4 Quick Steps to pick a Family Portrait Photographer

by | Sep 7, 2017 | Boulder Headshots, Broomfield Colorado Family Photography, Broomfield Colorado Parks, Broomfield Family Photography, Broomfield Senior Portraits, Child Model, Colorado Family Photography, Colorado Family Portraits, Denver Colorado Family Portraits, Denver Kid's Photography, Denver Photographer, Dogs, Families, Fathers, Featured Post, Golden Family Photographer, Great Nature Locations, Louisville Family Photography, Outdoors, Pets, Photography, Portraits

and this is when many folks start thinking about portraits. I often get questions like, “How do I pick a Family Portrait Photographer?” So, here ar:

“4 Quick Steps to pick a Family Portrait Photographer”

Step 1: Recommendations from friends can be a good way to go. But a caveat:  just like people have different tastes and budgets for clothing and decor, they will also have wildly different styles in photography. Some people just want a photo that is one step above a snapshot. Others just want one really good family photo. Others want a high-end, boutique experience with a full gallery of WOW images. If you have a friend who has a similar taste and budget in interior decor and clothes, that can be a good indicator that you might like the photographer they use. Step 2: Then check their website. Their photos should grab you, you should feel right away – “Wow! I love these!” Step 3: Videos – I also always suggest that clients look at an entire photo session before booking their photographer. That way, they can see if the photographer can deliver a consistent and full gallery of WOW images.  This means different angles, close up and wide-angle, each person alone, kids together, kids with parents, both posed and casual, different expressions, etc. That’s much more reliable than seeing just one or two good images. On my video page, you’ll see about 30 different sessions, to give you an idea of my style. A few of them even have BTS (behind the scenes) and client interviews, which gives you even more of an idea on what it’s like to work with me. Of course, if you want the quick read, my testimonial page can provide that. Step 4: Contact the photographer. Do they get back to you within one business day? Do they seem to know what they are doing? Do they ask lots of questions to make sure they understand what you are looking for, and you understand what they offer? Do they explain things clearly? So, there you have it. A complicated process simplified to four key steps. I hope this helps you pick your family photographer. And whether you pick me, or someone else, please do have family photos taken this year! Every year your children change sooo much – these precious times deserve to be captured. Oh, and if you are doing holiday cards ….please please include you and your spouse/co-parent if you are together. Your friends love seeing your kids, but even more than that – they want to see YOU! I feel so passionately about this, I should probably do an entire blog post on “Make sure you appear on your holiday card!” Here is a sample session taken in the Boulder mountains. I can’t wait to photograph this family again this weekend, this time with their newest family addition!

Session in Boulder, Colorado (with guest appearance by family dog)

Westminster Family Portraits Outdoors in the Boulder Mountains from N Lee on Vimeo.

*Your dogs are part of your family! And we often include them in portraits. There are a few steps to follow to make sure we get the best photos possible, and one of the key  things is to have someone who can take over the dogs once we are done photographing them. A neighbor, a friend, etc. It’s also a good idea to have them groomed a couple days before, and bring them a little bit hungry so they will pay attention. Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save]]>

Modeling Photos for Denver Teen Models and Denver Cheer

by | Apr 11, 2017 | Behind the Scenes, Broomfield Senior Portraits, Cheer, Child Model, Dance, Dancers, Denver Child Model Photographer, Denver Headshots, Denver High School Senior Photos, Denver Kid's Photography, Denver Model Photographer, Denver Yoga Photographer, Model, Model Call, Model Headshots, Modeling Porfolio, Portfolio, Studio, Where I Shoot

is a recent BTS (behind the scenes) photo taken during a teen model photos session.  Mom is so cute and stylish! And she is holding the reflector for when her daughter turns around and faces the other way (not for this particular shot.) This was a super fun session we did Sunday afternoon @ my studio.  Her daughter is into competitive cheer and is, as you can see, crazy flexible.  They brought tons of cute clothes and we had a blast picking our favorite 3 outfits for the modeling session. If you are looking for a great gift to give your teenage daughter, give her a modeling photos session! Even if she doesn’t want to pursue modeling, it will be an amazing experience and she’ll have some fab photos to share on IG or Snapchat. Plus, you’ll have great photos that celebrate who she is today, in all her lovely teenage glory. Many of my Denver child and teen modeling clients have not done this before, and I provide plenty of tips on how to prepare, what to bring, clothing advice, etc. Most importantly, your teenage will feel on cloud 9 after the experience. B/c it’s always about the journey as well as the destination, right? So the actual session is a blast, and then you get photos that Wow you in the end. Win/win! 😉 BTW, this gal’s mom was super smart – she was close by, but she never made suggestions on what her daughter should do during the shoot. That’s a tip I share with parents – teenagers are their own person, and they would rather not have their parents directing them during the shoot. (That’s what I’m there for!)  Even when you are picking out clothes, bring some outfits that you like and some that they like. You’ll end up with a great mix of photos that you love, and also photos that reflect their true personality.

Denver Teen Modeling Photogrpahy - Flexible Dancer GirlDenver Teen Model and Cheer Photographer

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1 more Display Idea for Denver Family Photos

by | Mar 15, 2017 | Child Model, Children, Clothing, Denver Children's Photographer, Denver Family Photographer, Denver Kid's Photography, Display Ideas, Featured Post, Golden Family Photographer, Outdoors, Style

Idea for displaying Denver Child Model Portfolio Images I have photographed this stylish child model two years in a row, so you are seeing photos from two different shoots, 1 year apart. I also did Headshots with Personality for her father. I love how her super coolmom put together this wall collage of the portraits I made and art that her 3 yo daughter made! A perfect combo to celebrate her! Note how it looks great now, but also has room to add wall portraits from future shoots (like an all-family shoot). Thank you to my client for sending this iphone photo of their display wall. Here is one of the photos up close, so you can get a good feel of the individual photos: Denver child model photography by Natascha Lee Studios  

Denver Child Model Photographer

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6 ideas for Wall Collections / Canvas Cluster Family Portraits

by | Mar 10, 2017 | Denver Children's Photographer, Denver Family Photographer, Denver Kid's Photography, Display Ideas, Featured Post, Golden Family Photographer, Mother and Child, Outdoors, Siblings, Sisters, Style

#1:   Lots of wall space and you like things uniform: Here is one example. It uses (8) 12 x 18″ canvas prints, and with a 1 inch gap, that’s a total wall space of 63″ x 31″. This one would work great if you have a good mix of horizontal and veritcal images you like. And, if you are someone who likes things all balanced and square. Well, technically “rectangle” in this case. This display has major WOW factor! Wall Collection Canvas Cluster - Denver Family Photographer

2. Lots of space, but you like things a bit more creative.

In this canvas cluster, there is more variety in each image’s size and the overall layout. This client has their images hanging in their beautifully-lit large foyer, so everyone who enters their home sees it first thing: 3.19 IMG_2775-eal-sfw

#3 – Simple, modern and elegant.

Those terms fit this client perfectly. She has a bright, modern house she designed herself. She picked her favorite images, had large canvases made, and they lean on a ledge in her stairway.

Canvas Cluster Wall Display Idea for Denver Family Photos

#5 – Over the mantle A

This is a great example of how to hang a wall display/cluster over a mantle. It’s balanced left to right, but has some added visual interest due to the different sizes and shapes. I don’t know if you can tell, but she even put the small squares are just a bit outside of the tall solo images of each girl. That gives it a certain “tension” that adds to the overall visual interest.

4 display ideas for family portraits

#5 – Over the mantle B (Plus, insight into how we design something you will love, and that will fit your space.)

I help my clients design their wall collections to fit both their personality, their space, and also their favorite images. It’s a blast, and my favorite part is to see them after they have been hung up in their home.

Here is what it looks like when client come in for their viewing session (held 2 weeks after their photo session), and I show them samples of their images in different arrangements. Sometimes the background is photos of their own home, and sometimes we use digital rooms to gets a sense of size and place:

5 ideas on how to display your denver family photography

#6 – Above a king bed, with a high ceiling

This client wanted to create a collage on a large wall in the master bedroom of their Fraser condo. You can see how the “mock-up” looked in a digital room, and then how the final product looked in their ski home. 6 display ideas for winter park family portraits

6 ideas to display your winter park family photos

A special thanks to my clients who send me photos of their display after it goes up. (In the image first mantle photo, you can see her hammer is even still in the photo! 😉   It makes me sooo happy to see my art of your family up in your home. And, a suggestion to anyone who hires a professional photographer: send them a photo of their pieces up in your wall, or of your family gathered around the album. It will really make their day!

Denver Family Photographer

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