Maternity – Nest & Fable

OMG What Do I Wear?!

Let me guess, you have no idea what you should wear for your photo session…? Fear not! In this guide, we’ll talk you through some wardrobe choices for you and your family to make sure that you all look and feel relaxed and at your best in your photographs.

The Pitfalls of Black:

First things first – let’s talk about the myth of black being everyone’s best friend in photos. While it might be a classic choice for many occasions, black can be a bit of a diva when it comes to photography. Dark colours tend to absorb light, potentially making you look like a floating head in your pictures, especially on a dull day. With long sleeves, you may also look a bit like a blob, whereas the aim of the game is to give yourself some shape and make sure that you look your best. Opt for vibrant, lighter tones that complement your skin tones and bring life to your family portraits.

Layers and Fabrics:

Layers are your secret weapon for creating depth and visual interest in your photos. Consider adding cardigans, scarves, or even vests to create texture and dimension. Fabrics also play a crucial role – choose natural materials like cotton or linen for a comfortable and breathable experience. Avoid stiff fabrics that may sit awkwardly, disrupting the flow of your session.

Practicality for Little Ones:

When it comes to dressing the little ones, practicality is key. While those cute skirts and dresses may look adorable, they often require constant adjustments, interrupting the natural flow of the session. Opt for practical clothing for active children, and avoid dungaree straps on non-walkers, as they can lead to fussy moments around the shoulders. Why don’t we recommend dresses on those aged up to 3 or so? Take a look…

Accessories Add Flair:

Accessories can elevate your family’s style game without overwhelming the photo. Think about hats, scarves, or statement jewelry that complements your chosen outfits. However, be mindful not to overdo it – the key is to enhance, not distract.

A Light-Hearted Jibe at the Blue Jeans and White T-Shirt Brigade:

Ah, the classic blue jeans and white t-shirt combo – a go-to for many families. While it’s a safe bet, let’s face it, it’s a tad overdone. Spice things up by experimenting with different colours and patterns. Embrace the uniqueness of your family and let your personalities shine through your clothing choices.

Ideal Colour Combinations for Each Season:

Each season brings its own palette of colours that can enhance the mood of your photos. Here’s a quick guide to ideal colour combinations for family photo sessions based on the seasons:

Spring:

Soft pastels like mint green, baby blue, and blush pink.
Floral patterns and light neutrals.

Summer:

Vibrant shades of coral, turquoise, and sunny yellow.
Nautical stripes and light denim.

Fall:

Warm tones like burgundy, mustard, and olive green.
Earthy patterns and cozy textures.

Winter:

Rich jewel tones like emerald green, deep burgundy, and navy.
Winter whites and cozy knits.

Some Other Things to Consider…

Shirt buttons – we’ve all put on a shirt, sat down and looked down to find with horror that the buttons are working much harder than they should to hold it together, resulting in odd bulges in the fabric. Try it on, sit down in it, comfortably and see if it still fits…

Characters, branding and wild patterns – the only thing you want to focus on in your photographs is your family’s faces. If you’ve got psychedelic tie-dye, a pink, ill-behaved pig or a large tick/swish on your clothing, this is going to draw the eye away from the subject i.e. you and your family!

Accessories – above, we recommend accessories, but there is an exception. When we photograph newborns, we ask you to keep it simple, so remember to remove your watches as your baby’s face should be the main attraction.

Your Chest – mums, especially those who have just had a baby, if you don’t want your photographs to look too ‘boob-y’, then please avoid low cut tops or dresses that don’t sit well to make sure that you aren’t constantly adjusting and fussing.

Making it easy, a Colour Combinations Cheat Sheet:

Spring:

Lavender + Mint Green + White
Blush Pink + Baby Blue + Beige

Summer:

Coral + Turquoise + Khaki
Sunshine Yellow + Seafoam Green + White

Fall:

Rust Orange + Mustard Yellow + Brown
Olive Green + Deep Burgundy + Tan

Winter:

Navy Blue + Emerald Green + Silver
Deep Red + Icy Grey + Gold

Conclusion:

Choosing the perfect outfits for your family photo session can be an enjoyable experience, not a stressful one. Keep it relaxed, natural, and true to your family’s personality. Embrace colour, texture, and accessories, and watch as your family photos become timeless treasures that capture the essence of your unique bond. Happy styling!

Final Note:

We have an extensive range of photo-suitable vests, leggings, jumpers, rompers, headbands and blankets for your newborn, you do not need to dress them. We also have a selection of clothing for up to age 5/6 in our client wardrobe – once you’ve chosen your own clothing, we’re more than happy to jump in and add some of our picture perfect outfits to the set for your children. We have lots of high quality outfits that will elevate the overall look of your photographs, so don’t be shy, ask!

PS: Circular Economy Rules! We LOVE getting your hand-me-downs. Some of the outfits you put on your little ones for their photo sessions are just too good to sit in a wardrobe or end up in a clothing bin. We are more than happy for you to pass on clothing to us to add to our client wardrobe to help to reduce the impact of fast fashion and also to make it easier for future parents to dress their little ones, courtesy of your good choiecs!

MIAN Photography & Training

Booking a Session – How Does that Work?

in Family, Maternity, Newborn

From Inquiry to Gallery: A Journey Through Our Photography Process

Welcome to our creative haven! We’re thrilled you’re considering embarking on a photographic journey with us. At MIAN Photography & Training, we pride ourselves on capturing moments and turning them into cherished memories. Join us as we guide you through our unique photography process, ensuring your experience is as delightful as the photographs that we create.

Booking the Adventure

Booking starts with the client contacting us through social media, email, or WhatsApp.

Initiating Contact: All you have to do is start the conversation – reach out to us through whatever means necessary to take that all important first step.
Aligning the Stars: We believe in making sure that we’re the right fit for you. You deserve your perfect session and we want to make sure that we can give that to you. We ask questions that help tailor our work to each client, understanding their preferences. If we don’t think we’re right for you, we will refer you to a fellow photographer who might better be able to give you the session of your dreams.
The Booking Email: Once the stars align, and it seems like we’re a match made in photography heaven, we send a booking email. This includes a questionnaire, payment options, and a straightforward contract, ensuring peace of mind for both you and us. You’ll pay a booking fee to secure your space in our diary and from there, we start the prep!

Preparing for the Photo Odyssey

Once the booking is secured, the preparation begins:

Preparation Guide and Clothing Choices: We’re not just about clicking buttons; we want you to shine in your photos. Clients receive a preparation guide, and we collaborate on clothing choices to ensure everyone looks their absolute best.
Client Wardrobe: Explore our client wardrobe, stocked with lots of options for most of your family – from the little ones to expecting mothers and newborns.
Comfort is Important: For our tiniest clients, we provide a selection of blankets and snuggly fabrics, creating a cozy nest for the solo portion of their session.

The Day of Capturing Magic

Fast forward to the day of the session:

Health Check: We take health seriously, especially when working with individuals with compromised immune systems. A quick pre-session check ensures a healthy environment for all. If we have a cough or cold, we will reschedule if your session takes place indoors or if you have a newborn or immune suppressed family member. We ask the same courtesy from our clients because we don’t want to catch something and unknowingly bring RSV, Flu or Covid into anyone’s home!
Setting the Scene: Whether in the comfort of your home or a chosen location, we take the time to get to know everyone. A cup of tea, a friendly chat, and we’re ready to capture genuine moments.
Natural Interaction: No stiff poses here! We use prompts and games to encourage natural interaction, creating authentic scenes that reflect your unique story. We might ask you to do some things that sound silly, but if you trust us, we promise that the results will surprise you! Remember, photographs are just moments within moments, it’s not a video and we can’t hear you making fart noises, so it’s okay to be a little quirky.

Post-Adventure Routine

The adventure doesn’t end when we pack up our gear:

Image Backup: Back at our offce, we backup your images on our computer and external hard drive, ensuring the safekeeping of your precious memories.
Efficient Delivery: Galleries are typically delivered within 2-4 weeks through our secure online gallery portal, complete with password protection for your privacy.
Sharing the Joy: Download, print, share! Clients have the flexibility to access and share their digital photographs easily.
Printing: You’ll often hear Milca say “I’m a photographer, not an administrator”. We like to focus on doing what we love so that we can maintain our enthusiasm and creativity for every session. If all of our energy was put into the administration involved in organising prints for you, you wouldn’t get the same people at your session. It’s not who we are. There are lots of wonderful printers who can produce beautiful prints for your walls and we’ll give you post-session guidance on this.

We’ll Pop the Question

To social or not to social?

Sharing Your Photographs: We of course love to show off our work to the world on our website and on our social media. We would never do this without permission, so we will always ask. Some families are happy to share, some aren’t and we will always respect your privacy and your right to decide whether or not you would like us to share your photographs. We don’t force it on anyone. Sometimes, people are happy for us to share photos of just the adults, or just the children, sometimes we only share details such as hands or feet on baby and sometimes we just share photos where you can’t see anyone’s faces. Either way, whatever you’re comfortable with is the best choice for you and your family.

Personalised Experience

What sets us apart:

Personal Connection: We don’t just capture moments; we build relationships. Getting to know our clients personally adds an extra layer of magic to our work.
Friendly Approach: Nervous about being in front of the camera? Fear not! Our standard approach is that of a friend you’ve invited over for coffee, who just happens to have a camera along for the ride.

Let’s Begin Your Story

Still curious? Have questions or concerns? Reach out!

Embark on this little adventure with us, and let’s create lasting memories together. Your questions and concerns are welcomed; we’re here to guide you, stress-free, through the process. Send us a message, and let the adventure begin!

Ready to capture the magic? Let’s get started! Tap here to head over to our Contact Page to take the first step!

How to Choose a Family Photographer

in Family, Maternity, Newborn

4 Tips for Choosing the Right Family Photographer for You

1. Lifestyle vs. Studio Portrait Photographer

Lifestyle and Studio Portrait photography are two very different things. Studio work is usually centered on posing, lighting and editing and is beautiful in its own right. A lifestyle or natural light photographer specialises in capturing connection and moments that happen organically in your own space or an outdoor space. We always recommend Lifestyle for little wrigglers and children who love to be free spirited and families who love to be on the move.

2. Photography Editing Style

When you look through a photographer’s body of work on their website or socials, you shouldn’t be thinking “oh I wish that was darker” or “I’d love that if it was brighter”. Their style should speak to you and should be what you’d like to have hanging on your own wall. Are they a light and airy photographer or are their tones earthy, warm and colourful? Is their art going to work well in your space and does it fit with your family.

3. Human Connection

When you’ve first enquired and chatted with your photographer, do you feel an instant connection, like you can get on with them for an hour and feel comfortable hanging out? Did your chat flow well? If you’re choosing a photographer, how well you get on with them really matters!

4. Budget

There’s no getting around this one. Is the photographer within budget for you? Is their pricing transparent and easy to understand? Photographers all price differently and it depends on whether or not they offer products such as prints and albums. Some, like us, include all of your edited digital images from a family session, others offer a certain amount and it costs extra to purchase additional images or products from them, so make sure that your budget aligns with their pricing before you commit.

How to Make a Final Decision

Research! Once you’ve shortlisted your photographers, check out the following tips to help you to make a decision:

Referrals – word of mouth! Have any of your friends or family used them, ask what they were like to work with.
Reviews – check out their reviews on their socials, Google and even Trustpilot. Remember that one or two poor reviews are not always a reflection of who your photographer is, be sure to get a balanced overview.
Quality – are the images in focus? Photographs with accidental motion blur and missed focus shouldn’t see the light of day, so have a good look at the photographer’s work.
Consistency – does this photographer regularly share similar work and is it always something you’d be pleased with yourself?
Answerability – are they visible? Do they regularly update with new work? Does your photographer have a website and multiple points of contact i.e. email, WhatsApp/Phone, Website, Social Media.
Communication – do you usually receive a reply to all of your questions relatively promptly i.e. within 2-3 business days max.?
Insurance – you might be surprised to learn that some photographers are not insured and this isn’t just important for them, it’s important for you, for peace of mind. It’s also important if you and your photographer intend to work on public property, so please check with your photographer that their insurance is up to date, showing their commitment and accountability to your well being. Public Liability Insurance is a must!

We hope that this information has helped to make the process of choosing a photographer a little easier and we also hope of course, that you might consider us if you are inside our catchment area! Why not email or WhatsApp us, give us a call or pop over to our Socials to have a look at what we do and see if we might be the photographers for you.

5 Tips to Help You to Relax in Front of the Camera

in Business, Family, Maternity, Newborn

It’s inevitable, you know it, a camera will appear and you’ll have your photo taken and you’re absolutely dreading it. Why? Look, it’s easier to accept it – honestly. If you’re trying to hide, shy away, keep your mouth closed or give out, you’ll still end up with a photograph but it’s not going to be pretty. Let’s talk about making this whole thing easier for you.

2. Dress for You

What? Well, it’s easy for us to give you guidance on what to wear for your photographs, but the most important thing is that you feel comfortable. Don’t just wear what you think you should for the photos, if you’re going to spend all day tugging at a low cut top to make sure it sits right or twisting the cuff on a sleeve so that it stays in line. Don’t wear something that makes you go ‘ew’ when you look in the mirror because you can change your clothes, but not a photograph.

3. Have a Coffee with your Photographer

Take 15 at the start of your session to sit down and have a cuppa with your photographer. Get to know them a little and let them get to know you! If you’ve got some nervous babbling to get out of the way, then now’s the time to do it. Your photographer will appreciate the chance to get to know you and to make you feel comfortable in their company so that when they’re pointing their camera at you, everyone’s a little less weird about it.

4. Move, Move and Move

This isn’t the early 1900s. The days of standing stock still, unsmiling and fearful are long gone. Unless your photographer is asking you to stay still for something specific, just keep moving! Have something in your hands, move it around, switch hands. Is it coffee? Drink it, cup it, keep your hands warm. Fix your hair. Look up, look down, look over there. Fix that vase of flowers, turn the pages of that book. Whatever you do, just move. Is this a family session? Interact! Cuddle, tickle, play, straighten their clothes, play peekaboo, run, dance – the list of movements is endless. Movement distracts you and the bonus is that it makes for great photographs!

5. Finally, Ask

If you’ve got questions, concerns or ideas, pause for a moment and talk to your photographer. If you think you’ve had a smashing idea, there’s no point emailing your photographer about it later, talk to them during the shoot and see what they think. If you’re unsure of what your photographer wants you to do during the session, talk to them and ask them what they would like you to do. Photographers are strange, chatty creatures (at least, we are…), so conversation is always welcome!

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