Have you taken a look out your window yet? If not, run! Spring has sprung, folks. Budding trees. Beautiful flowers peeking out. The sun is actually starting to feel warm again. That means it’s the perfect time to schedule your family photoshoot! With such beautiful weather, you just can’t go wrong. Especially not if you follow these 10 tips for success:

1. Choose the date carefully. Ideally, pick something a few weeks away, for various reasons. Maybe you want a chance to get the perfect haircut but need a few weeks to settle into it. Maybe just another couple sessions at the gym will put you right where you want to be. Or maybe you just need a bit of time to corral everybody’s schedules for the picture. Whatever your reason, giving yourself a little breathing room pre-spring photoshoot is a great idea.
2. Figure out your photoshoot style. Use that extra scheduling time to ask yourself some questions. What do you want your photoshoot to be like? Formal? Informal? Part of it depends on your kids, of course. You can only get so formal if you have squirming toddlers! So consider your kids’ ages and individual needs as you decide whether doing a fun home shoot is a great idea or whether maybe a more structured photoshoot with a Chicago family photographer in a studio might be best. Since the weather’s beautiful, you might also want to take advantage of the great outdoors. It all depends on your family’s needs.
3. If you have kids, factor that into your planning. Kids are gonna kid. That’s what they do! So when you’re thinking about a photoshoot, little details like timing are especially important if youngsters are involved. Don’t schedule the shoot during naptime, for instance. That’s just asking for cranky tiny tots. Similarly, if you have older kids, don’t schedule the shoot when they’re supposed to be doing soccer practice or some such fun activity. Pick a date that works for everyone as much as possible.
4. Remember snacks! If you have kids, feed them before the shoot. Then be sure to also bring along some treats. Juice boxes or water bottles are also a good idea. Nothing messy, mind you—but a few favorite goodies are sure to keep the smiles on the faces of little kids and older ones, too.
5. Pick everyone’s clothes ahead of time. Don’t try to throw outfits together the night before. That’s an outright nightmare! Instead, spend a few days figuring out what people will wear, making sure you dress for the weather. Sure, it’s spring, so spring-like clothes are wonderful. But take along several outfits, maybe including one with long sleeves, just in case. Multiple outfits also allow for more variety at the shoot. Plus, if one gets messy because … kids … then you have several backups.
6. Speaking of clothes—coordinate? Yes! Match? Eh … careful with that! If your family members wear similar shades of blue, for example, that’s fine. Or if you choose patterns that sort of resemble one another, also okay. What you don’t want is for everyone to be wearing the equivalent of a uniform. The photoshoot is supposed to be fun! Let people express their individual personalities! Matching is really not necessary. What is important is some color. Spring is all about colorful flowers and sunny days and bright green grass. Choose outfits that reflect the season!
7. Consider props. Bring along some accessories like sports equipment for kids or fun hats, a favorite musical instrument, or anything else that reflects the individual character of each family member. And as we said earlier, bring multiple outfits, both for fun and just in case.
8. Where’s it gonna be? Location matters—that’s a given. Maybe you have some special family places you want to visit. Or maybe you want to follow the spring weather to a beautiful park. Whatever your whim, it’s all good, with a couple caveats. While you should definitely pick a few places, remember that you want to maximize your photoshoot and not spend the entire time driving between locations. So places that are close together are good. Also—scout out the locations you’re considering, to see any rules they have about photoshoots. Finally, talk to your photographer. He or she will definitely have great suggestions to go along with your needs!
9. Chill! Spring is here. After you’ve done your photoshoot prep, there’s every reason for you to just relax and enjoy the amazing weather with your family. If you’re having fun, that will absolutely be reflected in your pictures. It’s fine if kids goof off somewhat. That’s part of who they are and what they do and in years to come you’ll look back and smile at their antics. You want the photographs to really reflect who you are as a family. You can only do that if you allow yourselves to act naturally. Trust your photographer and enjoy the day.
10. Choose your photographer carefully. Last but not least, you want to pick someone you trust. Do your research online into family photographers in Chicago. Talk to friends. Make phone calls. Meet the photographer beforehand. It’s important that you feel comfortable and like there’s some kind of rapport between the photographer and your family. His or her job is to guide you through the shoot, and that can only happen if you feel comfortable openly communicating your family’s photoshoot needs.

None of these tips are rocket science! But if you follow them, you’ll be well-prepared for a successful, fun photoshoot. The photos will be permanent memories, of course, which you’ll hand down through the generations. That said, you also want to remember the day itself fondly.

I’m a professional family photographer based out of Chicago, IL, with years of family portrait experience. Please review my Chicago family portrait photography section for information and samples of my work. Then book your session today!

You see it everywhere today—people capturing the world around them using their phones, whether it’s a concert, sports event, school play, or any family gathering. To be clear: there is absolutely nothing wrong with that picture (pun intended). It’s wonderful that people can capture memories so easily and conveniently on the go. 

However, when it comes to capturing a permanent memento—one you want to hang on your wall for generations to contemplate in years to come—there’s nothing like a professional portrait. A quick iPhone snap just can’t replicate the technology available to a professional Chicago family portrait photographer or all the years of experience a trained professional brings to the table.

So absolutely, keep taking those amazing on-the-fly iPhone shots, but also take a minute to read why it’s a great idea to also engage a professional photographer to complement your own photographs.

1. Document Memories Permanently

Sure, you can print out high-quality iPhone shots. But let’s face it—they’re not going to be the same quality as pictures done in a professional studio. Why does that matter? Because it’s the little details that you want to capture and preserve for posterity. Family pictures are time capsules of sorts. While you’ll enjoy them in the moment they’re taken, down the road your grandkids (and maybe great grandkids!) and their families will undoubtedly ask about the family history. What better way to share stories than by pairing them with a wonderful portrait? 

A professional photographer can help you capture a moment that you want to share in time someday, from the background to the poses to suggestions about what you’re wearing to ensure that you and your family are best represented in your picture. Then, after your family portrait has been professionally captured, it will be printed on materials that won’t fade or yellow over time like a normal snapshot would. That way it’ll be almost as crisp and fresh in 50 years as the day it was taken and will give your future family members a real window in that special moment in time. Let’s face it: these portraits will be part of your legacy, artwork heirlooms to be shared throughout the decades, and therefore they need to be of the highest quality, so they last forever. 

2. Create a Visual Timeline

Yes, you want a beautiful family portrait for future generations. But you also want it for yourself, so you don’t forget all those little moments that happen so fast they’re gone before you even realize it. Your child taking a first step. Meeting Santa for the first time. Losing a tooth. Going to the prom. Driving away in their first car to head to college. It happens in the blink of an eye and a wonderful way to make sure those special moments are indelibly etched in literal ink is to have a professional family portrait done each year. That way you can capture one unique moment in each year of your lives together, which represents all the growth that has occurred. 

Think about how much fun you have looking at friends’ family portraits and smiling at the changes in fashion, scenery, etc. over the years. Yearly family portraits will serve as forever reminders of who you and your loved ones were at key moments and who you eventually became.

3. Don’t Know What You’ve Got Till It’s Gone

It’s a sad truth—life happens, and not always in the happiest of ways. Precious mementos get destroyed. People pass away. And you may not even know you wish you had a concrete, physical memory to hold in your hands until it vanishes in a flash. It’s yet another reason why having family portraits is so vital—after you lose a loved one, you’ll realize how much you wish you had beautiful pictures that clearly show all the wonderful times you spent together. Whether done in studio or at a picturesque Chicago location, family portraits will bring a smile to your face and help you keep those special memories vividly alive every day as you walk by them where they hang in pride of place.

4. Nothing says HOME like a Family Portrait

Modern art is beautiful and has a place in any house, for sure. But if you think about the warmest, coziest homes, they always also have family portraits hanging up. That’s because nothing can replicate the feeling of looking at a picture and getting that feeling of belonging, of rootedness in family and love. It shows people what you value most and can brighten the darkest day as you glance over and remember the happy moment when that photograph was taken.

5. Family Portraits are Great for Kids!

Kids need to feel a sense of belonging—that’s a basic psychological fact. And having consistent, visible evidence of special moments helps them to develop a sense of being well-grounded in the love of those who care for them most. Being a part of a family portrait gives your children the knowledge that they are part of a bigger whole, a family that deeply cares for them and will always be there through the best of times and worst. 

While a phone backdrop is great, there’s just nothing like having a physical picture to touch and hold to make a memory fully multisensory. Taking family portraits and making a tradition of spending time every so often looking at them with your kids and talking about them, even looking into the future when your children will have their own adult portraits done, is a very special moment.

6. Getting a Family Portrait Done is Fun!

It really is, no matter what you may be thinking about the chaos of rounding up all the kids, choosing the outfits, getting everyone to smile, etc.All those moments are just part of the overall wonderful memory. A professional photographer will guide you through the shoot and make it a joyful, fun time that will only add to the memories you and your family already share. You’ll find yourself looking forward to having your portrait done each year!

7. Life Goes Fast

We said it before, but it bears repeating: life happens in a flash. If you sit around always thinking “oh, I’ll get a portrait done next year … next year … I just haven’t exercised enough … my hair doesn’t look right … I don’t know if we can coordinate everyone’s schedules” eventually it will be too late. In addition to all the usual life events that bring families together and apart, in this day and age it’s very common for people to move far away and so it becomes that much harder to bring everyone together for a picture. The moments will have passed and you won’t have them to remember except at the back of your mind, where time is sure to eventually erode them. 

Don’t let that happen to you. Take the time to really think about the value of family portraits and consider booking an appointment with a professional photographer today so down the road, you’ll always have those memories right in front of you to cherish. We can promise that someday, your kids will want to have those pictures to look at, and even if it takes a bit of effort to bring everyone together, it will be worth it down the road. Make a family portrait a tradition that becomes part of the fabric of your lives! Start today.

I’m a Chicago-based professional family portrait photographer with years of family portrait experience. Please look over my Chicago Family Portraits Section for information and samples of my family and children’s portrait work, and book your session today.

What are senior portraits for high school?

Senior portraits are the photographs you take toward the end of your final year of high school, when you are preparing to graduate. Whether you have the portraits done by a photographer contracted by the school or by an individual you yourself hire, a portrait will involve a full session with a professional photographer and will include various backgrounds and poses. You can then get various package deals that allow you to pick different portrait sizes which you can share with friends and family. You’ll need to prepare outfits, props, etc., to make the best of your time with the photographer.

Best Tips for a Successful Senior Photography Session

Taking your high school senior portrait should be a fun experience! You’re getting ready to graduate, and this will be a lifetime memory. In order to get the very best portrait, here are some tips you can follow to make the picture turn out perfect:

Clothes

When you have your Chicago high school senior portrait taken, you want your face to be the focus, not your clothing. Therefore, it’s important for you to carefully consider what you’ll be wearing—and do it several days before the shoot, so you’re not frantically throwing an outfit together the day you have your portrait taken. Remember, getting your portrait taken is a team effort—you have to do your part to help the photographer take a great picture, and that starts with giving careful thought to your outfit.

• Iron your clothes the night before! Also make sure everything is on a hanger the day before, to avoid that last-minute scramble that wrinkles everything. Yes, the camera will pick up on those flaws. For the same reason, make sure your clothes are clean and stain-free. Even small stains will be visible in a high-quality photograph.
• Avoid patterns and overly busy, bright colors. 
• Also avoid stripes. All they do is make you look heavier.
• While crisp white shirts might sound nice, stark white is seriously distracting and will pull the focus away from your face, so avoid white shirts and white shoes.
• Much as you may like that shirt with a giant logo, skip it. It’ll distract from your face and also is likely to be dated within just a few years. You want your high school portrait to still look relevant decades from now.
• Choose either long sleeves, three-quarter sleeves, or no sleeves. Short sleeves tend to truncate arms in a photograph, causing an unpleasant aesthetic. 
• Make sure your pants are not lighter than any dark shirt you choose to wear, because that can make your lower half look wide.
• While dresses or skirts are fine, they also cut back on how many poses you can do, so at least consider other types of clothing, too. 
• Choose several outfits. Consider both a casual and a dressier outfit. A sweater or a jacket can be used to dress things up and really change your look, as can a scarf. Take a hat along. A tie is also a good idea. Vary the necklines of your shirts.
• Ladies: make sure you try on your chosen outfits with your chosen underwear, to make sure it doesn’t peek through. 

Jewelry

You might have a special piece of jewelry that you want to make sure appears in your portrait. That’s absolutely fine, but bear in mind that anything that’s too big, clunky, or glittery is going to be distracting.

• If you wear a pendant, just know that keeping it centered is going to limit your range of poses.
• If you take jewelry, put it in a plastic bag and then make a small hole in the bag and loop it around the outfit’s clothes hanger that you want to pair the piece with. This avoids a mad scramble on the day of the shoot.

Makeup

Think it over carefully, ladies. Just like with your clothes, you don’t want to be rushing to choose the right makeup on the day of your portrait. In particular, keep in mind:

• Buy brand-new mascara in order to avoid the dreaded clumps that will absolutely be visible in a portrait.
• When it comes to foundation, avoid anything with oil or SPF, which can cause an ugly shine in the photograph.
• Make sure you take blotting papers to freshen up your makeup. Pay special attention to your forehead. 
• If you have very oily skin, take a light translucent setting powder with you. Oily spots will be visible in a picture.
• You might love it, but even if you do, avoid glitter, whether it’s in lipstick, eye shadow, or anything else. The reflective shine looks awful in a portrait.
• You also might love lip gloss and lipstick, but make sure it’s not mega-shiny. Just like with glitter, it’ll show up as white, shiny, reflective spots on your portrait.
• Don’t put lotion on your face before the shoot. It’ll just create that shiny, reflective surface, which is the last thing you want. Moisturize the night before instead.
• When it comes to your lips, aside from avoiding super-shiny stuff, make sure you moisturize them prior to having your portrait taken. Chapped lips are not a good look.
• Skip pastels. Go with neutral eye colors. Believe it or not, a light gray or soft brown is best, even if you think it’s boring. You want the focus to be on you, not on your makeup.
• Don’t use frosted eyeshadows. Same problems as with glitter and lip gloss and lotion—you’ll wind up with white, reflective spots in your portrait.

Nails

Whether you’re a guy or a gal, your nails should be clean and neat. If you wear nail polish and it’s chipped, get rid of it. Also:

• As with eyeshadow, stick to neutral tones when it comes to nail polish. Blood-red is not a good idea for a portrait. A soft, light pink is ideal.
• Avoid neon polish. You’ll never get it to coordinate with an outfit and it’s just distracting.
• Ditch the blue or black polish. Yeah, it might occasionally be on-trend, but most of the time it isn’t and will just date your portrait within a few years.

Tan Lines and Sunburns

They won’t look good in a portrait. And even the best retouching job will struggle to get rid of tan lines and sunburns completely.

• Before your portrait, avoid situations where you can get tanned or sunburned. 
• Do not use a spray tan because you’ll end up looking orange and blotchy in the final portrait, no matter how good you think it looks off-camera.

Make Sure You Shave

This applies to both gentlemen and ladies. Whether or not you regularly shave, you want to look neatly groomed for your portrait. Shaving is part of that. That includes:

• Ladies—make sure you don’t have underarm stubble. Certain poses, especially if you’re wearing a sleeveless blouse, will display that clearly and it will come up loud and clear in the portrait.
• Gentlemen—shave or neatly trim your beards and/or moustaches.

Hair

It’s all about being neat and discreet. You don’t want to distract from your face.

• Do not get a special haircut or style the day of. You just might hate it, and then you’re stuck with it in your portrait forever. 
• Try various hairstyles out before the day of the portrait.
• If you do get a haircut, at least give yourself a full week before the day of the portrait, to get used to the new look.
• Use hairspray to tame flyaway.
• But don’t overdo the hairspray so it cakes and turns up looking white and clumpy in the portrait! Ditto the gel, mousse, or other hair products.
• Don’t give yourself helmet head with styling products because you’re afraid of your hair moving—you want it to move lightly as you go through your various poses. Keep it natural.
• Finally, if you take your hair down for the shoot, make sure you don’t absentmindedly shove your hairband on your wrist just before the picture is taken.

Pack the Day Before

Your portrait prep should include creating a kit for the day of the shoot. That kit should include:

• Your various outfits and accessories (i.e., jewelry, hats, etc.)
• Shoes—make sure you pick shoes that coordinate with your various outfits!
• Makeup/hair retouching necessities
• Anything personal you want included in the background or your various poses, such as a special sports trophy, musical instrument, etc. The goal is for the portrait to capture who you are and what you love, so bring things that represent you.
• Feel free to bring along some music that will help make the shoot more comfortable for you
• Any pictures you’ve printed from online or cut out from magazines which show how you want to look while posing. If you prefer not to include this in your prep kit, totally fine, by the way. High school senior portrait photographers are trained to help you pose just right.

The Day Of the Senior Photography

• Bring along a friend to help touch up your hair, assist with outfits, or just to make the whole shoot that much more enjoyable.
• Be ready to change quickly from one outfit to the next—the faster you are, the more time you’ll have with the photographer.

Remember:

All of the above are tips. If you feel like some of your outfit choices or jewelry preferences don’t fall in the categories outlined above, bring them along to the shoot anyway. Talk to the photographer. If there’s something you really, really want in your Chicago high school senior portraits, the photographer will be able to guide you accordingly.

High School Senior Portrait Myths

• No, the same person who did your yearbook picture does not have to be the one to do your high school senior portrait.
• No, you do not have to buy your senior portraits from the photographer and studio which did your yearbook shoot.
• Yes, you absolutely can and should pick a portrait photographer who you trust! These portraits will be shared with friends, proudly displayed on walls, included in graduation announcements, etc. So why go with the same person everybody else is choosing? You want your portrait to be unique!

I’m a Chicago-based professional photographer based in Chicago, IL. I have years of high school senior portraits experience. Let me help you build a lasting memory of your high school experience and provide you with a fun, professional, relaxed portrait shoot. Please review my Chicago High School Senior Portraits Page for information, and samples of my professional high school senior portraits. Then book your session today!

When you decide to get your portrait of your family and/or children done in Chicago, it’s an exciting occasion! There’s all kinds of work involved in finding the right photographer, and once you’ve put in the work and settled on the photographer who you know will help you craft the perfect family portrait in your local Chicago area, then it’s time for Portrait Day.

You may be a little nervous about Portrait Day, or have questions about what you can do to make things go as smoothly as possible. Don’t worry—that’s the photographer’s job! But there are a few things that can help you prepare.

The Day Before Your Family Portrait Session

• Take it easy. Get some rest – you don’t want to look tired in the pictures.
• Hydrate! The key to radiant skin is drinking plenty of water.
• Don’t drink alcohol – it dehydrates your skin and ends up emphasizing all the fine lines on your face. That’s the opposite of what you want for your picture.
• Pick outfits – you do not want to be scrambling to find outfits the day of the session
• Pack snacks for any little kids
• Make sure everything is packed and ready to go so the day of the session all you have to do is round up the troops and head for the session.

Choosing Makeup

• Carefully choose your foundation so there’s no telling “line” where it doesn’t blend seamlessly into your skin. Ensure it’s a clean match all over, from your face to your neck.
• Don’t overdo it – simple is best when it comes to portrait makeup. Especially don’t lay the blush on too heavy.

Choosing Outfits

• Clothes can make or break a portrait. So don’t just reach for something random in closet.
• Keep in mind that your clothes need to complement everyone else’s clothes in the portrait.
• Keep everyone’s outfit to a similar shade. You don’t need to all be matchy-matchy, but similar tones help create a pleasing visual effect.
• If one person wears white, everyone should wear white. Otherwise there’s a color discrepancy that draws the eye only to the person(s) wearing brighter colors.
• Avoid patterns – prints are distracting from the main focus of the photograph: you and your family!
• I’ll say it again because it’s that important: avoid patterns! If just one person walks in wearing polka dots, that distracts from everyone else who isn’t.
• Wear solid, dark colors.
• If you’re doing the session outdoors, earthy colors like brown or green work well.
• There’s no need to go ultra-formal. Dresses are fine, but jeans also look good in a portrait. They follow the solid, dark rule and everyone has a pair, so it’s easy to coordinate the look.
• Bring multiple outfits. A dark and a light outfit are always a good idea.
• Gather up people’s clothes the night before and lay them beside one another to make sure they’re visual complements.

If you have questions about any of the above, don’t hesitate to call your chosen photographer before Portrait Day. Professional portrait photographers also always have examples of great-looking ensembles on their websites.

Other Tips for a Successful Family Portrait Day

Remember, this is supposed to be a fun, happy memory in terms of the actual event, not just the final photograph. So, if you have children:

• Pre-photo session, get your kids excited. Sure, all the camera gear and an unfamiliar guy taking pictures can be scary, so show them other family portraits, explain the process, tell them this is their chance to be “movie stars,” etc.
• If possible, try to book a session that sticks with your kids’ regular schedule so you’re not cutting into a specific activity. They won’t be happy if they’re missing something they love – and that will absolutely show.
• Give little kids a chance to nap before the session so they’re wide awake and not cranky.
• To that end … don’t schedule a session during your kids’ regular nap time. Disrupting their schedule is never good, and especially not on Portrait Day.
• Offer a post-photography session reward for kids as incentives for when they inevitably get bored or tired. 
• During the session itself, make sure you have snacks on hand and just let the photographer know if your kids need a break. That’s absolutely fine.
• I mentioned extra outfits before – this also applies to tiny tots. You never know if they might find a way to get messy. 
• If the kids have super-cute outfits that you all love, but which don’t match everybody else’s, bring those outfits along, too. There might be a chance to do a photo of only the kids at the end of the session.

During the Session

• Remember to have fun! This is supposed to be a wonderful memory-making day for everyone.
• It’s okay to be relaxed and goofy – just be yourselves and that will come through in a beautiful picture.
• Trust the photographer to guide you through the experience. That’s the person’s job!

To Sum it All Up

• Relax the day before, so you look great the day of the session
• Opt for dark, solid clothes
• Just say no to patterns for this one day
• Keep makeup natural
• Planning ahead by picking and packing outfits ahead of time makes things that much easier
• Bring several outfits, just in case, including a dark and a light option
• Get any little kids excited about their big day and make sure you factor in nap time. 
• Call before the session if you have any questions
• Enjoy the day!

Finally, you might be wondering a little about Kyle Bondeson Photography. I’m a Chicago-based professional photographer who specializes in family portraits. many clients will attest to my professionalism and expertise. My goal is to make your family portrait session relaxed and fun, providing you with a great day, along with great pictures. I’m the guy who’s going to walk you through the whole photography session and ensure you have beautiful memories for years to come.

I have a degree in photography and have many years of experience doing family portraits in Chicago, but don’t just take my word for it—take a look at my Chicago Family Portraits Section to see samples of my work. Then, don’t hesitate! Call me today to book your appointment for a wonderful family portrait!