It was that time of year again where I get to head out for a bit of a Family Photoshoot with the Shaw Family! This time we head out to the lovely little Fountain Valley Reserve, just off South Road in Happy Valley.
It’s fun that Miranda and Jake shooce to head to different spots each year to get a bit of variety in their yearly family photos! Last year we were in a pine forest, and the time prior, another small park in Happy Valley.
This time their choice was the Fountain Valley reserve which at this time of year boasts a bubbling brook streaming through some delightful weeping willows and lots of long, lush grass. I had a lot of fun at their Fountain valley Reserve Family Shoot! The light in the morning was beautiful combined with the natural beauty of the place made my job pretty simple!
I head up north of the city recently to meet little Odella and her Mum and Dad for a bit of a photo shoot in amongst the greenery of the Little Para Linear Park in Paralowie.
Little Odella’s parents had been given one of my gift certificates and had waited until Odella was big enough to sit on her own before organising a time to have their photoshoot done.
She wasn’t overly keen on smiling throughout our outing, but was otherwise very well behaved! And the glowing smiles from Mum and Dad certainly brightened up the photos regardless!
Wedding photos primarily focus on the newly wedded couple, and rightly so. It’s their special day, after all! But no couple can stand on their own—they got to this joyful phase in their lives with the care, support, and love from their dear families.
Aside from your vows, first dance, bouquet toss, and other couple-centric wedding moments, your family photos will give you some of your most treasured lifelong memories. The best thing about professional wedding photography is that you are promised high-quality results that you can share as much as you want—you can send digital copies off to family members, print them as souvenirs; the options are endless!
With this in mind, heres a short guide to taking family photos on your big day!
Guide to Taking Family Photos
Family Photos You Shouldn’t Miss
Before the ceremony – Make sure to prioritise family moments as you prepare for your wedding day. Candid photo sessions with parents and siblings can be fun and a little bit teary.
Mum looking on proudly
After the ceremony – You can take group family shots around the altar or another scenic space in the ceremony venue. It’s best to prepare these locations before your wedding day.
group photo at Ekhidna Winery
During the reception – A popular choice for wedding couples is to take group photos with each table at the reception. You can set up family portrait sessions at your reception venue, too!
boys group shot
Besides the general photo-taking guidelines, rounding up family members for photos can be a challenge on top of an already hectic wedding day. Read on for a simple guide to to taking family photos as easy as possible.
Set Your Priorities
If you grew up closely with certain cousins, a family member who helped raise you, or someone who has been very special to you all these years, prioritise their presence in your photos. This is your day, and you should be able to share all of your memories with the people closest to you.
For many families, it’s usually a given that parents, grandparents, and siblings are the main members included in family portrait sessions. To make things more efficient, you should make a list of group shots in advance.
This is incredibly important – your wedding photographer works best when they have artistic freedom – however they do not know who are in your family and who belongs in a group shot. Out of all the opportunities for photos on a wedding day, your wedding photorgapher relies 100% on your direction with this. As a bonus, if your photographer knows which family members are extra special to you, they will keep an eye out for candid photo opportunities during the reception and beyond.
Guest group shot
Put it on Your Schedule
For maximum efficiency and little hassle, it’s best to set a specific time for family portraits. Many couples decide to take family photos at the end of the ceremony, before everyone moves on to the reception venue. However, this is a very narrow window of time, especially if you want to change before the reception or if you have other special plans.
Another option is to get the portraits done before the ceremony starts. This will give you ample time to get all the shots you want without infringing on the ceremony and reception schedule. Just make sure that all family members are told so they can arrive on time!
St Francis Winery Wedding
Your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime milestone, and the feelings of love and belonging are not limited to your partner; these emotions include your family, too. Make sure to set aside time and locations for your wedding photographer to capture moments with your closest family members. These are lasting memories that will stay with you forever.
If you’re looking for wedding photography services Sven Studios is the best choice for you. We have a variety of customisable wedding photography packages that will deliver all the high-quality products you need. Contact our award-winning photographers about our services today!
Things to Avoid When Taking Photos of Newborn Babies
Newborn photography is something that excites many parents. Photos of babies are beautiful mementoes, and they can also make great gifts for when these children are older. However, it can be challenging to pull off these types of photos. Here are some mistakes people make when photographing newborn babies and how to remedy them.
5 Things to Avoid When Taking Photos of Newborn Babies
Mistake #1 – They shoot in poor lighting
One of the common errors that beginners make is that they shoot without regard for exposure and lighting. Since cameras record differences in light, illuminating a subject is the quickest way to improve picture quality.
Photo editing software can do many things; they can crop photos, modify the background, and even remove red-eye in subjects. However, no software can solve lousy lighting. Although there are tools that can adjust lighting, a post-processed photo will still look subpar to one taken in good light.
baby mirella
Mistake #2 – They want to capture a ‘perfect’ photo
Like anything that has to do with young children, it is a lot of work trying to photograph babies. Newborns, especially, will not hold a pose unless when asleep. Even then, they might shift around. If you are aiming for Anne Geddes-level pictures, know that there is a lot of planning involved.
The best photos are taken when the little ones are not posed awkwardly. They are just sitting, sleeping, or playing as they would, and the photographer only captures them as they are. Let your child go about his or her business, and snap the photos without overthinking.
baby shoot
Mistake #3 – They are not always ready to shoot
Seasoned newborn photographers are always ready with backup cameras, batteries, and memory cards. It will be a letdown if you miss important moments like your baby smiling, laughing, or seeing something for the first time.
Experience is the only way to learn how to avoid the special moments, which is why the better photographers out there can charge quite a bit more for their work, while cheaper photographers may not have as much experience and/or equipment under their belt.
Happy bub
Mistake #4 – They rely on DIY too much
Though it is perfectly fine if you want to document your child’s everyday life, there are moments when hiring a professional is the better choice. For example, if you are sending birth announcements, a professional photo that your loved ones can frame is the best option.
Birthday or holiday cards are also better if professionally shot. In the end, you will be the one to compile all of these in albums, so you should get something classic which you can look back on fondly.
Happy bub in the grass
Mistake #5 – They do not make backups
Backing up your data is essential for work and school documents, but you should extend that to your photos as well. Losing your photos is definitely one of those things to avoid when taking phtoos of newborn babies! These photos show memories that you cannot otherwise retrieve. If you lose your only images of an event, these are gone forever. You can revisit the place and retake those photos, but the memories you will have are different from the original.
Capturing a baby’s first moments is priceless, and SvenStudios can help you with that. We work out of Adelaide and specialise in newborn photography, and we have been accredited by the Australian Institute of Professional Photography while also being a registered teacher! Get in touch with us today to learn more.
Last weekend, I found myself with no weddings booked so I figured it would be neat to offer my services at a very cheap rate in what’s known as a ‘minishoot’ or mini session. It was one week prior to mother’s day so I figured it might be a fun way to get some nice photos of the family for Mum!
The best thing about a mini shoot is that it’s really geared for people who aren’t overly keen on being in front of a camera, as the session only lasts for 15 minutes – and if the photos dont turn out as expected – ie the little one was upset, or the dog wasn’t looking, etc – then it’s no big deal as it was not that expensive!
It’s also great for people who want some nice family photos done, but don’t want to spend too long getting them!
The mini shoot was an up front cost of $65, which included the shoot and editing of the photos before being supplied via my online store, and each shoot received a $30 credit to spend – making the whole thing effectively only $35 and you get to go home with either some prints, or digital files – however you’d like to spend that $30 credit!
As a result, the sessions booked up fast, with 12 bookings coming in – the majority being young couples, with little kidlets in tow, but also a few couples and whole families. I held the shoot at the Cherry Garden’s Soldier’s Memorial Gardens with the aim of using the autumnal colours from the falling leaves with the park, while also making use of the impressive memorial trees that cast quite a bit of shade.
Each booking received an average of 54 photos in their album to choose from – which surprised myself, as generally I like to have 100 photos done for an hour photo shoot, let alone 15 minutes – but I guess that’s the benefit of a minishoot, it means that i am familiar with the surrounds and know what will work when for each group coming through. I can then use this knowledge to move quickly and get each shot.
All in all, I think the winter minishoot results speak for themselves – the autumnal colours of the leaves, and the happy smiling faces of each group really made for an awesome experience, that I’d be looking forward to doing again in the future – I’m thinking Christmas? Watch this space.
Southern Adelaide Winter Minishoot Results!
Little Ones
All the little ones who came through were really well behaved and quite enjoyed being in front of the camera! This made things rather easy, as the surrounding autumn leaves did the rest making for some awesome shots!
baby talking to stuffed elephant
Baby lying in autumn leaves
Boy under autumn tree
Smiling baby girl under autumn leaves
Boys throwing leaves
Baby boy sitting in autumn leaves
Boy climbing tree
baby under autumn leaves
Bothers hugging in leaves
Smiling girl under autumn leaves
Brothers laying in autumn leaves
happy baby sitting on fluffy mat under tree
baby girl in autumn leaves
Boys climbing tree
Sisters in autumn leaves
Family
The autumn leaves also made for some nice family portraits. I had the family groups walking through the trees, sitting on the dry leaves and basically treating their time with me as if it were a quick family outing to a nice park.
Family standing behind long grass
Family standing under autumn leaves
Holding baby girl
Family sitting in leaves
Family sitting toegtehr under autumn trees
Baby peeking over shoulder
baby flying in sky
Carrying baby through trees
Holding baby in the sky
Family sitting on ground with baby
Family sitting in autumnal leaves
baby getting cheek kisses
Family hugs for baby
Family sitting on bench
Lifting baby into sky
Couples
I had two sets of couples come through, which was treated as a simple date idea, and they got some nice photos out of it at the end!
Couple standing looking through leaves
Couple walking under autumn leaves
Happy couple leaning against tree
Couple sitting in the autumn leaves
Couple walking between trees
Couple holding one another
As far as winter minishoot results go, I feel as though we got some incredible photos, using the stunning natural light that filtered through the autumn leaves nicely. If there was one thing I would have done differently would be to schedule the last session a biut earlier as the light was fading quite a bit – but we still got some great shots!
