Lauren, Tom, Finn + Tate | Liberty State Park in Jersey City, NJ
It was a fun West coast connection that brought me to Lauren and her family. They moved out of Manhattan and settled not too far away in Jersey. I loved meeting her and her boys. We spent the afternoon at the northern end of Liberty State Park. I love it because the park is big enough so everyone can have a little distance which is ideal considering the times! Most of my photo sessions are unstructured as I always try to give you a variety in your photos. Read on for some family picture ideas for your next family photo session.
I specialize in documentary style photography but I do make time to get at least a few photos where everybody is intentionally looking at the camera. I call it the “grandma” shot because that is usually who it is for.
After we warm up with some “grandma” shots, I usually tell my families to get nice and cozy with each other. They can cuddle, tickle, and just be whatever they want to be at that moment! These make for fun candid moments during the photo session.
I also take into account each individual family’s personalities and likes and dislikes which I gather from my client questionnaire. If your kids have a lot of energy, I let them run! If your kids like to explore, we will take a walk. Or if your kids are shy, we will focus on you then as parents. I find if I’m taking pictures of the parents, the kids will want to join in!
Along with a photo of just the parents, I also like to get each child individually and then together for a cute sibling photo. This is always fun since the kids are usually loosened up at this point and likes getting in front of the camera! My favorite things to ask are if they can tell me a joke or show me their best dance moves.
I try to have each parent have a moment too. I find especially for moms this is nice because we are not in the frame as often since we are the ones usually taking photos of our family. This could happen as we are walking or exploring. I watch to see what naturally unfolds so nothing will feel forced.
All in all, each family photo session is unique. I do go into each one with this loose plan of what to capture but each family brings out their own story for me to document. That is the BEST part of my job. If you would like to book a session with me, reach out today!
