Have you ever done a professional photo shoot with your family while on vacation? This family did! Hailing from the west coast, I had the wonderful honor of capturing these precious memories for this sweet family! I had so much fun getting to know this cheerful and energetic family who were in town for the Duke Alumni Weekend. Daniel contacted me because he wanted to surprise his wife with a family portrait session at their alma mater. He expressed their love for candid photos and wanted to capture the reality of the moment, which is something I'm all about!

We had so much fun playing in the grassy area of Duke Chapel and the nearby trails around the campus. I had such a blast capturing the energy of their son; he had the BEST laughs and loved to move and dance! It was so sweet watching their daughter wanting to follow her older brother, too, and wanting to hold hands and swing with mommy and daddy :) We ended the night with a gorgeous family portrait in front of the chapel! Enjoy the photos!

P.S. Husbands! If you're looking for fun and creative gift ideas (especially with Mother's Day coming up!) I highly recommend booking a photo shoot! She would be so happy and feel so loved. Contact me today for a complimentary consultation and we can figure out the perfect portrait session for you!

Location: Duke University, Durham, NC

Looking for a family photographer in North Carolina? Contact me for a complimentary portrait consultation! I serve the greater Triangle area including Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, and beyond.

As a family photographer, one of the most frequently asked questions I get is, "what should we wear for our family photo shoot?" Deciding what to wear for a family portrait can be daunting and stressful especially if you don't know where to start! I thought I'd write a quick blog post on on how you can plan your outfit as a family, and you can use this as a reference guide for your upcoming sessions. Scroll down to learn about my 5 tips to coordinating the perfect family outfit for your photo shoot!

1. Know your style!

Consider what you normally wear and what style best represents YOU! Do you like a clean and classic look, or are you more preppy and edgy? Or perhaps you like more of a vintage and bohemian look? Also, keep in mind when it comes to lifestyle photography, the idea is to be genuine and authentic. If you are normally a jeans-and-t-shirt type of family, then by all means go for a casual look! In a nutshell, dress in a style that BEST showcases who you are as a family. You'll look and feel more confident during your shoot!

2. Choose a color scheme.

Choose 2-3 main colors and dress within that color palette. For spring and summer sessions, it can get hot and humid, so I suggest wearing light neutral colors (e.g., creams, grays, whites) paired with earth tones to stay cool. This palette tends to complement well with any background! For fall and winter, warm colors (like burgundy, burnt orange, or navy) and neutrals (like creams and grays) are flattering to wear during cooler weather.

3. Wear solids and limit patterns.

Wearing solids tend to look excellent on camera. Incorporating some patterns and prints can look great, too, but make sure it complements the overall look! The key is to strive for a balanced look when wearing patterns or prints; otherwise, things can get too "busy" or distracting. I recommend wearing 75% solids and 25% patterns for a balanced look!

4. Layer your outfit.

Layering is a practical and easy way to build texture and interest in your photos. For example, during the fall and winter, I recommend adding a scarf, vest, cardigan, or jacket. These layers can help you and your kids stay warm during the shoot, and it makes it easy to remove them if you start to get too warm!

5. Consider adding jewelry and accessories to your outfit.

Wearing jewelry and accessories truly adds the finishing touch to your outfits! For example, a dainty necklace or earrings, or a pretty straw hat would be chic to wear and can help complete your overall look. Please note if you have young children, I would recommend wearing stud earrings versus dangly earrings to prevent your child from pulling your earrings :)

Still stuck? Checkout my Pinterest board!

I recommend going to Pinterest for more inspiration and ideas! You can also checkout my Spring and Summer Wardrobe Guide and my Fall and Winter Wardrobe Guide. Pinterest is a great place to help you get a feel for colors and patterns you love as well as trends you like!

Lastly, please don't be shy to ask me for help! As your family photographer, you are always welcome to bounce ideas with me :) Have fun, and I hope this helps you feel prepared, confident, and excited for your session!

-Genevieve

One of the biggest honors of being a Durham family photographer, is watching families grow! Especially when it comes to babies, they grow WAY too fast! Today's story is about the Yoo family, and I had the special opportunity to take photos for them again. The last time I took photos for them was for his 100th Day Celebration, which is a traditional Korean celebration. This time, we were taking photos of Aiden's 1st birthday and it was a blast!

There were so many delicious treats and decor (which you can see below!), and they also wore hanboks, which are colorful, traditional Korean clothing. Baby Aiden also played a game where he got to "pick his future career" and he picked the stethoscope! We'll see if he becomes a doctor! :)

One of my favorite photos was when we brought out the stuffed animal manatee. I remember they were fond of manatees, and was curious to see if this was something Aiden would love, too...and boy, he sure did! He absolutely LOVED snuggling his face against the stuff manatee and kept giggling! He was so happy he was kicking his feet up and down, and it was SO adorable and cute!!!

The second part of the shoot we went outside to take beautiful fall family photos, and we had so much fun! Aiden loved having his mom softly blow into his face, and his smile will just melt your heart! Seriously, take a look yourself! Enjoy the photos!

Looking for a Durham Family Photographer or a Raleigh Newborn Photographer? Contact me HERE! I also serve the surrounding areas in the Triangle including Cary, Chapel Hill, and Apex.

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