I'm so excited you've booked a Mother's Day mini photoshoot with me and I can not wait to capture you and your little one/ones in a few weeks <3
I've gathered a little post here to guide you through the few main bits that are worth knowing and tips and tricks how to prepare for your mini photoshoot.
This is going to a lovely little moment for you to connect and have special memories from what you are all like right now. And with that I want to just bring you to the vibe that I'm trying to reach; please come in just as yourselves and just love your kiddies ◡̈
I will gently guide you through and we'll very much move on the children's terms, but the main thing is that you cuddle and kiss and really have fun and go with the flow. You can tell the kids a little bit beforehand what happening and where they're going (age level), but I would refrain from telling them to behave or even particularly smile - we will get the smiles through play, kisses and tickles and this way it's far more authentic.
Maybe just think of a few things "you always do", maybe you have a special eskimo kiss etc. that they love and so do you.
The kids will obviously copy our moods so we'll try to be relaxed :D and with this it's a good idea think a few weeks in advance what it might be that you'd like to wear and have yourselves prepared for the day.
As always, my setup is very plain and I use a white backdrop.
With this I find whites, creams, beiges and why not pinks, sage and other light muted tones look lovely and timeless. And you can have pattern too and mix patterns with the kids so that you may have a flowery dress that you pick colours from for the other outfits.
This time I would leave black, navy, stripes, red and anything too rigid or sporty at home. Think elevated everyday wear. Pair of jeans and a white top is always a failsafe option, but flowy dresses look amazing too. I keep the studio space warm so you can be almost summery if you wish.
You don't have to be matchy matchy with the kids, although mini me outfits are obviously adorable.
I will more than likely have you all bare feet (if you prefer shoes, not to worry, that's ok too) for a more natural look and as for kids outfits toddlers and smaller children especially look adorable in little rompers and dungarees. I would leave skinny jeans and tight skirts at home this time so you can all move freely.
All and all, I do want you to feel like yourself and feel comfortable so please take everything above only as tips rather than rules.
As for beauty tips, I would keep make up maybe on the lighter side and even though a bit of fake tan can look amazing on a night out, I would strongly recommend either light gradual tan or no tan at all. I shoot very warm tones in any case and usually (especially now in the back of winter) the children are very pale. If I'm complitely honest, it may look a little bit funny if you're a few shades darker.
Make sure your nails and teeth are clean and kids' faces are wiped from any snot or food stains. If there is any cuts, bruises, rash, pimples and likes, they will be easy to edit out no problem.
You can bring your kids cuddly toys with them if they are part of who they are at this very moment, but other than that you don't need to bring anything else.
If you feel like your child might need a little encouragement 😀 to get through the photoshoot such as a small snack, please do not bring chocolate to the photoshoot or anything messy or crumbly alike. Jellies or raisins are perfect.
The 30 minute slot is fast so make sure you get to the photoshoot on time. The mini photoshoots will take place at the Presentation Monastery national school in Killarney. There is ample parking both outside the school car park and New rd. The Killarney library car park is also a short walk away. The school carpark and New rd can however sometimes be fairly busy on bank holidays as there is often events in the National park so it's not a bad idea to arrive a bit early:
Once you're all parked up, you can come in from the left-hand side door and I'll meet you at the door. There is quite a good space in the school to wait for a bit / change clothes on arrival / toilets so you can come 5-10 minutes early to get ready if you wish.
The remaining balance for the mini photoshoot package is 100e and you can pay this by cash or card on the day. When paying with cash, please have the money in an envelope with your name and time slot written on the top.
I will have the fully edited gallery ready for you within 30 days of your photoshoot and you will have a of photos to choose from both colour and black and white.
Please don't hesitate to message me between now and then if you have any questions related to your photoshoot, I'm more than happy to help and can't wait to meet you soon :)
-Sara xx