With all of my sessions, I try to always accommodate a client's vision. I love when they bring new ideas and its very important to me that each session is tailored to the client and reflects their style and personality. However, you will always hear me advocate for simplicity. What you choose to include in your session can either enhance or distract from the purpose of the photos.
Last week I had a photo shoot that was pared down to the basics. It was a little intimidating going into a new client's home and not knowing exactly what my options were or really what kind of photos I was going to be able to capture that day. I walked in and had a look around. There was some nice natural light to work with but right away I could tell that this was really going to be a session focusing on mother and baby.
I advocate for simplicity because I want clients to feel comfortable and not stress about incorporating certain details You should never feel like you have to do X-Y-Z, otherwise your photos will be boring. Simplicity doesn't have to mean boring. To help focus your session, I recommend asking yourself these questions
- Candids or portraits?
- Are you documenting a moment in time or a bond or relationship?
- Is there one specific detail or quirk that must be captured?
I try to walk a fine line between encouraging clients to think creatively about their session and overwhelming them with options. I love this maternity session so much because it shows that your session does not have to rely on props, details, or an elaborate setting to be good. You can have photos taken within the home, in your own clothes and have a result of something personalized and beautiful. You didn't even have to get in the car!
Keeping things simple is great for the client but its great for the photographer as well. A simple session forces the photographer to be creative with what is available. After a few photos in a room flooded with natural light, I went searching for a way to switch things up. The sun was just starting to descend outside and I found a room where the light was just coming in. Immediately I was inspired and my mind was spinning with different ways to marry the light with the subject.
Black and white images are a great way for eliminating distractions of color or pattern and letting the heart of the image to come through