Hello! Thank you so much for allowing me the honor of creating beautiful photos for your family.

I love to capture families playing, snuggling, being goofy and just loving on each other. I will always do my absolute best to get that one desired shot of everyone looking at me and smiling. But, for the most part, I will be trading high-five’s with your kids, encouraging dad to show off their kid-flipping skills and having little ones give moms their best hugs ever!

I am so excited to spend an evening with your family, getting to know you and taking some awesome pictures.

See you soon!
Ashleigh

Styling

This is probably the hardest part of a session. Styling is one thing I try not to have too much of a hand in since I want you guys to still be you. But, here are my two cents:

Start with one person. Mom, start with you and choose something you are confident in. Once you have one outfit set, start adding in other family members. It makes the process a little less overwhelming.

Coordinate. As you start to think about outfits, think about a color palette. For example: light blue, grey and blush. Each person/outfit will bring together a feeling of coordination. If you want light and airy pictures, stick to whites and pastels. If you are wanting bright and dramatic pictures, choose a vivid color scheme. Personally, I think you can never go wrong with pastels. Please do not wear extremely brights colors (like hot pink, red, and orange) as they tend to throw a color cast on your skin.

Layers. Layers are probably the biggest difference between sessions that look good and sessions that are great. How can we do this in Hawaii? Think about little boys in a button down shirt with a kukui nut lei. Shorts with suspenders are also adorable. Throw on a fun hat and you’re set! Little girls can wear legging under a fun skirt and a tasteful (not too big!) headband. A haku lei is also a special touch for a session.

*Stay away from neon colors, loud patters and anything with a big logo.

Head to toe. Don't forget about everyone’s shoes! You don’t need to purchase everyone new shoes, but keep in mind that shoes will be part of the pictures… unless we are at the beach and then we can kick them off!  

Things I LOVE:

• Clothes your are comfortable in.

• I love maxi dresses. They provide coverage while also looking beautiful while flowing in the wind.

• A tight top with a flowy skirt has the same effect as a maxi dress.

• Clothes you don’t mind getting wet in. If we are doing the session at the beach, I love to have a little fun in the water.

• Shirts designed to be worn un-tucked. Less to fuss with during the session.

Things I would AVOID:

• Remember the Olan Mills look of everyone in khakis and white button down shirts? Let’s not do that! Again, think about coordinating, but not matching perfectly.

• Please avoid neon or super saturated colors as they tend to make the skin turn neon too. Instead, try toned down versions (like mustard yellow instead of bright yellow)

• Avoid clothing with big logos or text as they are distracting.

• Short dresses on big kids and adults. It’s usually windy in Hawaii and you’ll be miserable trying to keep your dress down.

• Visible diapers. Pick up a pair of bloomers to hide the diaper.

• Finally, I’d avoid putting kids in clothes they hate. I once put my son in an adorable overall outfit that he said “take off” at least 100 times while getting him dressed. Well, guess who was pouting his entire session.

PRIOR TO YOUR SESSION

Preparing your kids for our session takes the stress out of the evening. Please make sure your kids know this is fun! Don’t bother telling them to smile or “be good.” I think the best pictures come when kids are relaxed and having fun. I will mix in playful pictures with the everyone-looking-at-the-camera pictures to keep the kids engaged. Often during sessions I will have each parent do something fun with each kid - like the ever popular dad throwing the toddler into the air or mom and daughter telling secrets. You could brainstorms ideas of fun things to do prior to the session. I’m also a huge fan of bribery when kids need a little extra encouragement.

Moms, I’m speaking to you. Is your husband feeling less than thrilled about your upcoming photo shoot? A little bribery seems to work well here too. But seriously, let your husband know that the shoot will be relatively painless and to try to focus on having an hour to play with the kids and hold your hand.

THE DAY OF YOUR SESSION

As a mom of two children, I know how hard it is to get out the door on time. Plan to arrive a few minutes early and ready to start your session. Your session is scheduled according to the light so please plan for traffic etc. Plan to arrive to session early if you need time to get your little ones dressed or settled.

The Kids

I mentioned bribery. Love it! Trust me, there is almost nothing I haven't seen (or used with my own kids) so don’t feel guilty. Keep in mind that most snacks make messes and/or have dye in them that turns your kids’ mouths all kinds of colors. I suggest keeping the goodies in your bag or in the car until after we’ve finished. Great bribes include: shave ice trip, marshmallows, m&m that we can pop in the kid’s mouth, staying to play at the beach afterwards, etc.

Please make sure everyone uses the bathroom before leaving the house. Most public bathrooms, if available, aren’t awesome.

Sessions with younger children are typically around 45 minutes. We all know when they’ve hit their limit so we will quickly wrap up while also making sure you have a great gallery of images. If your little one isn’t accustomed to staying up until sunset, please adjust their naps as best you can and rest assured that one night of staying up past their bed time will be just fine, promise!

For older children, please don’t say, “That’s not your REAL smile.” Trust me, I have a 8 year old with a “great” fake smile. Even if I’m snapping away, I’m just trying to loosen up your son/daughter. I promise you’ll get more than cheesy smiles in your final gallery.

I take my time and do my best to allow your kids to feel comfortable around me. Know we are going to have a blast.

What to bring

It’s always good to have a few backups with you on session day. I recommend baby wipes, diapers, bobby pins, lipstick or gloss, bug spray, sunscreen, Puffs or Cheerios for toddlers, a water bottle and a towel if we are shooting at the beach. I will have a blanket, but you are more than welcome to bring your own.

If your little one brings along a “love” (stuffed animal, blanket, etc.) I’d love to use some time at the end of the session to capture some memories with that special piece of their childhood.

Weather

A quick, but important note: if the weather turns out warmer/ cooler than you anticipated when putting together outfits, please adjust what everyone is wearing. Doing a session when it’s sweltering and kids are overdressed is never fun. In the event of rain, I will be watching the radar all day. If it doesn’t rain, but is overcast, we will still do the session as planned. If it does rain, we will reschedule the session.

Illness

Just as important as the weather is that everyone being photographed is feeling 100% (or at least near it!) There isn’t anything worse than an unhappy and sick-feeling child - they especially do not want to be in front of the camera. At the first sign that your kid isn’t well, please let me know.

AFTER YOUR SESSION

Editing. In keeping with my natural style, I only make minor changes during post processing. I will clean up skin if necessary, but please let me know prior to your session if you have any concerns.

Your gallery. I’ll go through and touch up the best images for your session.

For a full session: Within two weeks of your session, you’ll receive an online gallery to download via email. A print release is also included in your gallery.

For a mini session: Within two weeks of your sessions, you’ll receive an online proof gallery via email with instructions on picking your images. You are able to purchase additional images from your gallery. A print release is also included in your final gallery.

I hope this packet leaves you informed and excited about your family session! If you have any questions, feel free to send them my way.

Thank you for taking the time to best prepare for your sessions - it will be amazing!

Ashleigh