5 ways to nail your family photos

preparing for family photos sounds intimidating, but lets make it fun and stress free, shall we?

logistics

first things first. acknowledge the biggest challenge; getting out the door. when you have kids, its impossible to get out the door to run an errand, much less go to a photoshoot. but if you prep and pack ahead of time, it’ll make it easier.

feelings

not every photographer will agree with me on this one, but i’ll take a relaxed (meaning not rushed!) family over a frantically on-time family any day of the week.

relax. take your time. there may be complaints, eye rolls, extended car seat negotiations, ill-timed feedings, diaper blow outs, spousal snippiness. it’s okay! it’s normal!

you don’t have to be a happy family on the way to the session, to be a happy family at the session itself. that is way too much pressure. forget it. relax. and text me if you’re running super late so i can sneak a coffee in or something.

food

i don’t know about ya’ll, but snacks are an excellent way to keep me happy. #realtalk make sure everyone is well fed at home before you start getting ready.

for the session itself, have some surprise snacks packed. the best snacks are ones that won’t drip or stain. but we’re also going to need bribes… #morerealtalk hear me out. take their favorite snacks, open them ahead of time, and put them in a clear bag, or a neutral colored container. otherwise your family session is going to turn in to a commercial for pepperidge farm goldfish crackers real quick.

while you’re at it, consider dinner reservations for after your session. how often will you find yourselves all dressed up, loaded in the car, with nowhere to go. make an evening of it!

friends

for families with babies and toddlers, pack accessories that won’t mind having on camera. where possible, pack the blankies, lovies, dolls, cars and other accessories that will look best on camera. neutral colors, or ones that will coordinate with your outfits are best.

details

higher resolution cameras show higher levels of details, that may have been imperceptible on a phone camera. wipe down little one’s faces, and cheeks. for toddlers and kids, make sure paint, markers and dye have been removed from their hand. wipe off peeling temporary tattoos with baby oil, and remove or change chipping polish. clean nails. ask yourself, wwgd? (what would grandma do?). grandma would iron. and so should you. #sorry its true though…

and while we’re at it, why not bring grandma to the session too?

that’s it! those are my five ways to prep for your session. did i miss anything? what has worked well for your family?

-charlotte

what to wear for your family photos

wondering what to wear for your family pics? today, i’m sharing some quick tips for looking your best on camera.

the goal: showcase each person’s individual style, while visually supporting the close connection that you share.

color: instead of choosing a color palette, choose a family of color tones. my personal favorites are neutrals, pastels, and earth tones. if you want to go more bold, jewel tones are nice, but avoid overly bright/saturated colors which can throw off your natural skin tone on camera.

pattern: mix and match any pattern(s) you like within the same family of tones. if you decide on more than one pattern, be sure to have contrast. pair a large print with a smaller floral print. pair two matching floral prints in different colors. florals + stripes or dots. avoid finely woven stripes/plaids (like the ones commonly found on mens dress shirts). when photographed with a high resolution camera, those fine stripes appear like a wavey pattern called moire.

accessories: family photos are the perfect opportunity to go bold with accessories, such as jewelry, hats, and hair accessories. if you aren’t sure, bring a bunch of options with you to your session. we can photograph several different looks, leaving you with lots. of different options to choose from for the final product.

makeup: if you plan to wear makeup for your session, matte finishes look best on camera. shiny metallics, and the ever so popular highlighter powders can cause reflections that are amplified on camera, resulting in colorless white spots on camera.

other things that show up on camera: chipping nail polish, remnants of paint, marker or old temporary tattoos. hair elastics worn on the wrist, and smart phones in pockets.

shoes: often times an after thought, shoes that don’t match can be a big distraction. especially kids shoes which are seemingly only available in bright colors. they don’t need to be expensive, but I do recommend that they be well fitting and in a non-distracting color (neutral, tan beige etc.) this will help keep the visual focus of your images on the connection you share. <3

Heirloom Round Canvas

How cute are these wooden rings? Available in sets of three, they make a perfect wall display for an entry way or craft room. Made with traditional heavyweight canvas, these beautiful rings will last for generations. To learn more about these and other unique ways to display your family photos, contact us!

How to have a meltdown free session

Behind the scenes toddler bribery

Ohhhh toddlers. Cutest stage to capture, and least likely to cooperate. In fact, the more they sense your parental desperation, the less likely they are to cooperate. #momfacts So of course, the thought of a photo session (the drive there! the nice outfits! the attention!) can make a lot of us anxious.

Fear not, friends! Here’s our best advice for a successful session:

Day before your session:

• Select and set aside everyone’s outfit(s) in advance. A calm preparation and departure is the best way to set up a successful session.

• Sneak a few snacks/drinks in your bag. Tell no one. Secret surprise snacks can save a session.

• What kind of snacks? The good stuff! We’re talking honest to goodness real actual cookies. Not the generic fig newtons that you call ‘cookies.’ Real cookies. Or whatever it is that your child loves, and that you’re willing to feed them. Extra credit if it’s something that won’t stain or get messy.

• Please also pack toys/pacies/babas or anything that your child might want. If you want to get strategic, make sure the ones you bring are in neutral colors or ones that you won’t mind having in the photos if they refuse to let them go.

Day of your session:

Make sure your child is:

• Well rested

• Well fed

• Well connected with you

As adults, when we have somewhere to be, we tend to pour our energy in to preparations. Without being able to envision what you are preparing for, young children can often feel a disconnect with you, which is where anxiety (and meltdowns) can come in!

It can be so hard to slow down (especially before a big event!) but its so important to take the time with your child and connect. Make eye contact, talk, hug, touch, give them your full attention.

The stronger your connection is before the session, the more your connection will show on camera.

And if it all fails, there’s that secret stash of candy in your bag…

#yourewelcome

-Charlotte

Oh my momma heart! Revisiting not-so-old pictures and memories

My (now 2.5 yr old) on her first birthday

Hello Friends! Charlotte here! After a two week long rain delay, our Peach Blossom sessions are all wrapped up, and oh. my. goodness! What a dream they were! A gorgeous orchard filled with pink peach blossoms, perfect light, beautiful families, and I kid you not - zero meltdowns from anyone! (myself included, ha!) I will be sure to come back and share the finished results, but as always, my clients get to see them first!

Behind the scenes, we have also been busy updating our studio samples with new heirloom linen albums, buttery-smooth canvas and gorgeous frames. To this end, I’ve been scouring my collection looking for just the right images for each sample. I came across this image (above) of my daughter (‘Miss-chief’) and my husband (‘Mister’) which stopped me in my tracks. This was, to the day, 18 months prior and she looks so different now! She’s got long hair, and bangs. She’s speaking in sentences, and she is all kid! Where did my baby go!? As a first time parent, I wouldn’t say I’ve taken her first years for granted, but seeing this photo really articulates the monumental difference between a one year old and two year old. Having not yet experienced this feeling until now, I can’t say that this has been my ‘why,’ but it sure is now!

It’s amazing to me that a year ago this was just another photo in my collection, and now seeing her baby hair, and baby cheeks, and her chubby little baby hands means everything to me!

On that note, I’m off to get this gem printed for my wall! Happy spring! <3 Charlotte

It's Fall!

is it just us, or did summer fly by? our first round of fall petite sessions wrapped up this past saturday, but there’s still plenty of time to get your photos done for the holiday season! we just added two new dates for our fall petite sessions, click on the photo above for the booking link! and keep your eyes peeled! next monday (a week from today) we’ll be announcing sessions at a local christmas tree farm! eek!

Just Added - Petite Sessions!

In case you haven't heard, we just added petite sessions to our booking page! Typically available on Friday evenings, petite sessions are 20 minute sessions perfect for a family photo refresh or milestone session. For more information, head over to our investment page. 

Stars and Stripes Forever

Wishing all the parents and families out there a safe and happy holiday together with your loved ones and friends.

Accepted to the National Association of Professional Child Photographers!

Hi everyone! Charlotte here! So excited to share my acceptance in to the National Association of Professional Child Photographers. My recent nomination for Best New Emerging Child Photographer emboldened me to apply to this organization just a bit sooner than I was planning to, and I am so completely thrilled to share my acceptance! More info and updates coming soon, but wanted to share this exciting news before the upcoming holiday! -Charlotte  

Okay, back to your regularly scheduled mischief making! 

Booking is now open!

Booking is now open - go here to schedule your session. As of this morning, we've got just 5 spots left. If you'd like a coupon code towards your first session, pop on over to our facebook page. (wink, wink!) 

Join us on Instagram

guess what we bought today!? 🙊🙊🙊 #bubblesfordays

A post shared by Mischief & Mister (@mischiefandmr) on Jun 29, 2018 at 4:36pm PDT

Guess what? We're now on Instagram and we'd love to have you join us for beautiful pics and fun behind the scenes info. If you're following us on there, then you already heard that we got a BUBBLE MACHINE this weekend! BUBBLE. MACHINE. We're so excited. Good things happen when we go to Target unsupervised. Good things. If you wanna see what else we're up to, head on over to Instagram! 

Summer Sunset Sessions - Coming Soon!

Coming MONDAY! Our very FIRST pop up - Summer Sunset Sessions! Check back at 10am on Monday July 2nd for the booking link! Questions? Post below, or send us an email and we'll get right back to you! 

Check out our new video!

So excited to share our brand new video! Check it out! 

PS - if you're not already on our mailing list, sign up asap to receive advance registration access PLUS a bonus credit for our first Pop Up Session! 

What is a Pop Up Session?

Are you wondering what our Pop Up Sessions might look like?

A Pop Up Session is a petite session and a family activity rolled in to one. We will be offering a just a small handful of these special events throughout the year. The types and locations of these sessions will vary, but each will have a seasonal theme. 

Some of our Pop Up Sessions will be booked by time slot, just like a traditional session. Other Pop Up Sessions will be a little more informal, with (get this!) walk in time windows! We are super excited to offer these.

With just a handful of Pop Up Sessions offered each year, we expect these bookings to go fast!

Want a hint what our next Pop Up Session will be? It'll involve staying up just a litttttle past bed time (you'll still be home before dark!) and for those who register in advance, you will receive a gorgeous folio in any one of these gorgeous summer linen colors! 

Sign up for our mailing list to be the first to get pricing and pre-registration info! 

once upon a time

Once upon a time... in a little town called Healdsburg California... we started a portrait photography service for parents of mischievous children called Mischief & Mister.

We started Mischief & Mister so that parents could experience relaxing, stress-free, expectation-free, fun portrait sessions. And so they could come away with gorgeous family portraits to enjoy now, and for years to come. 

Our story is just getting started, we hope you'll join us to see what happens next.