One of my favorite ways to prep for my own sessions is to create an online style/inspiration board.
Years ago I'd clip images out of magazines and make inspiration boards for just about everything. Yes, I was THAT kid. I've grown into that adult, but if you're on Pinterest - you probably are too.
With Caleb's first birthday quickly approaching, I've found myself completely stumped. I've definitely hit a wall, so I headed to the interwebs for inspiration for his One Year session.
I started with colors. Caleb's nursery is decorated in shades of blue, green, and grey. I want to incorporate that somehow into his pictures. Maybe a shot in his nursery? I've pinned some pictures that had shades of blues, greens, and greys that I like as a starting off point.
Next I looked at clothes. I've pinned a few of my favorite tops, bottoms, and ball/trucker caps. Right now I"m really into baseball tops/ball caps, plaid, trucker hats (my favorite is George Hats - you may have seen a million of pics of Caleb in his trucker hat on my personal Facebook or Instagram feed. The most recent are below).
Props aren't necessary, but help to capture personality. Right now, Caleb is really into a lot of different toys. He likes blocks, cars, and balls. He loves playing catch and swatting a ball across the floor/grass, so I'm thinking baseballs, soccer balls and basketballs. Kind of cliche, but it fits, so I'm going with it ;) He also likes a few of Brinley's stuffed animals, so we may snag those from her.
I haven't figured out where I want to shoot. Since this particular shoot involves my own kiddo, I may span the shoot over a few days and a few locations. Multiple locations for most one-year-olds isn't ideal for one session. Since we'll likely be using sports balls, we may head to sports fields. I plan to stick him on a plain white backdrop for a few, and might head outside in the back yard for some more fall shots if the leaves change in time.
My "Caleb Inspiration Board" is a collection of things I like in general, not necessarily something I feel like I'll be incorporating into the pictures themselves. It's more of a brain dump to help me narrow down what I want and find a way to achieve a look that encompasses the mood of the board. Some of the ideas might work out, some might not.
If you find yourself stuck, I recommend throwing together a quick board to help you (or your photographer) find your way.
Years ago I'd clip images out of magazines and make inspiration boards for just about everything. Yes, I was THAT kid. I've grown into that adult, but if you're on Pinterest - you probably are too.
With Caleb's first birthday quickly approaching, I've found myself completely stumped. I've definitely hit a wall, so I headed to the interwebs for inspiration for his One Year session.
I started with colors. Caleb's nursery is decorated in shades of blue, green, and grey. I want to incorporate that somehow into his pictures. Maybe a shot in his nursery? I've pinned some pictures that had shades of blues, greens, and greys that I like as a starting off point.
Next I looked at clothes. I've pinned a few of my favorite tops, bottoms, and ball/trucker caps. Right now I"m really into baseball tops/ball caps, plaid, trucker hats (my favorite is George Hats - you may have seen a million of pics of Caleb in his trucker hat on my personal Facebook or Instagram feed. The most recent are below).
Props aren't necessary, but help to capture personality. Right now, Caleb is really into a lot of different toys. He likes blocks, cars, and balls. He loves playing catch and swatting a ball across the floor/grass, so I'm thinking baseballs, soccer balls and basketballs. Kind of cliche, but it fits, so I'm going with it ;) He also likes a few of Brinley's stuffed animals, so we may snag those from her.
I haven't figured out where I want to shoot. Since this particular shoot involves my own kiddo, I may span the shoot over a few days and a few locations. Multiple locations for most one-year-olds isn't ideal for one session. Since we'll likely be using sports balls, we may head to sports fields. I plan to stick him on a plain white backdrop for a few, and might head outside in the back yard for some more fall shots if the leaves change in time.
My "Caleb Inspiration Board" is a collection of things I like in general, not necessarily something I feel like I'll be incorporating into the pictures themselves. It's more of a brain dump to help me narrow down what I want and find a way to achieve a look that encompasses the mood of the board. Some of the ideas might work out, some might not.
If you find yourself stuck, I recommend throwing together a quick board to help you (or your photographer) find your way.