Autumn Family Photos
We’ve been through a lot to get to where we are today with Scottie. A lot of it was scary, and though a lot of that is in the past now, it’s in our thoughts every day.
We’ve been told so many times that we should update our blog and show how incredible she is doing after our surgery, and she really is doing incredible. But sometimes that’s hard to put into words. I will get around to it, but for now we are just enjoying her every day.
I will say, her mobility is incredible. She is only very slightly delayed in the grand scheme of things and we are thrilled about it, because not only is she able to move, she’s survived.
She is pulling herself to stand, and cruising around. She is getting scary fast at crawling, and she is so smart and funny. You would really never know anything about what we went through if you weren’t told. It’s more than I could ever ask for.
As with any family, I’m sure, time gets away from you.
I want to journal, I want to put together photo albums and organize my camera roll so I can look at the highlights of our past year and a half (or so), but sometimes it just doesn’t happen when you are trying to be present. Since she was born I had been meaning to get us a family photo session, and finally for her first birthday we were gifted the opportunity to do it. I figured there was no better way to share our photos than here, where I started sharing our whole journey. Also, I needed a spot where I could share so many because I couldn’t pick a favorite if I tried! Next time all we need to do is include our dogs in the shoot.
So, here I will share our family photos but I will also share some tips and advice that I found helpful while prepping myself to get these photos taken.
It’s not always easy coordinating these things, and it can be hard if you’re not feeling great postpartum. I know that stopped me from taking these photos before now and I don’t want to let myself have that block again.
If you are ever stumped when thinking of a spot for your family photos, try to return to your wedding venue. It made it so much more special.
I had been thinking for so long about where we should do our family photos. Around here, it seems most people go for the beach which seemed great but the more I put off the photo session, the less reasonable that option became. I also wanted to do something a little different than that. Then it dawned on me. We needed to take them at Blithewold Mansion in Bristol, Rhode Island. Where Jared and I got married in 2019. It was perfect.
Coordinating outfits (seems easy, can be tricky)
For just the three of us it was no big deal. We stuck with jeans and neutrals. My brown top coordinated with his brown shoes, my black bow coordinated with the black dots on her dress, her cream dress matched his white shirt, we both wore jeans, and of course she needed some pink. She always needs some pink.
The last time we did family photos it was with 13 people. 4 little ones and 9 adults, and to get everybody coordinated without being too basic and matchy-matchy did require some effort. You can always go with the classic same neutral-colored shirt for everybody and jeans, but in my opinion, that’s like making every bridesmaid wear the same dress during a wedding. It doesn’t show individual personality and doesn’t allow everybody’s best features to shine.
When I was coordinating that shoot, I made a mood board and sent it to everyone who would be in the photos. It took some effort on my part but made it basically foolproof for everyone else involved.
To make the mood board I used Canva and Pinterest. I picked out some inspiration photos that I loved, all with similar color schemes and I added them to the board. I then used a color-picker to choose 5 main colors from the photos that everybody should include in their outfits, and then gave guidelines in a description. It honestly wasn’t my favorite photo session but everybody looked great, coordinated flawlessly without being too basic.
Click here for a link to the Canva template I created for coordinating this shoot
Picking a photographer took a little bit of time, but I’m so glad that we went with Kelley Alexander Photography for our session. There were a few factors that I was looking for when picking somebody.
I knew the style of editing that I wanted for our photos.
We are planning to hang some in our house, so I wanted to make sure that the mood and colors would be something that I would love to have on my wall. If there is anything that I have learned while freelancing, it’s that individuals have their own style and you have to pick who you work with around that, and not ask them to, and certainly not expect them to change their work based on what you want. If you don’t like their work then you are better off finding somebody who is better suited for you.
I personally did not want anything too moody. The last photo session that we had, with our larger family, was too dark looking for my taste and I wouldn’t have hung those photos up, even though I cherish the memories that come with the photos. I also didn’t want something too bright and airy for this specific shoot. I do love that style and probably will look for it for another session that we do, but I was looking for something a little more bright and natural. That’s what we aimed for while looking for our wedding photographer, also.
I get nervous and awkward in front of a camera. It’s not something I look forward to. But what made me far more comfortable was that I already knew Kelley. I am super picky about working with friends and family or even just anybody that I know because if there is a problem it can get messy. Picking a photographer that I knew was absolutely the right call. It was so much more comfortable to be with somebody I knew rather than just meeting someone for the first time. Really made all the difference.
If you get nervous about doing these things, like I do, here is what helped me feel better before heading to the session I’ve done this for all times I’ve gotten my photos taken including my wedding and engagement shoot.
It helps to talk to the photographer ahead of time of what you’re expecting and what you want the shoot to look like. Even before hiring somebody! Get really clear and upfront about your expectations. If you are planning on printing the photos, ask them what resolution they send the deliverables in to make sure they will print nicely. If you need a lot of direction going into the shoot, ask them about that! If you want it to be purely candid or want to avoid certain poses. Talk about it!
I know getting a good shot means getting uncomfortable sometimes. But realistically I do not enjoy that part.
Something I am not a fan of when it comes to photo sessions is the awkward poses! Do they look amazing in photos? Yeah. Do they feel so weird to take? YEAH. I know it has to be done, and the photographers know best on how to get “the shot”. So I will do it, and after seeing how pretty some of them came out I will be less hesitant next time. But my god. Nothing makes me more uncomfortable.
Putting temples together, or pushing your cheeks together, putting foreheads together to look each other in the eye. First of all, I feel like I just totally shut down when I have to do that because I feel so weird about it, but secondly, my make up! Not the makeup!!! If there is one thing that I cannot stand its having my face touched. But having a full face of make up on and then having my husband squish his cheek against mine to get a good shot is just not my thing. Sorry!
Next to discuss, how difficult it can be to force yourself to get pictures taken post-partum. So difficult.
Your body is different, clothes fit different, maybe even your skin and your hair. I know deep down (not even that far down, honestly) the reason that I kept putting off family photos after birth was because my brain told me “but next month I will do it because I will look better!” One month more recovered from PP is another month that you don’t have the photos with your baby and I let that thought stay in my head for way too long. And like, realistically I look fine! In a few years from now, I will look back at the photos and not even realize that I was struggling at all!
I regret not getting them done earlier because even if I didn’t feel comfortable or was stressed about how I would look in them, it’s really not about that at all. And I see that now.
I have no idea where I got this advice, probably (almost definitely) from somebody on tiktok but it’s stuck with me and it’s helped MAJORLY. It was said two different ways.
Dress to flaunt your favorite features before dressing to mask your insecurities
Dress to flatter your insecurities, not hide them
It’s some of the most smart advice I’ve ever gotten when it comes to getting dressed and feeling good about myself.
It seems so obvious. Maybe it is to you, but it certainly was not to me. I heard it only a few months ago, around beginning of summer time. It’s helped me stop wearing baggy clothes as much since I gave birth.
Aside from the planning of photo sessions, there is a lot more that I would like to share on this blog. It’s a tricky situation because I do want to share our story, and updates on how Scottie is doing. Not only did this blog help bring us SO much support during our difficult times, and make it easy to keep everyone updates, it helped a lot of other mothers who are going through the same thing that we went through. It warms my heart and makes me feel like I helped more than just our family when I got that surgery.
The tricky part is that I don’t feel completely comfortable sharing too much of Scottie’s life on the internet, where things are public and permanent and scary. So, as I navigate that and create some boundaries and a plan on how I want to use this blog, I will try to keep it generally updated.
I’m going to leave this post with one of my favorite wedding photos, and another suggestion that you go back to your wedding venue for family photos. This was one of my favorite photos from my wedding, shot by Pat Furey Photography, recreated during our family session and it’s just so special to me.
