The Complete Guide to Prepare for Your Session!

Over the past few years, I’ve found that most of my clients run into a similar problem: They really want those dreamy ‘effortless’ photos that perfectly capture this season of their life… the problem is that there is a lot that goes into a perfect photo and it often feels just out of reach. 

When it comes to photos, I’ve found that moms get overwhelmed with planning the session and have no idea where to start when it comes to coordinating outfits! They know there is a way to make everyone look amazing (because other Pinterest families are doing it), they’re just not totally sure how to do it themselves.

But here’s the thing: Organizing and preparing for your session is not hard, it just takes a bit of know-how! 

Over the past couple of years, I’ve learned exactly what makes a photo dreamy, light & airy, and how to capture photos that look and feel like you (and guess what? It’s not actually effortless!) I’ve also found common mistakes that clients make that will lead them away from that end goal. 

And so, I decided to begin teaching my BG clients how to prepare for their session and style it so that they look incredible! 

Recently, I have shared the ins and outs of preparing for your session and broken it down step by step through a bunch of blogs. 

So today, I’m sharing one MASSIVE round-up blog, that organizes them so that you can easily prep and style your session! 

This is every step you need to prepare for your session from booking to hanging your photos!

This is a one-stop shop packed with everything you need to know!!

Booking Your Session

Once you book your session with me, I will begin to walk you through these steps! But to make it even simpler, here’s a Portrait Session Checklist to follow:

Planning Your Session

Your first steps are to choose the location and begin planning the outfits. These blogs will help you to get the most out of your session and photos. It all starts in the planning process.

How to get more variety out of your session

Matching Your Photos to Your Home Décor

Styling Your Session

If you ask me, this is the most fun step! However, it is the step that most of my clients seem to get stumped with. Here are the top best blogs on how to style your session:

Women’s Boutiques for Style Guide Friendly Outfits

How to Style Your Fall Photos to be Timeless

Styling Your Session: Outfit Myths

Recipes For Styling Your Engagement Session

My Best Tips for Styling Senior Guys 

My Best Tips for Styling Senior Girls 

Mentally Preparing the Family

Believe it or not, this is actually one of the more important steps before your session. Make sure your family is all on the same page, if you are intentional with this, you will win at your session! Imagine having happy kids and a happy husband while taking your family photos… it sounds too good to be true. Take the time to mentally prepare the family and give them incentives to be good sports! It’s a game-changer.  

How to Prep Your Groom for Portraits

How to Get Your Kids Excited for Photos

Post Session- Enjoying Your New Photos

Okay, once you have made it to this step in the process, all your hard work is done! But I’ve found that for most my clients after they receive their full gallery, printing their photos feels like another big job all its own. And I get it. But don’t let your photos live in an online gallery forever. They are meant to be enjoyed and cherished! Here are a few of the best blogs to walk you through how to enjoy your photos more and the simplest way to go about getting them off your online gallery and on your walls!

10 Ways to Enjoy Your Photos More 

Ways to Preserve Your Family Legacy 

The Simplest Way to Create Your Christmas Cards 

Another resource that I love for organizing your photos is Nancy Ray’s Legacy Photo System. This is great for both your professional and personal photos!

OR… Snatch these Free BGP Guides!

The Christmas Card Checklist 

Checklist for *Actually* Printing & Enjoying Your Photos

I hope this is helpful for you, friend! But I want you to remember not to get caught in making your photos perfect! 

It is far more important for you to have these photos, than to get caught in colors, locations, and styling. At the end of the day, though, the location you choose and the outfits you wear won’t matter nearly as much as just simply having these photos and the memories you make. The style choices you make will definitely enhance your photos, but the most important accessory to bring with you is joyfulness –– which is the one that makes the biggest difference in your photos anyways.

If you have any other questions, I would love to help! Feel free to leave a comment down below or email me at bethiegrondinphotography@gmail.com.

Happy Planning!