Another Adventure with Avery - Raleigh Child Photographer

We ignored trespassing signs, braved snakes, got covered with pollen and cob webs, laid in itchy weed fields and sweated up a storm last Thursday afternoon. It was all worth it though for these gorgeous photos of Little Miss Avery. She cooperated so well and played along with all my tricks to get her doing what I wanted. We even brought along her super sweet little puppy Mia, an Imperial Shitzu, for her first photo shoot. When we realized she was getting lost in the tall grass and not easy to photograph we took her back to the studio for some closeups. I have been photographing Avery since she was a baby and each session is more fun than the last. 

Family Holiday Raleigh Photographer - What should we wear?

Every year the number one question when clients book their holiday session is "What should we wear?" That's always a hard question to answer because there are so many options depending on your family's style and personality. Here is my short list of tips to get you thinking while you are planning outfits for your upcoming session.

#1 Comfort
Pick something you are comfortable in. Dress like you normally would just add a little punch. In your session you won't photograph well all stiff and unnatural so don't show up in high heels and fancy dresses or suit and tie. Pick something you can move in. There won't be too much posing when we shoot. To get those real emotions out we'll be playing around, laying on the ground, getting on each others back, having fun. So with that said I always recommend casual! Especially for kids. Believe me I've seen kids come alive and happy once they've taken their formal attire off!

#2 Color
Add color! I find photos with colorful outfits stand out much more. So don't hesitate to add some color to your wardrobe. You don't have to match everyone, simply coordinate colors. I suggest first picking out the kid's outfits and then pulling colors from theirs to dress the adults.

#3 Layers/Textures
Layers and textures add dimension and appeal to photos. Mix and match jackets, sweaters, and scarves. Its also a great idea to plan for layers as we never know in the Fall what kind of weather we're going to run into. One thing's for certain a cold child is never a happy child.

# 4
Accessories
Fun accessories like hats, jewelry, tights, tutus, funky shoes, boots etc. liven up the photo and add character to your family's photos.

Here is the core of my family's wardrobe. I have two days before the shoot to finish up the accessories, find boots for us, tights and one more scarf for my girls, jewelry for me,maybe a hat for my husband? Guys are always the hardest to accessorize : ) At least I got him wearing purple this year, love it! Oh and we all still need haircuts and some discussion about whether or not to include our crazy dogs. I'm really not use to being on the other side of the camera can you tell?

My Girl - Raleigh Durham Cary Child Photographer

my girly girl wanted to climb a tree today! it was a beautiful afternoon so we went hunting through the woods but couldn't find one around here big enough. this was the silliness before the tears. now she wants a new neighborhood with big kids AND big trees!

okay so yes this is somewhat of a forced/fake smile, cute but not my favorite of her. i am posting it because i love the bright green/yellow backlighting here and the creamy bokeh of my big fat lens. though i must say it can be a pain having to stand in the next county to take the photo. it stays in my camera bag too much for that reason alone. so here i was wearing a white shirt which created small catchlights in her eyes. the white in her eyes is my shirt. if i could do it over i would have had a big white reflector in front of me, I love catchlights, the bigger the better. 

Mommy's Free | Cary Raleigh family photographer

The first time I met these handsome dudes the little one was being carried around by mom in a sling. Fast forward 5 years, the little one is now starting Kindergarten. Where did the time go?Thankfully Mom and I were able to coordinate a shoot to document this exciting milestone. I'm pretty sure mom is looking forward to some extra alone time to concentrate on herself and her thriving small business, YES Career Services(Personal Branding, Executive Coaching, Resume Writing, etc).
During the shoot I made certain to capture some " well-behaved,ideal" looking shots for the wall and then of course we got a little silly singing the diarrhea song which led to some cute and true to life photos of Nolan and Jonah. The best ones were captured when I made mom sing the song. I think that may have been a first for her though she did know all the words, hmmm, surprising!
Tip of the day: Parents should never hesitate to get a little crazy during the shoot. Your kids will get a kick out of it and its 100% guaranteed to eliminate those god awful "cheese" faces.

Look at their faces as mom starts singing : ) much better!

Nolan just loves his dog Shayla. Wanted to make sure we got a few with the two of them snuggling. Love this one!!

Raleigh Durham Cary NC family photographer

Raleigh Rose Garden - Raleigh Baby Photography

Some photos of the Raleigh Rose Garden I took while waiting for a family to arrive for their session.
There were many prom goers in the garden so I wasn't able to get the whole garden but it is quite impressive.

Great Outdoor Location - Raleigh Family Photographer

Yates Mill Pond, a Wake County Park, is a location you may want to consider for your upcoming Holiday Family photo session. Yates has all of the things I look for when choosing locations. Lots of trees which means plenty of Fall color, a large pond with dock, and a beautiful mill surrounded by big rocks would all make great backdrops.

I would recommend this location for families with older kids. The walk from the parking lot to the photo sites is about 5 mins. a little far for little ones although there is a path that would allow strollers. The best area around the mill would be dangerous for toddlers and those that are not able to sit and stay : )

Email christa@mycreativeclicks.com to reserve your Yates Mill session this Fall!

3 Monkeys and a Dog - Raleigh Family Photography

Last night I spent time with this energetic blue, blue, blue-eyed family




At 5, 7, and 9 they were full of spunk and really excited about our photo session. As I usually do with kids their age, I let them come up with their own pose ideas. Playing our game of my pose, their pose, we ended up capturing some great shots,a bunch displaying their personalities and spirit and a few posed ones for grandma and suitable for the wall. Oh yeah and we even got a few with their adorable pup Lily. She was surprisingly well-trained for her young age, and easily bribed with a few treats. Way to go guys, Mom should be proud!




A quick Monkey outfit change for some swinging fun!