PLANNING YOUR FAMILY SESSION
My goal is to make your family feel comfortable and be yourselves. I want to ease your mind so you can prepare for your session and know what to expect so there is no surprises.
The survey you shared with me was a huge step in helping me prepare for your session. I spend a lot of time thinking about the ages of the people in your session and how to make it fun so I can get real smiles and genuine connection from everyone.
If you feel like you didn’t share enough with me, then please feel free to e-mail me more!
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Be ready to move!
Generally, I try to start my session with that photo grandma will love. I’ll ask everyone to look at the camera, and I’ll try to get that real posed smile photo knocked out while everyone in the family is fresh. If the kids aren’t into it right then, that’s ok. I’ll try to get that later in the session.
In my sessions, I LOVE giving you opportunities for connection, genuine emotion, and a variety of different looks and backdrops. I don’t want every image in your gallery to look the same. I also like playing with combinations: entire group together, all the kids with each parent, all the siblings together, girls together, guys together, solos of each kid, and end with an update shot of the parents. If you have special combinations you want together (maybe your oldest and youngest or twins, etc.), just let me know. I’m happy to get it all in!
Be ready to sit, stand, and be on the move. The sessions go fast, and they may feel like chaos, but I promise it’s like my journalism class: organized chaos!
I’ll ask you to walk holding hands or close together. I’ll ask you to be accordion and hip bump. I’ll ask you to cuddle and snuggle. I’ll give prompts, sing songs, make jokes, say words that may get the kids to laugh, and ask you to play games, and I alaways encourage tickling, tackling, and laughing. The more the adults buy in and are having fun, the more succesful the session. And if one kid doesn’t want to “play”, that’s ok…I almost always guarantee that the kiddo will feel left out and come back to join the fun. I want to show the love your family has for each other. Parents: even if you aren’t crazy and silly, the more you can make your kids laugh, the better product I can give you. This goes for big kids and teens, too!
Try not to stress about everything being perfect. My goal is for photos where you are all smling and enjoying each other, and I ALWAYS get more than you think I did; looking at the camera is great, but not required in my book.
Having fun together is most important to me. BE YOURSELVES.
I DON’T encourage you to have anyone say “cheese”, as it doesn’t get a real smile. I also don’t like having technology out. I’ve found kids get into the phone or tablet, and it’s so hard to get them back.
I DO encourage you to bring something special for each kid—a lovey, blanket, favorite toy, or book. Weaving in something special for that kid at that age is so special, and it helps any nervous kids feel more comfortable! (This is true even for the older children!)
For my little kids, I often have stickers on hand if I feel like I need to reward them to get into the session. I also generally have a bag or fruit snacks on hand as a “surprise” at the end. I love them because they don’t get outfits messy, but if a kid needs a stronger bribe in the middle of a session, I can have the parents help giving them out individually. (Note: if you have a young child that takes a while to warm up to people, I recommend a normal one hour family session and not a mini; often its at the 30-minute mark they’re finally ready to play with me. If you are participating in one of my minis, I recommend getting there early and helping them get comfortable and ready beforehand.)
I LOVE having pets at sessions, but please let me know if you are planning this as not all locations are pet friendly. I also recommend having an extra person come to take care of your pet in case the pet is not cooperating or you don’t want the pet in every full family photo. Also, I’ll have treats for the kids, but you need to bring treats for the pet and let me know the key words to get the pet’s attention.
What do we wear?
MAKE THIS YOUR MANTRA: COORDINATE, DON'T MATCH!
Luckily for you, I have a styling service to help you plan. Here are a few general tips to remember, though!
To use my service, go to this link: https://styleandselect.com/p/teresatcjdesign-com and use the code TCJDESIGN2025. I love when you send me what you are thinking about. I use this tool to get ideas with what I have in my closet, or I look for similar pieces for my brands if I don’t want to buy through the service.
A few reminders regarding outfits:
- 1. Outfits should match the vibe of your location.
2. Dress for the weather, especially with the kids. A cold or hot kid will not want to engage.
3. Moms, if the timing allows, consider getting pampered the day of session and have someone do your hair and make up. Splurge so you aren’t stressed! Let me know if you want a referral.
4. Make sure everyone’s outfits are the same level of dressiness or casualness.
5. Have texture and pattern. Don’t match. COORDINATE.
6. Make sure kids have comfortable shoes and that the clothes fit and aren’t too big or small. (This goes for everyone really!)
7. Use my styling service. Decide your vibe: classic, romantic, or boho. Decide your color scheme. Usually, I plan my outfit first because if I, as the mom, am comfortable, then that helps everything else. After your main person’s outfit is planned, start adding everyone else. Have colors, neutrals, and patterns.
8. Avoid wearing smart watches, hairbands on wrists, etc. Don’t have cell phones in front pockets. Watch wearing necklaces where the clasp doesn’t stay in back. (Pro tip: I usually wear big earrings and a bracelet and forgo necklaces altogether.)
9. Pack as light as you can, and try to bring a bag that will look good with your outfits and that’s small with just the essentials. I like to get shots of you moving, and if it’s too big, I can’t throw it in my camera bag, and you’ll need to carry it.
10. BE COMFORTABLE and BE YOU. You have a style. Show it.
OUTFIT INSPIRATIONS!
01
MATERNITY SESSION IN SOUTHERN MARYLAND
You won’t believe it, but so many of her outfits were from Amazon! You don’t have to spent a lot of money to look good!
02
ONE YEAR OLD FAMILY SESSION IN CALVERT COUNTY
I love when my military families come in uniform to a session; it is such a big part of the family’s identity. She coordinate this so well!
03
FAMILY SESSION IN DOWNTOWN ANNAPOLIS
This family had great style, and they even wove in their au pair for some photos! We walked around a lot, so good shoes were a must!
CALVERT
CALVERT
ANNAPOLIS
Fun Fact #1: I have known my husband since we were 17.
We met just before we were 18 years old; we were both in a production of Godspell. We didn’t start dating till almost a decade later, but we had made one of those “pacts” at 18 or 19 that if we weren’t married by the time we were 33 years old, we’d marry each other.
Fun Fact #2: I almost didn’t date my husband because he was in the Air Force!
We just recently ended our time as an active duty Air Force family. My husband retired from the Air Force after serving for more than 20 years, and he flew Huey helicopters. If you’ve never been on a helicopter ride, you should do it once! They are a lot of fun. We made it through two year long deployments, and those parts of our life were not as much fun. I have great respect for military spouses, especially those parents who hold down the fort during deployments.
Fun Fact #3: I love Australian Shepherds.
In 2007 and 2008, we rescued our first two Australian shepherds, Darcy and Scout. Scout passed away in August of 2020 on my first day of school. We had to let Darcy cross the rainbow bridge in February of 2022. (And yes, Darcy is named after Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, and Scout was named after Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird. They are two of my favorite books. See earlier note about my other job.) In 2020 and 2021, we added puppies Aussie, Kylo and Hux to our home. (Yes, we’re nerds about Star Wars.)
Fun Fact #4: I am a perfectionist.
I’ve taken the official test on Pottermore, and I am a Gryfindor. So it should not surprise you that I work hard—like really hard, but when I get to relax, I love drinking a bottle of Côtes du Rhône or some other red wine. I love dark chocolate with sea salt, and Kakoa in St. Louis is my favorite. Since the start of the pandemic, I have been playing D&D every other week on Sunday nights.
If it’s winter, I love our real wood-burning fireplace. I adore traveling with my family. I have loved my family’s trips to Topsail, North Carolina, our visit post deployment vacation to the mountains of Colorado, and our RV adventure in Central California where we hiked in four national parks.
Fun Fact #5: I adore these kids.
They keep me centered and grounded. I fought to have them. (Respect to all those parents who had to have IUIs or IVF!) I created my business so I could help raise money for their education. Every penny I make in TCJ Design that I don’t invest right back into the business goes into an account for their education. They are my muses. I get so many of my tricks for my family photography from my experiences being their mom. I adore documenting their lives, and so much of my style as a photographer stems from what I have loved to document as they encounter each new stage of childhood. I love telling their stories. See more of me documenting their world and my life at instagram.com/tcj_photos.
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