HOW TO GET “STORYTELLING” IMAGES WITH AUTHENTIC EMOTION

WHITTINGTON FAMILY

A Nashville, TN Family Portrait Session

Every single photoshoot is unique. You have a different story than the influencer you follow on Instagram, the mom that looks like she has it all together, and the family next door. Just because your story LOOKS different, doesn’t mean that there is any less authenticity to it. Your story deserves to be told beautifully too. Today on the blog I am going to be sharing some tips to help with your next portrait session!

1. Be open-minded to doing prompts that might feel “silly” or “weird”. It only takes a few minutes and sometimes these prompts create images that are your favorites without knowing. Check out these images from the prompt: “Mom and dad make a blanket tunnel for the kids to run underneath!”

2. Be present!!! This one is huge. Be involved in your story. Don’t just do the prompts, be actively involved in them to showcase true emotion. If you aren’t fully present into what you’re doing, it can show through the images. Dads that hate pictures, I’m talking to you 😉

3. Don’t worry about everything being perfect, worry about everything being authentic. If you’re showing up to your session with 3 kids under the age of 5, your hair probably won’t be perfect in every single image. Your arm might not be in the very perfect spot. But if you are kissing those precious baby toes and we get a giggle, that’s a win.

4. Prepare yourself for this one…. Lower your expectations. DON’T SHOOT THE MESSENGER. I want to have just as high of expectations as you but if you set yourself up for perfection, you may be let down by the unpredictable. But if your idea of perfection is having a fun day with your babies and loving on them no matter what you’re doing, you’ll never be let down.

5. Just do your day to day activities instead of overthinking the obvious. Some of the best images are of you in your element… motherhood. What you were created to be. Snuggles, tickles, hugs, laughter, dances.