Here’s what happens when you book an outdoor family photoshoot with me, Sim Sawyers, a motherhood and family photographer in the Netherlands.
Fill Out My Inquiry Form
When people book with me, they usually fill out the booking form on my website as a first point of contact between us. When you fill out the form, you give me your name, email, and phone number, and you let me know what type of photography session you’re interested in. Don’t worry if you’re pregnant but your family will be at the session, everything is allowed and there are no wrong answers. I also photograph events, such as weddings, birthday parties, and baptisms.
Do you have a disabled family member?
When I started my photography journey there were a handful of photography courses that caught my eye, but the first class I ever invested in was The Capable Community. The Capable Community is a photography class that teaches photographers how to best serve families with disabled family members, specifically children. I am comfortable posing children with and without their equipment, and I come prepared with sensory-seeking and sensory-avoiding activities for children.
If your child needs any accommodations during your photography session, please let me know in the form so we can discuss accomodations during your consultation call.
Styling your Family for an Outdoor Session
Trends come and go with every change of the season, but timeless is…well, timeless. When you display your family photos and print your heirloom albums, you don’t want to look back in two years and be distracted from your babies by your outfit. (And it’s always mom’s outfit that gets “dated” faster, right?) As a professional photographer who’s studied thousands upon thousands of portrait sessions, there are specific dress styles and patterns that stay in style. When you book with me, I send you my own Family Style Guide and Prep Guide to help you plan your outfits. I also offer a phone call styling consultation and complimentary access to my Client Closet.
If you purchase a gown for your session and want to donate it to my Client Closet after your session in exchange for additional images or a session discount, please let me know when you purchase your gown so that I can advise on whether or not it will be a good Client Closet fit.
For an outdoor session, the most important tip is don’t wear predominately green outfits to your session. The greens of nature are beautiful and we want to be right in the thick of it, so you don’t want your outfits to blend in with the greens behind you!
Planning an Outdoor Family Photoshoot in the Netherlands
This is the Netherlands, so rain is always possible. In the event of heavy rain, we will of course reschedule your outdoor session, completely free of charge.
The upside of rain, however, is the abundance of flowers in the Netherlands. We have tulip fields, cherry blossoms, orchards, gardens, and fields all at our fingertips. Several of these picturesque locations require a location fee. This is standard practice and the key to getting beautiful images without dodging huge crowds.
During Your Session
This is the fun part! I structure my outdoor family photography sessions in a way that includes games and activities for kids. We sit still and smile at the camera for one shot (and this doesn’t have to be at the beginning of the session when your kids are probably ready to run around), and then the rest of the session is running and jumping and exploring nature. I encourage parents to let their children lead the session. If the child is curiously digging in the ground, this is a good chance sit on the ground and pull your child into your lap and play together. The image of mother and child deep in conversation about the wonders of the earth is a much better image than “mom pulling toddler’s arm and pointing at the camera.”
After Your Session
Once I’m done editing your photos, I will send you a link to view your gallery. You can share your photos on social media (or not, if you don’t share your children’s images online. See my blog about children and internet privacy to see how other parents feel about sharing their children on social media.) while we plan how you want to display your heirloom artwork.
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