Pensacola Beach Family Photos – Jennifer Beal Photography
My summer has been busy as a Pensacola photographer documenting some wonderful families visiting our beautiful beaches. A recent inquiry got me so excited that you would have thought I would be photographing a celebrity. Well, he kind of is a celebrity to me. He was my elementary P.E. coach and his daughters were in school at about the same time as me. This man is a McArthur Elementary School legend to the students who had the opportunity to experience his Physical Education program. The tumbling team holds especially fond memories for me.
He was one of those teachers that stayed at McArthur until he retired. Some of you know that I have had the honor to work at my elementary school and I was fortunate to work with several of my former teachers there before they also retired. It was a wonderful surprise to see his name listed on the family questionnaire that I sent out a couple of weeks before our session date. The family questionnaire allows me to get to know the families that I will be working with and helps me to plan for your unique family.
Pensacola Beach Photographer
For my extended family sessions, I always work through each family grouping as well as make sure I get a group shot of the entire family together. I work hard to put together a combination of posed photos and candid shots. I love being able to prompt families to interact with each other in ways that show the love they have for each other and their authentic connections. Your family photo session should be more than just snapping a few photos together. I want your session to be a shared experience with your family, creating memories that will last a lifetime.
How to have a GREAT photo session
Here are some ways that you can help make your family photo session a great experience that creates beautiful images.
- Let go of expectations. Relax and love on your family. Your kids can sense your stress, but they can also sense your joy. Look forward to the experience and build a sense of adventurous expectation with your family. During the photo session, have fun and be silly with your family. Your interactions will look beautiful in your photos.
- Look at your children as if whatever they are doing is the cutest thing ever. Smile and laugh at them but leave the discipline and correction for another time (unless there is a safety concern). Making children do something they don’t want to do often escalates the situation. I will prompt you into another pose if I see your little ones becoming agitated. I promise the photos will always look better if the parents are smiling rather than scolding. 😀
- Select a photographer that you trust. Do your research. Read reviews. Make sure you’ve checked out their portfolio and love their style.
- Be affectionate with your family. Snuggle with your babies. Kiss them on the head. Run your fingers through their hair. Pull them in for a hug. Dance with them. Hold their hands. Anything you can do to show how you interact and love your family will make your photos 100% better!
Coach Brown and family, I LOVED creating these memories with you! Thank you so much for choosing me to document this season in your life. Happy 54th Anniversary!
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Click here to book a photography session with Pensacola photographer Jennifer Beal Photography.
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