Matching Your Photography to Your Home | Tips from a Pro Photographer

Sitting in your living room, you glance up at the mantel (or wall) and realize you haven't had any family photos taken in a while and that a lot of your displayed pictures are a little outdated.  You decide you want to book a session - and maybe even spend the money on a nice canvas - and begin the booking process.  You start looking over schedules, planning out your session, and thinking about what you will wear.  

PAUSE!

Have you thought about how it will match your home?  After all, if you plan to display it, you will be spending a lot of time looking at the images from this session, so why not style it to be incorporated in the design of your room or home?

Determine Your Color Temperature & Theme (Sample Images Below)

Warm - Rooms that are warm tend to have lots of browns, beiges, ivory/cream, gold or neutral/natural hues with wood furniture or pieces.  (Also sometimes includes burgundy, red, orange, yellow accents)

Cool - Cool rooms usually have a mix of light blues, greens, whites or silver with lighter color furniture (sometimes white) and accents on the cooler end of the spectrum.

Rustic/Earthy - Rooms with this style are often in the warm tones - think cozy.  Knit fabrics, wood pieces & Earth toned colors throughout.  (Can include accents like burgundy, red, orange, or yellow)

Modern/Contemporary - With this design, I envision rooms that are cool and bright - lots of silvers & metal with clean whites.  Sometimes precise & sharp furniture or very curved & unique art pieces.  

Airy/Beachy - Think beach house or sun room.  Many times this room would have lots of light shining in, breezy & light-weight fabrics, and light colored furniture.  (Color accents may include a pop of warm toned like coral or yellow)

Once you've determined your general temperature and theme (I only listed some as example, you know your home best), you can move on to selecting...

Time of Day for Your Session

To Match a Cool Design, choose Early Morning - Sessions that are scheduled early in the day (7am-10am) produce fresh and even light.  Lacking the strength of the bright day sun, the images will be soft and slightly cool toned.

To Match a Warm Design, choose Evening/Golden Hour - The time of day that photographers refer to as "Golden Hour" is the hour before the sun sets, when it gives us the last bit of warm & sunny burst.  There is a bit more directional light so some play with shadows and sun flares can be fun and create gorgeous tones.  (Also, good opportunity for some possible pink, purple, orange sunset images)

Picking Locations

The location of your session can also play a role in matching.  If you have a warm, rustic living room with a nice fireplace, consider a wooded park or old barn buildings.  If you have an airy space with nautical accents, then beach portraits would match perfectly.  Contemporary or high fashion design?  Take to a city and use some cool architecture as the backdrop.  Your taste and personality can be shown through the images in subtle ways.

Planning Your Outfits

When it comes time to plan and select your outfits, think about how those fabrics and color coordinations will harmonize with the design of your home.  To create the warm cozy look, choose sweater dresses, accent scarves, fringe or furry.  Denim is great for cool rooms, especially when paired with other blues & white.  And of course, flowy fabrics translate well for those airy spaces you've created.  To see some examples of coordinating outfits, you can click the hyperlinks "warm" & "cool" for inspiration ideas.

Implement Your New Photo Plan & Become Your Own Art

Now that you have planned your time, location, & clothes, you are ready to become the masterpiece on the wall!  You are armed with an intentional vision for your photoshoot, and we can create images that you will be happy and proud to display for years to come.   

 


Examples of Cool & Earthy


Examples of Airy/Beachy

(Some With Warm Sunset)


Examples of Warm & Rustic


And the always classic Black & White


Calling All Expecting Mothers & Moms-To-Be | Timing & New Package

Let's get real for a second.  9 months seems like a long time...until you're in it. Every mom I've talked to says how quickly their pregnancy has gone by.  You're so busy learning, preparing, nesting, and down-right growing a human, that before you know, you're in the final week!  You had the best ideas for decorating a nursery, crafting things for new baby and planning the hospital day bag and drive.  Sometimes, things you wanted to do, just don't get done.  Don't let photos be one of them.  If you think ahead now (with a little help from me) you can schedule your sessions and not have to be scrambling last minute.

There are two photoshoots that Shore's Edge Photography offers to mom (& baby): 

Maternity & Newborn.

 

 

MATERNITY
Maternity photoshoots are typically done around 32 weeks.  This ensures a nice round belly but without the discomfort that later weeks might bring.  This is the optimal time for mom to be glowing.
 

 

 

NEWBORN
Newborn shoots are done within the first two weeks of baby being born.  This ensures those adorable, sleepy, peaceful photos and baby is easy to cooperate.  It is understandable that this timeframe can be a hectic time settling in at home and people wanting to meet your precious little one but it allows the parents some alone time just snuggling with baby and you can tell family & guests that for those 3 hours, it's just going to be you.  Lifestyle photography allows me to capture you in your environment, living your life as you would.

 

 

How to Schedule/Book
Book your maternity session now for the week that'll you be around 32 weeks.  As time gets closer, we will nail down exact details, locations, and time.


For newborn sessions, we pre-pick 2 or 3 dates around your due date (as we all know babies are on their own time).  That way, if baby comes after your due date, we still have dates held on the calendar for you.


And Shore's Edge Photography is offering a *NEW* special package...The Mermom!  This package includes the photoshoot and goodies of both the basic Coastal & newborn Guppy packages, for $55 off!

 
 

Camilla Rose | NJ Lifestyle Newborn

When it comes to newborn photography, the baby really does call the shots.  Even the best laid photoshoot ideas sometimes don't always go as planned, but the magical and special part about photography, is that it can produce something even better.  When this adorable little baby gets hungry, you take the opportunity to grab some intimate snaps of the interaction.  You get to see the giggles from the other family members (big sister included) when you can get the whole family involved.  And when she has worked hard as a model all morning, newborn babygirl finally just passes out and naps wherever she is, which creates beautifully sleepy pictures.  

This is lifestyle photography; photographing life, as it unfolds in the most amazing ways.  

Camilla Rose, or "Cashew" as she has been nicknamed, was welcomed to the world on February 9th.  She is already adjusting to life in her new home, which is filled with sounds of her big sister playing and her dog barking.  She doesn't mind visits from her extended family and is becoming one of the bunch!  

Congratulations to Maria, Joe & Gianna.  <3

A little behind the scenes....

When preparing for a photoshoot, especially newborns, it is important to communicate details and expectations about the session before-hand.  This includes everything from keeping the baby warm, happy, tired & full, to being prepared for outfit changes, clean up & accidents. 

Ironically, just before Gianna's newborn session, we had joked around about the image that is circulating the internet currently of the newborn baby that was so relaxed, he relieved himself on Dad (found here).  We thought it was funny and shared stories of babies doing such things.  

Well, about an hour into the session, the same thing happened to us!  While I have been present and shooting while a newborn did this, I haven't captured it quite like this before.

Another bonus shot we got during this session was when the family dog, Gizmo, decided he wanted to be in the photo and give his new sister a few kisses mid shoot.  She is quickly getting used to him doing this ;)

 
 

Totally unexpected, yet the beautifully funny side of life. <3

Sweet Perfection...

7 pounds, 19.5 inches, 10 fingers, 10 toes, 2 eyes & 1 nose.  August 29th at 8:33pm this bundle of joy entered the world with a full head of hair and her hand already tightly gripped around our hearts.

Meet Gianna Elizabeth - the name Gianna is Italian and means God is gracious.  This sweet baby encompasses God's grace perfectly.  If you have seen the post Maria & Joe's Maternity, then you have already seen her loving parents.  

However, it is truly a beautiful sight to see two people who have just become first time parents and the look of wonder, amazement, and love that dances across their faces when they lay eyes on their baby girl.  For me, seeing my strong, determined, outdoorsy older brother turn into mush when his daughter coos or smiles or just simply looks up at him is enough to melt my heart EVERY. time.  And to see my smart, independent, caring sister take on motherhood with full force and make it seem easy (even though I know it is far from it!)  I am so happy and proud of both of you, and could not love the sweet perfection that is my niece, Gianna, any more than I do.  <3

 

 

 
 
 
 

Did I mention that we are all big football fans?  Joe is Greenbay Packers fan, Maria is a New York Giants fan, and Gianna - well, she'll get there...  ;)