What to Wear to a Spring Family Session

The birds are chirping, the buds are blooming, and winter is officially over. That means it’s time for your spring family session. Here are a few wardrobe tips to ensure the whole gang looks smashing.

Play up the face that it's Spring! Have a necklace with a butterfly pendant? Perfect! An insect printed tee? Yes, please. Let the little ones dress themselves. If they really put on a creation bring along a change of clothes and we'll make sure everyone looks great.

Channel the colours of Spring. Whenever I go shopping in Winter I walk away so disappointed. Somehow everyone thinks that one can only wear black, grey and brown in Winter. Why can we not wear colour in Winter? Anyway, it's Spring now so you have full permission to wear all the colours of the rainbow. Look out the window for inspiration for your family’s colour palette. Greens, pinks, yellows, beige, khaki, and blues all work exceptionally well.

Layer up! Spring can be both warm and cool at one, so come prepared. We love spring scarves, light cardigans and dresses wth boots.

CONTACT US to find out more or CLICK HERE to book your family photo session.

Let's get colourful!

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The number one tip to getting natural smiles

Kiddies are completely unpredictable, even the older ones that we expect to sit and smile sweetly. They can be so adorable and easy going and laughing uncontrollably one minute, and the next minute, turn that charm off completely. They will typically smile for you all day long until you put them in front of a camera, then they freeze up like a deer in headlights. We want to get the best smiles we can. Over the years I have learnt what gets those beautiful happy smiles and what most definitely does not. Here is my number one tip and it is not what you would expect.

Do not try to get your child's attention or tell them to smile (unless I ask you to)

Babies and young children are often overwhelmed when they walk into my studio space. It is large and full of all kinds of interesting things. I am also a complete stranger. So the best thing to do is to sit on the floor directly behind me and say nothing. I need a chance to build a rapport with your baby or young child and get those natural smiles where they look straight into the camera.

Picture this scenario:

You're a small kiddo and have just walked into a very big, completely new room. A lady with a big black camera is sitting facing you and pointing it at you. And then she is talking to you and making faces. But mom and dad are also frantically trying to get your attention. Mom is on one side of the room and dad is on the other. 

Then because you are just sitting there staring wide eyed at everyone Ouma and Oupa also start calling your name and trying to get your attention. Mom then starts clapping her hands above her head and dad starts promising ice cream. Where on earth do you look and is there any reason to smile? Everyone just looks crazy and making a heck of a noise!

This is the most common scenario I see and 100% of the time ends in wide eyed stares and eventually tears.

One of the first photographs of my session with this little man. He was still warming up to me and getting comfortable.

I need to get your beautiful baby or young child to smile for real at something I say or do. The calmer you are the better things will go. So taking a seat right behind me on the floor, keeping a smile on your face and not saying anything gives me the opportunity to connect with your little one and a much better chance of getting those amazing smiles and laughs.

Once he had warmed up and felt safe with me he was all smiles and happiness.

Here's to a great session!

Swart Family Huge Fun Family Photo Session

The return of Michau and his family. I photographed him when he was just 7 months old. He is now two and a half. He is such a little boy; he has his wild animals, loves being tickled and running wild. I looooved this session. 

I love the reactions I get when I tell siblings to give each other a kiss or a hug. It always gets such a lovely response.

 Bring in the wild animals, lions, cheetahs, elephants, the whole lot.

And bring in dad. And of course Michau was not going to pose with dad so dad decided to take things into his own hands.

 And mom had a turn.

 And I had a turn to get some smiles too.

And then we brought in sweet, dear, little sister who just sat quietly and watched the madness unfolding before her.

Family portrait time, eek!

 Clap hands, precious little doll.

I am honoured that you came back to me to photograph your growing family. Thank you.

Have a great week!

Beautiful Hannah | 7 month baby photo session

Hannah and her lovely parents came to see me a few weeks ago because her mom just felt she was so adorable right now that she needed to capture her absolute cuteness. I couldn't agree more.

I have a little secret to getting this big smiley face from babies. They still not understand that you are still there when they cannot see you…so I face them away from me and their parents and then have their parents crouch down behind me and call them. They swivel around to find the voice and break into huge smiles when they see mommy and daddy are still there. It works every time.

Pearls are always a great entertainer and give some priceless photographs.

Oh yuk, that did not taste or feel good…

Cute, cute, cute

Hannah's mom was inspired by another photograph I took last year that was just like this one. 

Thank you so much for choosing me to photograph your beautiful family. It was an honour.

Have a great weekend!

CONTACT Rosalind | VIEW Portfolio | LIKE Facebook | ENJOY Website

Fun in the Rain | Family Photo Session

What an absolute blast it was to photograph this super fun family in the pouring ran. This photo session was a surprise birthday present for the mom so it had to happen on the set date and at the set time. I chatted with them in the morning and it was agreed we would go ahead with umbrellas and see how it turned out.

 It was raining lightly and I had my camera inside a black refuse bag with a hole cut for the lens. But then the heavens opened...

The beautiful lady the family was celebrating.

I had the most amazing time. I was soaked to the skin but my camera was dry and I captured some of my most favourite photographs. Thank you so much, Pienaar Family, for being so much fun and up for playing in the rain!

Soaked but happy!

Have a great week!

CONTACT Rosalind | VIEW Portfolio | LIKE Facebook | ENJOY Website