Valentine Prep Guide 2021

 

You’ve just booked your session with Iliasis Muniz Photography, and you’re super excited (as am I). But you’re probably wondering: “what’s next?” This guide will help walk you through the steps you need to prepare your kids for their photography session with me, Ily. I’ll go over everything from wardrobe to how to get the kids ready. I’m so excited to work with you and your little ones. If you have any questions along the way, please just let me know. I love to help!

Wardrobe: “What should they wear?”

The hardest question everyone asks themselves after booking a photo session is: “What will everyone wear?”. I totally understand! And I’m here to help!

When you start styling for your session, keep in mind what the colors of the backdrop are going to be. Whether you want to purchase all new clothes, or you want to use that dress you love on your daughter, it’s a great place to start. Below are some other helpful tips.

Things to keep in mind:

• comfort: you want everyone to be comfy at your session. We’ll be moving around on our adventure, so make sure you put yourself and the kids in something that moves with you and isn’t itchy or too tight. You’ll be hearing about it all session, trust me.
• accessorize it: hats, scarves, jewelry, headbands, suspenders, etc. All these things are a great way to add another layer of your style into your session.
• patterns: I love fun patterns, but my favorite is florals! Mixing patterns is a great way to add interest to your photos.
• textures & layers: Layers add texture and textures add interest. Denim, chunky knits, lace, cords, etc. I love the way a chunky cardigan looks. Or a denim shirt tied at the waist. These are all great ways to incorporate your style.
• color: make sure the colors you choose compliment each other. Colors that will stand out best are muted, earthy tones. Some examples are: mustard yellow, mauve pink, browns or khaki, dark blue, hunter green, dark reds
• MAKE IT YOUR OWN: this session is about you children! And it’s so important to make sure that your child’s personality shines through in every aspect.

Things to avoid:

• giant logos: shirts that have giant logos on them can distract from your beautiful faces. Just say no.
• neon colors: just say no to hot pink and lime green.
• matchy-matchy: matching outfits are super cute, I know, but they can also seem very redundant and dare I say boring. Having different colors, patterns, textures, etc is super important to create interest and diversity in your family’s images.

Places to shop:

• Old Navy, Gap, TJ Maxx, Forever 21, Macy’s, Target, Zulily, Nordstrom, Lullaby by Baby, Janie & Jack, and Bailey’s Blossom.
• Check out our Pinterest board for inspiration on colors and outfit combos!

What to expect: “What will our session be like?”

We highly recommend you come right on time. Our studio will be very busy those next three days and would like to keep everything safe and clean for everyone. Please understand showing up 30 minutes early or 30 minutes late will not allow us the proper opportunity to get things fully disinfected before your session.

Required before entering our studio:

• Once you arrive you will need to take your shoes off and leave them outside
• You must apply germ-x on you and your little ones hands. {Unless allergic or they are to little still then we’d appreciate you use our bathroom to wash your hands.}
•  We will allow a max of 2 adults to be inside the studio during the session.
• Everyone walking into our studio must wear a mask at all times. Once the session begins I will direct to have them removed.
• Please bring any comfort toy that will help your child feel comfortable. As the use of our toys will not be available to avoid contact between people.

Things our studio will be doing before and after your session:

• We will clean and disinfect all surfaces, door handles, bathroom, and chairs.
• We will have masks on the entire time and we will change out periodically.
•  We will have our hands washed after every session or apply germ-x.
• We will have small water bottles available and some fruit snacks for children.

The week before

“How do I prep the kids for our photo session?”

The week or two before your session, start bringing me up in conversation. You can refer to me as Ily, Iliasis, or even just the photographer lady. Tell your kids about the fun adventure we’ll be having. I am totally not above bribery. A fun ice cream date after our session is always a big hit. Just make sure you let the kids know we’re going to have fun! If they get worried about behaving perfectly then it will show in the images. I love taking time to connect with your kids to get those fun images of them.

Need help? Just ask:

I am here to help in any way that you may need, from helping with wardrobe choices, or deciding between whether or not to bring your child’s lovey. I want to make this session awesome for you, and I love getting involved in all the details. So if you have a question about anything, please don’t hesitate to ask. You can email, text (956-433-1771), or send an instagram message. Hours of business are 10am-5pm, please respect the texting as I will not text back after-hours. My mind would be work 24/7 and I enjoy my personal/family time as much as anyone else 🙂

After the session: “How long do we have to wait to see our photos?”

That is a great question! I take great care to go over all of your images and pick out the perfect moments. When I get home from our session, I immediately back up your images so they are safe. Also, I don’t delete the images from my memory card until after I have edited your pictures. Once they are safely backed up, I pick my favorites. Then I edit one or two for a sneak peek. These will be posted on my facebook page . My turn around time for your full gallery is between 1.5 – 2 weeks. Once I’ve finished editing your session, I will upload it to your online gallery.  Then you will receive a link to where you can then select your top favorite digital images. Once they have been received, I will then finalize the editing and forward you a final link where you are able to download, order prints, and more.

Thank you again for reading! 

Iliasis Muniz Photography