How to Prepare for Your at Home Portrait Session
At home sessions- I love them, and encourage them! They’re intimate, authentic, and raw. They’re really, really good for creating images that are true to a person’s character. They’re also great for someone who doesn’t enjoy taking photos in public spaces, but isn’t looking for a studio portrait either. But, there are a few things that you should do to make sure that the session goes smooth for not only the photographer, but yourself also.
1.Make sure your space is clutter free
I know- it is not authentic or realistic to expect that someone’s home is pristine and perfect on a daily basis. The reality is, most of our homes (including mine) are busy, a little messy, what I like to call, lived in. And that’s perfectly fine! But for this session, its important that the unnecessary clutter is cleared out. This is because it will be the first thing to stand out and cause a distraction in your photos if not. We tend to forget the little things that are messy or out of place when we live with them day to day, so imagine you’re going into someone else’s home to help them prepare and use that to tidy up your space. Now, if you are not a minimalist that loves clean, crisp backgrounds, by all means do not change your space to that. I myself am a lover of knickknacks, books, floral arrangements, basically anything you can decorate your home with. So for my home sessions, I don’t change those things, because they’re a part of who I am. But I do pick up the random sock on the floor, the morning coffee cup still on the table, and any piled up junk from my counter tops. The unnecessary clutter is what we don’t want, but if its a part of your personality and can tell a bit about you, absolutely don’t change it. This also applies to any space that you want to use outside. In fact, I find that clutter outside shows up even easier than inside, so make sure that you’re prepared for that ahead of time also.
Clearing out your space ahead of time saves your photographer time from having to stop and move things during your session, and makes the whole day run smoother.
2.Keep it professional
As photographers, we know that photographing someone in their own space is only possible because you trust us. It can be a little unnerving having someone come into your home, a safe space that you love, and photograph it. We know that it requires a level of respect, professionalism, and sensitivity to do, and speaking for myself I will always give my clients that. But, the respect should go both ways. Remember that as nervous as you may be for them to come into your home, they are probably just as nervous to be there, especially if you don’t know each other on a personal level. You guys have a mutual responsibility to make each other feel as comfortable and valued as possible, and if you both fulfill that responsibility, you are guaranteed to have a wonderful session.
3.Have fun with it!
The whole purpose of these home session is to showcase who you truly are. If you’ve done the two previous steps in this list, then you’re all set up for success. All you need to do is remember to have a good time! Put on some music, maybe make a cup of tea or coffee, and relax. These types of sessions aren’t supposed to be stiff and posed, they’re meant to express the comfort and sense of self that you get from being in your home.
So that’s it friends. I know that if you do these 3 things, your home session will not only run smoothly, but you’ll also get more out of it than you could have ever imagined. These steps are really going to help your photographer give you images that people will look back on years from now and say “Wow, this speaks to who they were perfectly.” If you’ve got any other questions about how home sessions work, don’t be afraid to send me an email, I’m here to help.