Not one, not two but three families – Family Photographer Canberra

I recently had the opportunity to photograph three different family units.  The common relationship for the three families is they were all sisters.  I was quite nervous as I had never completed a family photoshoot with three different families before.  But I was up to the challenge!

Well in this case, it could not have gone better….

It was a crisp winter’s afternoon and we all met at the Arboretum at the Himalayan Cedars.  It was the perfect afternoon for the kids that had a lot of energy to burn.  Even though there were three families I knew it was going to be a fun afternoon because all the kids had an amazing personality. 

The golden winter’s glowing through the trees and the amazing colour palette.

It had to be quite an orderly process and an almost cookie cutter approach to the session to make sure that I got all the shots in.  The kids were all cousins and had a great relationship. 

Single portraits of the kids are always part of a family photoshoot and just look at how gorgeous these kids came up!  They looked absolutely amazing. 

A great thing about the arboretum is that I have all these different places that on hand to include in the session.

This must be one of my favourite photos from the day - how much joy is radiating out of all the kids at the wide brown land sculpture.  It was enough to give me a warm fuzzy moment. 

And here's the thing, each of the families was just so naturally relaxed in front of the camera.  The kids were playing little games together when they were not having photographs taken.  This was definitely not that totally structured portrait style at all, it was all-natural, organic family moments. 

If you would love to create family images for your home like the Lalor family, get in touch with Alistair here.

FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER CANBERRA | MATERNITY PHOTOGRAPHER CANBERRA

How to avoid disaster in your photo sessions – Canberra family photographer

Your next family photography session may be your next major investment given that you could spend anything up to $3,000 on wall art and prints.  But it can end in disaster if you do not select the right family photographer. 

Photography is not like the medicine, pharmaceutical services or even the taxi industry.  There are no regulatory controls that require photographers to have a certain level of experience or education before offering to take your hard-earned cash.  In fact, the industry is totally unregulated whereby anyone with a camera can set up shop and start a photography business. 

Outside some images on their website, how do you know that the photographer that you have engaged to capture your key milestones in your life is going to do a good job?  Where do you start your research?  Website or google?  If you type in Canberra family photographer into google, it will spit out pages of information.  But how do you know if the first one you select is the right fit for you? 

In this blog post, I explore some of the hints to help you select a professional photographer that may be right for you. 

Technically trained

Cameras are getting cheaper and more technically advanced, which makes it easier for any person to offer photography services.  However, photography is more than just pressing the shutter button.  When you are engaging a professional photographer, you are hiring them because of their creativity and their composition. 

There are two ways to help your decision-making.  Have they studied photography at college or university or are they a member of the Australian Institute of Professional Photographers (AIPP).  I have achieved my Diploma of Photo Imaging and Photography from the Canberra Institute of Technology between 2019-2020, which has technically trained me across different genres and camera technics.  I am also a general member of the AIPP and I am training towards becoming a fully accredited member of the AIPP.  The AIPP has a code of conduct that it expects all its members to follow. 

Google reviews or others

In economics they call it asymmetrical information.  This is where one party to an economic transaction possesses greater material knowledge than the other party.  It is commonly used to describe the purchase of a lemon. 

Unfortunately, a photographer has greater knowledge of their skills and photography background that the general public that may be booking them.  One way to avoid a lemon is to see what other people have been saying about their business. 

Therefore, it is important to see whether they have any website reviews, Facebook reviews or even Google reviews to help shape your thinking.  You should spend some time going through these reviews to see if they are the perfect fit.  If they have no reviews or have their comments turned off this may act as a big red flag. 

But sometimes you just cannot beat word of mouth to help inform your decision-making.  Therefore, ask your family or friends if they can make a referral.  Or reach out to Facebook group for the style of photography that you are after for recommendations.  You may be surprised when you shake the tree what type of referrals that you may receive. 

Websites

There are two crucial aspects that you should check before appointing a professional photographer – the quality of their work and their services.  Their website offers the first port of call for determining both these crucial aspects.  All professional photographers will have a website for you to navigate. Do not just rely on social media pages like Facebook and Instagram.  You need to find the website helpful with a selection of images in their portfolio.  Portfolios can help you make the right decisions about the photographer that you want to select. 

Pricing should be clearly outlined on their website and should not be confusing.  A key hint is to know in advance of the photo session what is their full price list so as not to be a surprise during the big reveal or when you are ordering packages and prints. 

The website should be answering the simple questions that you would like to ask.  Specifically, it should answer – Who is the photographer?

                                                        What do they offer?

                                                        Where are they located?

                                                        When I am expected to book a service?

                                                        How much is likely to cost?

Get to know your photographer

Do not go into booking a photographer without first getting to know them.  This is your chance to check their photography background – whether they are technically trained or have accreditation and membership with the AIPP.  If your photographer does not answer the phone, is slow in messaging back to you then this may be a red flag.  Another thing to check is their language in their email responses, is it professional or is it very causal?  If it is overly causal it may indicate that they the business is more of a hobby-based business rather than a proper professional studio. 

A good way to know your photographer is over a coffee during a pre-consultation chat.  If the photographer does not offer you a pre-consultation chat then this may also be a red flag.

If you are happy with the meeting, their portfolio and the photographer can successfully shoot your event, then hire them out any doubt. 

Photographic style

Photography takes many different forms and styles.  First you should decide the style which best suits your personality.  While your chosen photographer may have a slightly different style to you, be weary of a photographer that has an inconsistent style as you may not get a consistent set of images back from your photography session. 

If you notice a large variation in their images on their portfolio, it may be an indication that they are using stock images as an inspiration of the type of images that they may be able to capture or they may have taken the images at a workshop run by another photographer which sets up the poses and the lighting. 

What you want to know when you appoint a professional photographer is that they can recreate the type of images that are contained on their website.  This is all that you can ask from a professional photographer.

I hope that I have identified some simple ways to avoid a disaster photo session. I hope that your next photo session goes smoothly and you just adore your images. If you looking for a photographer, please reach out so I can discuss your photography needs.

Cruz and Noah - Canberra Family photographer

I do love photographing brothers and their families. On Friday, I was joined by Michala and her two children Cruz and Noah.

Cruz and Noah arrived at their photo session at the Himalayan Cedars at the Arboretum full of beans and raring to go. I knew it was going to be a fantastic photo session the moment that they piled out of the car. All that I need to do was get my camera out and start snapping and capture special moments between the boys and with Mum.

I love to incorporate both formal photos and candid shots as part of my photo sessions. It is one way to guarantee a range of beautiful images that capture the wonderful personalities of the children.

It was such a gorgeous afternoon at the Arboretum with a gorgeous family. We ran around expelling at the energy, chasing dinosaurs and playing hide and seek amongst the cedars. It did not take long for each of the kids to run back to Mum for a huge hugs.

The Arboretum offers lots of photography options for families, whether it is the lake in the background, you are amongst the trees or at the Wide Brown Land sculpture.

After spending some time around the large cedars we walked up to the Wide Brown Land Sculpture which was starting to look fantastic in fading light. It was an absolute fantastic and fun photo shoot with the kids. They were very adaptable.

If you would like to book a session with AJ Nitz Images, please click here or call me on 0403 959 459. For more information on AJ Nitz Images please visit my family photography link in the menu.

Vishnu and Ranjini's maternity photo session at the Arboretum - Canberra maternity family photography

It was a cloudy and cool Saturday afternoon when I joined Ranjini and Vishnu at the Himalayan Cedars (Arboretum) for their maternity photography session. Ranjini looked radiant at 34 weeks pregnant.

Join me to have a sneak peek of the images for the family session.

What is the best time of Day for an outdoor photography session in Canberra

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME OF DAY FOR AN OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION IN CANBERRA

Canberra is a fabulous place to live.  We are at the foothills of the Brindabellas giving us sensational views (especially in winter!).  There are breathtaking views of the city from Mount Stromlo and the Arboretum. 

There are however times of the day that are better than others in order to guarantee sensational family photographs.  So what is this time of the day?

Golden hour Golden hour – it is the magical time of day

Photography is all about light and the two best times of the day is golden hour. 

Golden hour is the period of daytime shortly after sunrise or before sunset, during which daylight is redder and softer than when the Sun is higher in the sky. 

The best way to think about it is the last hour of the day where there is that silky sunlight which makes you look gorgeous and stunning.  I did not refer to sunrise as I understand no one wants to get up that early in the morning!!

During this period of time there are no sharp shadows falling across you or your family.

My preference is to schedule my outdoor family sessions during golden hour.  During the winter months, golden hour falls quite early in the afternoon.  However, during summer golden hour is not until it is quite late in the day.  If you have a small family, you might want to schedule a little nap and a snack before the family session.    

Morning is second best

It is not possible to always schedule your family photo session during golden hour due to planning conflicts or the little ones cannot stay up until late.  

I understand light and how to master light.  As such, I am able to serve your family and deliver beautiful photos no matter the time of day.

In that case, AJ Nitz Images will schedule your family photo sessions in the morning around 9am and 10am before the sun gets too high in the sky and harsh shadows start to form.  This is also a time when kids are the most energetic and radiant.    

Check out a recent morning family session that I had in Canberra

Top 8 tips on planning the perfect family photography session

A family photo session is a great opportunity to document your family memories and record important stages in life, like birthdays, welcoming new family members, and important anniversaries.  Family photo shoots are so much fun and they create everlasting memories for you and your children.

However, we often do not realise the importance of family photos until it is too late. 

In this post, I examine my top tips for planning the perfect family photo session. 

1.       Create a mood board

In order to deliver personalised photography, it is important for your photographers to understand your personalities, preferences, and relationship. The creation of a mood board is a way to help your creative team get to know you.  Pinterest is the best tool for creating a mood board, which allows you to share it with the photographer. 

2.      Select a location

It is important to choose whether to hold your family shoot at a studio or an outdoor location.  Both have their advantages and disadvantages.   Taking it outdoors is always a good option for family photos and it is currently in vogue.

See link for top five locations for a family photo session

The great outdoors can offer beautiful natural lighting and gorgeous background landscapes. Weston Park, the Arboretum and Lake Burley Griffin offer perfect locations for these photos.

While it may be tempting to choose an outdoor family photo location based on the landscape alone, you should, ideally, choose a spot that has some significance to the family as it will make the photo more meaningful. For example, go to a favourite park or even the family’s own backyard. As an added bonus, it will help keep young children and pets comfortable by shooting in a location they’re familiar with.

3.      Minimise your locations

In order to maximise photo time on your family photo shoot, I recommend minimising the number of photo shoot locations. Do not be tempted to select more than one location as you do not want to spend more time traveling from point A to point B than actually taking pictures. A great photographer should be able to make almost any location work.  You should trust in the creative abilities of your photographer to make the most of any location.

You have the possibility to select several sub-locations at most of the good locations around Canberra.  For example, at Weston Park, you can take images at the pond, around the lake, and walking amongst the trees. 

4.      Plan ahead

There is nothing more stressful than trying to get out the door and realising you have nothing to wear.  Plan your wardrobe well ahead of the photo session. For ideas on what to wear to your family photo session

Schedule some time the day before (or even a week) the photo shoot to make sure each of the items has been ironed or dry cleaned.  If you are stumped on what to wear, revert to your mood board for ideas or seek ideas or prompts from Instagram. If you are still struggling for ideas, contact your photographer for hints and advice. 

If you are getting your hair or makeup done on the day of the photo shoot, leave plenty of time in order to reach the location. 

You do not want to arrive feeling all rushed and panicky.

5.      Lay clothing out the day before

Lay each family member’s outfit together while planning. This way you’ll have a good idea about how the pieces will look next to each other. This will allow you a better idea of what works and what does not. Plus, this way, you can make sure that you are not missing any essential clothing items including matching accessories.

6.      Be well rested to ensure you remain engaged during the family shoot

Be certain not to schedule your photo session around your child’s nap or bedtime.  The best time for lighting is the two hours before sunset.  If this not the best time for your children, talk with your photographer.  Good photographers will be able to shoot at any time of day by utilising areas of open shade that will give your skin a beautiful hue and put a sparkle in your eyes.

7.      Be well fed and bring along some snacks

Try not to schedule your photo shoot around meal times. In fact, choose the time when they are still fresh, and preferably after mealtime if possible. 

Another tip is do not show up to a photo shoot on an empty stomach or have dinner scheduled straight after the photo session.  If dinner is scheduled straight after the photo session, why not make it a meal out to be an incentive for the kids to behave and be involved in the photo shoot. 

Do not forget to bring along some healthy snacks for the kids. 

8.      Include the family pet

Who said that you should not work with kids and animals? 

Family pets are important family members.  I actively encourage my clients to include their pets as and where possible on our shoots.   So why not bring the family pet along to include in some of the family portraits.  They are part of the family and they are great props for the kids too. 

Please bring dog treat/toys for the dog so that he is cooperative when it is time for their portrait. 

Ideas on what to wear to your family portrait session

The excitement of a family portrait session can quickly shift to anxiousness as the big day approaches. 

More than any other question, I am often asked by families what they should wear to the photo shoot.  I am no fashion designer or fashionista, but I have come across some oddities, so I thought it was time to put out a little guide. 

The careful selection of clothes can have an impact on the images that are created. 

In fact, photos are not something we normally have done regularly by a professional …so a little planning a couple of weeks out will help ensure the event goes ahead smoothly.  Not happy with your wardrobe? Why not treat yourself and your kids and buy a new outfit or do some extra styling with your child’s hair.

The first advice I give to anxious mothers is to bring a spare set of clothes for the kids.  You may not need them, but they will come in handy in case of an accident with the little one. 

Now for my styling tips….  

For a photo that stands the test of time, opt for clothes that are classic rather than super trendy as will make you want to keep that family portrait up for years to come. Try to avoid trendy patterns and styles that might be outdated in a year.  Definitely no t-shirts with large slogans, characters, or graphics plastered across the front of them.  Nike is not paying you so why advertise their product!! 

Try to discourage going for matching uniforms between partners. Coordinate your wardrobe, but not too much. There is a fine line between coordinating and too matchy.

Focus on wearing colours in a complementary colour palette, such as pastels and neutrals with soft, flowing fabrics…. think creams, very soft pastels, oatmeal, light browns, tans, greys, and slate blues.

Use the season to help select colour schemes for your outfits. Each season is associated with different colours, weather, and landscapes which will be an important item to consider when picking out what everyone will be wearing.  During autumn incorporate seasonal earth tones like rich maroons or burnt oranges while at springtime pastel colours are more prominent, along with white and blue hues.

Where possible, when picking out your clothes for the session you should be looking to wear something comfortable and light. If your dress gets suddenly too short when you bend over, or your pants are too tight to sit down in, maybe opt for more breathable pieces. Males may be more comfortable wearing jeans or chinos. 

Avoid busy patterns and skinny stripes where possible as they create digital noise and artifacting in images. 

This brings us to accessories.  Pick out accessories to add texture to your photos. Accessories are great style pieces that add to your individual outfits and can even tie family members’ outfits together. Accessories will also give your photos variation.  In Canberra, during autumn and winter grab a scarf, a hat, or gloves.  Even a beanie on kids can look fashionable in the depths of winter.

While you are preparing your outfits for the family, why not lay each family member’s outfit together.  This way you’ll have a good idea about how the pieces will look next to each other and whether do or do not work.  Plus, this way, you can make sure that you’re not missing any essential clothing items or accessory.

Lastly. wear comfortable shoes especially as some of the good locations around Canberra is known for uneven surfaces or have no paths.

Family photography is about capturing beautiful timeless art pieces that will sit on your wall for years to come.  Why not spend a few hours to pre-prepare for your portrait session to make it a memorable day.

Family photography session at the Arboretum on a wintery morning

I have been lucky to document Maya and her family on three separate occasions now, but today has been one of the most satisfying experiences. Even though it was a cold wintery morning at the top of the Arboretum, Maya was bustling with energy and kept Ary and Antonio busy while I had the most important job - documenting their last day in Canberra. Maya was so photogenic that it made my job a breeze. Best of all we were able to spend some time warming our hands over our hot drinks after the photo session. We will miss seeing you guys in your old stamping ground of Gungahlin.

Morning fun

At the Arboretum

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