Why Does Everyone Hate The Word Pose | Family Photography Tips And Advice

Don't miss the free download at the end! 

With the gaining popularity of "lifestyle" and "documentary" family photography the word "pose" has gained a bad rap. 

One of the things I see photographers posting on social media all the time is "I just love the in-between moments." Or "I swoon over candid moments." 

You guys! Let me let you in on a little secret. Unless a photographer is a 100% documentary photographer. Meaning that they are coming into a home or location and standing back and doing zero guiding, almost all those amazing "candid" moments you see were orchestrated or "posed" by the photographer. 

Yup. True story. 

Take the image in this post for example. It looks unposed. It looks candid. But I literally made the entire moment happened. I told them where to sit. I told them what to do right down to where dad is looking. I guided the children. Everything. And there is no shame in that. My families trust me to make them into my art. They trust me to tell them what will look the best and yield the best photo. 

Posing and guiding is an art form. It is important that you know how to direct a session so that it yield the results you and your clients are expecting. 

I like to say that I guide my clients but really I pose them. Then I direct them to interact and that is where the moments come from. 

Heck, I will come in and move their heads how I want them. 

So don't believe the lies social media is telling you. Not many are showing up with their camera and simply getting lucky catching beautiful candid moments. They are gifted in making those moments happen. 

Posing is not a bad thing. In fact I proudly do it every time I photograph a family. 

Have a great week, friend! 
 

Baby Alex at Home | Seattle Newborn Photography

You may remember this little dude and his family from when I photographed his NICU session. :) Well I am happy to report that this little guy is healthy and strong and at home with his family. 

I had the absolute honor of capturing him for his in home newborn baby session here in Seattle. His family is very happy to have him home, especially his sweet big sister. 

We spent the morning exploring the light in their lovely home, snuggling, and talking about how wonderful it is to be home after a long haul in the NICU. 

I immediately connected with this family and was so honored to capture them during this season of their live. 

Enjoy. 

E Family | Seattle Family Photography

Oh how I adore my families. Seriously. I fall in love with all of them. 

This was my second time photographing this sweet family. We met at a mountain lake on a sunny spring evening. It was one of the first sunny days we have had around here in a long time. Seattle has had a very rainy winter and spring, even for us! 

We played in the woods, explored the lake, and even got our feet wet in the cool water. 

It was a wonderful evening spent with wonderful people. Oh, and of course their fur babies came along as well. They have the cutest little pups that always join us for photos. 

Enjoy this beautiful family and this gorgeous location. 

Baby Amara | Seattle Newborn Photography

I met this sweet family for their maternity session a few months back. You can see that gorgeous sunset session by clicking >>> HERE. 

I knew their newborn session would be fantastic as they are super laid back. We met on a drizzly Saturday morning. Their tiny baby girl was only a week old and so beautiful.  A full head of newborn hair.

In home newborn sessions are perfect in Seattle. It's the kind of session I can do all year long and these types of session really have my heart. 

Enjoy this sweet newborn baby girl and her precious family. 

If you are interested in booking a maternity and newborn session with me, click >>> HERE. 

Best Locations For Family Photography In Seattle

The weather is changing and us Satellites are trading our clouds and rain for sunshine and blue skies! That means it is officially Seattle Family Photography Season! My favorite. 

Chances are you have your family session on the books and you are wondering what location you should have your session at. This is on of the most common questions I get asked "Elena, where should we have our session??"

I don't want this to be a point of stress for you. I want my sessions to be a relaxed and fun experience. I wanted to share a few tips on how to pick the best location for you and your family. 

Seattle has an abundance of locations right in the city or within a very short drive of the city. We live in such a beautiful part of the country and I love including it's beauty in your family photos. 

Here are a few things to consider when selecting the best location for your family photography session in Seattle or anywhere really. 

1. What does your family like to do for fun? How do you all like to spend your time? 

Make sure you are choosing a location that will best suit your families personality. For example, if you love hiking together we may want to head out to the mountains. 

2. Consider the ages of your children. 

If you have super young kiddos an urban location may not be a great choice because you don't want to have to worry about cars and other people to distract your little one. Perhaps an open field or park may be the best location. 

3. Take into account the season your session is scheduled for. For example, there are some gorgeous parks in the fall that really show the beautiful Pacific Northwest autumn colors off. If it is going to be warm on your session date, going to the beach and letting the kids get their feet wet might be super fun! 

4. Let's talk about traffic. Seattle is gorgeous, but the traffic is awful. We don't want you commuting across town during rush hour. That won't make anyone excited for family photos. So make sure to choose a location that will be easy to get to at your scheduled session time. 

Here are the different types of locations Seattle has to offer for family photography.

1. Urban. Seattle has some incredible urban locations that show off our historical architecture as well as some great textures. 

2. Beach. We have an abundance of beaches right here in the city of Seattle! We are so lucky to be surrounded by so much water. What is fantastic about our beach locations is that they are usually surrounded by trees and water so you get a ton of diversity at these locations. 

3. Forrest. We actually have forrests within the city limits! Seattle is so incredbile. If your family loves to spend time in the woods the forrest may be be best location for your session! 

4. Park. Seattle is chock full of gorgous parks! Parks can be especially gorgeous in the fall when the leaves are changing. This makes a lovely back drop for your family photos. 

5. Mountains. This option is weather dependent as many of my favorite mountain locations get snowed in come December, however if you are willing to drive about an hour out of the city, the back drop is very rewarding. You can make an adventure out of it. 

6. Open field. Luckily, my favorite field is right in the city, however I know of a few remote fields as well that are only a 30 minute drive away. Fields make a gorgeous back drop for your family photos. 

There you have it! Hopefully this gives you some great ideas about where to have your next family photography session. You have invested your time and your money into this experience so taking the time to really consider the location is a good idea.