The latest from Borrowed Light: 

When is the best time for your family portrait?  

The sixth of April was the first Baby and Child Expo that I have exhibited at.  It was put together by the ladies at Effortless Events to help raise money for Plunket.  I was excited and really looking forward to putting my display together, meeting the other exhibitors and of course getting the chance to meet people who were interested in working with me to photograph their family. 

There was one question that was asked time and time again, "When is the best time for a family portrait?"

There is no simple answer to this because every family is different.  No two families are the same, so it goes without saying that no two families will want to achieve exactly the same outcome from their family portrait sitting.  The one thing that is the same for everyone though, is that it is better to have a family portrait taken now, than to not get one taken at all!  Don't wait until you lose some weight and don't worry about your six year olds missing front tooth.  You are you, and your family are at their absolute best right now.  You have worked hard to get to this point in your lives.  Celebrate that!  Don't wait to be one of the families that regret not taking the time to capture a moment in time before it's gone.  Those little rat bags that drive you mad some days will be moving out of home and starting their own families before you know it.  Take a minute, celebrate your family.

I can't just leave it at that though, can I.  So here is a very quick rundown for you:

Babies.
For sleepy newborn baby shots, you really need to book your shoot before your baby is born.  The best time for these images is when your baby is no more than ten days old.  After that stage they are awake a lot more and they also start to develop the little white spots that most babies get.
For a photographer, babies that are sitting but not crawling are fantastic. 
Other than that, pretty much any time is great.  I love photographing babies!

Young children.
The key to getting the shot with young children is patience.  They have a very short attention span and that is ok.  As long as you ensure that you have enough time and are patient, the shots will come.  Bribery with lollies or piggy back rides with Dad may be required but we will get the shot!

School aged children.
Again patience is the key.  It is also very important for me to be able to engage with children this age.  I will talk to them about their lives and they will in turn relax and warm to the idea of being photographed.  If they don't I am quite the master of the ridiculous dance.  That dance will get anyone laughing!

Husbands.
There is that P word again, patience.  I am still undecided as to who gets sick of being photographed first, husbands or children.  They normally loose it at about the same time to be honest.  All husbands need is a whisper in the ear of how good looking he is and that you really appreciate that he has taken the time to help with your wish of capturing a beautiful portrait of your family.  Failing that tell him his mother will love it.  Then bribe him with beer, uninterrupted PlayStation time or even both.  That of course depends on if he mowed the lawns last time you asked him or not.

So I hope that helped a little.  Remember, if you have any questions, feel free to give me a call at any time on 0800 027 654.

Rebecca.

Ps.  Autumn colours make for spectacular family portraits!
 

My name is Rebecca Watson and  I am a qualified and NZIPP accredited professional photographer based in Mid Canterbury.  I enjoy the flexibility of having a residential studio in Rakaia, which enables me to regularly work in both Ashburton and Christchurch as well as through out the rest of Mid Canterbury. 

With over nine years experience, I can offer you professional photography in a warm and friendly atmosphere.  Whether you are looking for a wedding photographer or a family or individual portrait, I have the experience and expertise to create beautiful photographs for you to enjoy for the rest of your life. 

I regularly work with Mid Canterbury businesses providing them with photographs for a wide range of commercial projects including advertising photography, event coverage, annual report imagery, corporate head shots and executive portraits.  These photographs help them to grow their business and keep their brand fresh, strong and up-to-date .  

 
“We enjoyed how relaxed and comfortable Rebecca made us feel - and how much FUN we had during our photo shoot!!  And the final products are just amazing. We love having them hanging in our home for us and our visitors to enjoy.”

Natalie and Darryn Harris photographed in Ashburton.