

Drone group shot at Ekhidna WInes
  1. Surprises 

If you are planning a surprise for your partner, you must also let them know about it. When photographers know what is to come, they can position themselves beforehand to capture your partner’s reaction clearly and from the best angle. Don’t worry – we are usually pretty good at keeping secrets 😉

Surprise!

Finding the best wedding photographers for your big day is the fundamental step to gaining great memories of it. You also have a part to play in this—you must fill in your chosen people with details your wedding phtoographer must know. Supplying them with the information listed above will help them do their job well. Ultimately, this will enable them to get the best snaps of your love story’s momentous day.  

Looking for skilled wedding photography packages you can choose from. Get in touch today to know more about our services!

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Why Your Wedding Plan Should Prioritise Photography

First kiss in front of the Manor’s keep

Why Your Wedding Plan Should Prioritise Photography

So many things happen simultaneously with wedding plans that some things simply cannot be considered a priority—but your wedding photographs should not fall into that category. As a wedding photographer I may be a little biased, but I turely believe that any wedding plan should prioritise photography for the following reasons.

Professionally shot wedding photographs will always be an investment worth planning for. Why? It’s one of the most important days in your life that you’ll want to remember in the best way possible. After all, nothing can compare to the magic that a photographer can create with their expertise.

A wedding plan should prioritise photography, but that does not mean that you have to turn your big day into one big expensive photoshoot – you just need to be smart about it.

Preserving your best memories

Say you want to take a more budget-friendly route with wedding photographers and rely on your guests to take photographs of you and your spouse. Maybe you’ve thought of asking a friend who has some experience in shooting photos to take on the task of photographing your wedding day.

Neither of these situations is ideal for capturing and preserving your memories in the best way for several reasons. While the intent is for the photos to look genuine, your guests will likely be very distracted from being in the moment just trying to take great shots of the both of you. Your photographer friend who isn’t an accredited professional may take some great photos, but they might not produce the stunning images you’re looking for due to lack of experience at weddings, or equipment.

I can’t count how many times I’ve been asked by people who went the ‘cheaper route’ and then asked me to ‘fix’ the photographs they recieved. It isnt really possible in the same way as I could have if I had taken the photos..

If you want to capture one of the most monumental moments of your life and not have to worry about how the pictures will turn out, hire a professional photographer.

Belair National Park wedding photo 2

Maximising your budget

You’ll be more grateful you made the decision to have your wedding immortalised more than you think. Many couples who have chosen to sacrifice their budget for wedding photographs and place elsewhere, like in the decorations or the food, often regret it later on.

This is unsurprising, as guests won’t really care to remember what decorations were used during that special day—but they will want to relive the moment the bride walked down the aisle or how much fun they had during the reception. Those captured moments are worth paying for.

When looking at your wedding budget and wondering how you’ll afford a photographer with everything else going on, remember that you don’t need to pull out all the stops and get a wedding photographer and videographer who’ll do a same-day edit or a simple highlight video if you don’t want a full-on videographer.

A single professional photographer with a partner or a small team who can capture the right moments as opposed to every single moment will be your best option. While there is some expense involved, getting a good wedding photographer can be easy to choose by looking through their portfolio and checking their pricing.

Bride and groom walking together in vineyards

Finding a photographer with the right style

Take your time when choosing a wedding photographer. It’s important that you love their work so that they can capture your wedding day exactly how you pictured it—and they might just exceed your expectations.

Viewing their portfolio is the first step, followed by a short interview or meeting to discuss your plans for the wedding, find out how to best produce a wedding plan should prioritise photography, but also not get in the way of the memories you’re going to create on your day. Once you find a photographer whose style suits you best and with whom you are comfortable, then book them right away! This is something that you want to accomplish soon after you set a date for your wedding, as the best photographers can often be booked up to one or two years in advance.

Groom picking up bride through window

Wedding photos may always seem like an extra, and a huge bulk of your wedding budget in the beginning, but couples soon come to realise that they are one of the most important investments of your special day. So many beautiful moments are shared in such a short amount of time that you’ll want to replay it in your mind’s eye again and again. Only a professional photographer can take your wedding day and make it last a lifetime, which is the main reason why your wedding plan should prioritise photography.

Are you looking for wedding photographers in Adelaide, Hobart, Darwin or Canberra? Here at SvenStudios, we take the precious moments of your wedding day and create fun, relaxed, and natural-looking photos that will have you looking back on that special time again and again. Connect with us and book a schedule today!

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How to Help Your Photographer Get Better Shots at Your Wedding

  • Bride and groom silhouette

 

Help Your Photographer Get Better Shots at Your Wedding

Every wedding photographer wants to capture their clients’ weddings perfectly. As the bride or groom, you also share the same goal. Of course, it can be tricky for you to assist them on your wedding day. That may leave you wondering whether there is anything you can do to help your photographer do their jobs as well as they can.

While your wedding photographer is in charge of producing your beautiful photos, their job requires teamwork and collaboration. This vital element is not just between them and their clients, but it also involves other vendors, suppliers, and guests.

How to Help your Photographer Get Better Shots at Your Wedding

You can help your wedding photographer get better shots at your wedding using the following tips:

Before the Wedding

Invite your photographer to your venue or rehearsals

It may not be part of the service offered by your photographer, but it will not hurt to invite them when to your wedding rehearsals, or even arrange to meet up and have a walk around. It is the best way for your photographer to see the venue and check the ambient lighting. They even get the chance to meet you and your family and friends before the big day, and this can help everyone feel comfortable with each other.

Alternatively if you can view a wedding your photographer has shot at your wedding venue in the past, it can give you an idea of what can and can’t work for your own day.

What I usually do is when I meet a new couple as their prospective wedding photographer, is to show them a wedding I had shot at their venue in the past, or failing that something similar so that they get a bit of an idea of what they will look like when being captured by me.

Burbrook forest wedding ceremony

Include buffers in the schedule

Make sure you allot a time buffer for each activity listed on your wedding day, as schedule changes are common in most weddings. For example, the bride may need to have her makeup and gown checked after the ceremony, and the groom might need to take a quick break at the same time. Even finding a location for the after-ceremony wedding shots may take several minutes. Some brides will also have a difficult time walking in heels, and this can slow everything down.

I’ve found that if I allocate 1 hour per location you’d like to take photos in this provides for ample time to take plenty of shots while also keeping things relaxed and not rushed.

Ekhidna wines wedding at sunset

On Your Wedding Day

Make sure your venue is spacious, bright, and clean

You can get beautiful photos if the location is clean, well-designed, well-lit, and with a stunning backdrop or view. It will make the job of producing quality and beautiful photos easier for your wedding photographer. The same goes for your place of preparation – a clean house will always look nicer than if it looks as though a tornado had just hit.

Ask your venue to ensure that the space has been cleared and tidied before the photographer arrives. That way, you can ensure that there are no distracting items in the background.

Reception setup

Know where you should stand during the ceremony

Traditionally, brides stand on the left-hand side, but this is entirely up to the couple. Wherever you choose to stand, try to make sure that there is enough natural lighting for both you and your partner and also so that one of you isnt staring into the sun. Another thing you need to ensure is that you stand in the middle of the aisle. If not, your photographer will have a hard time taking well-balanced wide shots from the aisle.

Botanic Park wedding ceremony with trees in background

Inform the Photographer on Schedule Changes

Keeping your photographers aligned with what is about to happen will help them get better photos of the event. While they may be following a schedule that you provided beforehand, keep in mind that these events do not always go as planned.

Make sure you, or ask your MC to give a heads up to your photographer before every special highlight, such as the grand entrance, the first dance, or the speech. Your photographer might need to change batteries or their camera settings in these special cases.

first dance in blue smoke

While it is important to trust your wedding photographer, there are many factors you can help your photographer work to their highest potential. Several factors will determine the quality of their work. As the bride or groom, there are ways you can help your photographer. Once you do your part, relax and enjoy your big day.

Are you looking for a wedding photographer? Sven Studios, headed by award-winning wedding photographer Steven Duncan, captures your precious moments in a fun and relaxing experience, giving you amazing photos you can treasure forever. Get in contact as we’d love to hear more about your day!