I am aN INFJ
An Advocate (INFJ) is someone with the Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging personality traits. They tend to approach life with deep thoughtfulness and imagination. Their inner vision, personal values, and a quiet, principled version of humanism guide them in all things.
My mind can be crowded with ideas, but I wouldn't say I like clutter so I pull my thoughts out frequently and organize them. (It's a learned behavior). They say the mind needs room to grow!
I do this by writing. Sometimes I type (easy to organize and retrieve ideas) or use the old-fashioned way of a Precise V-5 rolling ball scratching against paper (more delightful to the senses, but it's easy to lose my notes... I don't have an excellent system for categorizing paper ideas yet).
When I plan a Portrait Session for a client's family, I take my initial notes during the phone consultation- usually on paper so I can write faster - then I retype them for clarity to keep in the client's file.
Whether in the studio or on location, I already know my clients are looking for at least one classic, high-quality portrait.
As soon as we start talking, I start planning what this portrait will look like.
Unfortunately, my brain is also thinking about lunch, whether I should order these shoes when I know good and well the last time I ordered shoes online I said never again without trying them on; why I'm so much happier in my 40s than 20s; and can I make squash taste better so my kids will like it....???
My brain can BOLT under pressure, so I MUST make a written plan before each Session to keep me focused!
Composition
The first thing I'm after is Composition- the arrangement of elements together.
What are those elements?
Your family! In the case of small children, they are moving elements!
When I'm shooting on location, such as the park or your front porch, I also have trees, plants, structures, etc. that affect the composition.
Most of my photography time in a Session goes to initially creating and adapting the composition of the main portrait. This is why I plan everything out. If your home needs a tall, narrow portrait because of your vaulted ceilings, and I create a wide, horizontal image- it will look out of place. Still pretty, but also like wearing ill-fitting pants that haven't been hemmed for your height - it downgrades the whole outfit.
Because I've already talked to my clients over the phone, I've asked about kids ages, personalities, etc. This gives me a rough idea on placement which allows me to sketch preliminary compositions.
Once I start the photoshoot and I really begin posing people, I see more advantages and drawbacks and adapt. For example: a child may be taller than I assumed for his age, or a child that I assumed would snuggle next to Mom is a "touch-me-not" and has a strained look on his face because someone is in his bubble.
Other things that affect composition could be too much light on the background, a bold pair of sneakers that I need to hide from view... it's like solving a Rubik's cube. I keep sliding elements around until we have a satisfying combination.
Sliding faces around for this was definitely like a live Rubik’s cube.
Contentment
The second thing I'm after is Contentment.
Contentment is defined as "happiness in one's situation." I want viewers to look at this portrait and have that same feeling.
If you think about it- even though our society is saturated with images, they're not designed to make you feel content! They're strategically contrived to do the opposite- to make you feel bad about yourself, to cause dissension, to propel a narrative- ugh, I could go on and on about consumer slavery but I won't... I'm here to create an image that instead of leaving you wanting more, helps you realize (for a moment) that you are happy. What you have is enough.
I'm not trying to create world peace for a lifetime- that's out of my scope- only contentment when someone views this portrait. How is this done?
leading lines
color harmony
lack of friction in composition
relaxed or confident body language of the subjects
avoiding busy, high contrast backgrounds
A book could be written about this subject (I love to talk to other artists about it), Avoiding tension in artwork is an art in itself. Worthy of my ongoing efforts, I believe.
Curly hair, wide eyes, and fall in the Ozarks. What else could we want?
CONNECTION
The third thing I'm after in a family portrait is Connection.
Remember the carefully-thought-out main portrait that I compose carefully? The whole group together?
Once the shutter clicks to record that image, something magical happens- a kiddo will elbow his brother. A sister giggles. They wiggle a little, and somehow the picture becomes MORE perfect. My subjects begin to relax even more, and we start doing interactive poses such as:
The kids together
Dad and the kids
Mom and the kids
Each kiddo by himself
If we're at your house, maybe it's the kids and the dog
One kiddo and her favorite stuffie
Mom and Dad together
Who knows…?
THIS was not a planned pose. This is my fourth child, Charlotte. She is represented most accurately in this portrait. There are no siblings in this photograph for her to “connect” with, but her actions immediately connect with the viewer!
This wasn’t planned, either
I have already planned the setup and the lighting, but these are the unplanned moments that reach for the heart. No two photographs will be exactly alike. This means you will have a truly unique piece of art that no one else has!
With a first birthday portrait, I can only set the scene and watch to see what happens. Active crawler, reporting for duty!
Ready to talk about your Family Portrait Session? Call the studio and let's chat! I’d love to hear about your family and what makes them special to you.