I had so much fun planning this first birthday session with mom!  Both baby A and her big brother B have December birthdays so she wanted to create something fun and Holiday inspired for our cakesmash that she could take out and display as part of her Christmas decorations each year.  She also loves candids and natural smiles (me too!) so we filled our session with plenty of playing and laughs.  Big brother B is at that age when kids see a camera and automatically make a “cheese face”.  I know it all too well with my four year old, and just about every little one I photograph at this age.  The trick is to make them forget they are having their picture taken!  Usually I make a complete fool out of myself in the process.  After taking lots of fun family portraits, we focused on the birthday girl, baby A.  She was so full of personality and very quick crawling around the studio!  I love all of the expressions we caught and all of the fun memories of our session.  Enjoy your sneak peek! 

They’re HERE!  We are finally ready to announce our most anticipated sessions of the year.  Our Holiday sessions often sell out in just a few hours, so this year we’ve opened up plenty of dates, including a long weekend, and both of our photographers will be on hand to capture your memories.  With so many clients wanting the whole family on their cards this year, or in desperate need of some updated family portraits, we decided to make our Holiday special for the full family with longer, fully styled sessions!  We’ve even simplified ordering with special packages and online galleries because we know that the Holiday’s are just as crazy for you as they are for us. Heidi Hope Photography can be your one stop shop for Holiday gifts in 2012.  Don’t forget to check out our gorgeous 2012 Holiday Card designs on the blog by clicking here.

Please note that pricing above reflects session fee only.  All ordering is done a la carte in your online ordering gallery.  Packages begin at $500.  For more information, availability and full pricing for our 2012 Holiday sessions please call the studio at 401.864.1919.

I had so much fun this past weekend meeting these gorgeous families and catching up with past clients at our Holiday portrait mini sessions.  It was a very windy day but everyone braved the cold and I think the portraits we created together were worth every shiver!  Enjoy this little sneak peek everyone!

You’ve booked your Holiday portrait session for 2010 (go you!) and even thought about your holiday card designs.  Now comes the dreaded question: “what on earth are we going to wear”?  I can’t tell you how often I hear that question.  We send wardrobe advice in all of our welcome packages, but I’m a visual person, and I know sometimes it helps to see something put together for inspiration!  The best Holiday portraits, or any portraits for that matter, are the ones that allow individual personalities to shine through.  Family members outfits should be coordinated but not “uniform.”  Choose items for the entire family as if you were creating one outfit.  If all of your choices were somehow on one person, would they look good together?

If portraits are outdoors, it is important that children are dressed warmly.  Chattering teeth and purple lips do not make for good portraits.  Trust me, I’ve dragged my daughter into the freezing cold in an adorable outfit only to be very disappointed with the images.  Layering is a great way to keep children warm and fashionable.  Make sure coats are clean and co-ordinate with their outfits or dress them in layers including tanks, long-sleeves, cardigans, scarfs and hats.  Throw some tights or thermals under those pants if you need to!

Many photographers post wardrobe advice on their websites and blogs and I’ve always loved reading their advice.  This week, I’ve decided to share what I would pick for family portraits this fall.  I think it is perfect timing for all of the holiday portrait sessions coming up (including 9 families tomorrow!)  All of these selections come from one of my favorite stores (and the creator of the credit card bill my husband curses the most each month… hehe love you hunny):  The Gap.

Lets start with mom!  Belt a flowing sweater (I have this one in love it!) at the waist, pair it with skinny jeans and your favorite boots (so in this fall!) and top off with a colorful scarf!

Dad:  Pair gray cords or dress pants, with a colorful v-neck and rugby stripe scarf.  He probably has this stuff in his closet already!

Baby Girl:  STOP IT RIGHT NOW!  I have a baby clothes shopping addiction.  I’m loving the faux fur this season.  Layer all the classics she’s sure to wear all season with a few trendy items.

Baby Boy:  Love this stuff for the little man.  Cords are a must for cozy style.  Dress them up for the holidays or down for play time.

Girl:  For your little fashionista!  Again, I love lots of layers for girls.  Fur accents, knee high boots, and fingerless gloves are all looks she’ll love.

Boy:  He’ll be thrilled to wear his jeans and you can dress them up with a polo and pea coat!

That’s what I would put together from just one store!  I hope this shows you how many options are out there.  Chances are, you could pull a lot of these items from your closets and simply purchase a few accent pieces to really pull it all together!  Happy Shopping!