TAKING THE STRESS OUT OF HOLIDAY FAMILY PORTRAITS
In prior years, we’ve had clients rush in to sessions stressed and exhausted, squeezing in that essential portrait session before the Holidays. Thinking… “What should they wear?”… “What if he doesn’t smile?”…”The shoes I ordered her haven’t arrived.” Some clients find the idea of holiday family portraits more stressful than fun.
Our Philosophy: Since the beginning of Je Revele, we have decided that the Fine Art of Family Portraiture was about documenting your family’s story over time and brought to life in a way that lasts forever.
As our clients begin to book their holiday family portraits this season, our goal is to demystify the process and redefine the portrait-taking experience in our new Castle Studio or neighboring park. We’ll show you how to avoid the lines and shop easily online at our favorite stores; how not to sweat the details; How to kick back, relax and enjoy some “down time” in our Castle studio or in a neighboring park. All the while, your children will be having a blast with us in their session.
We will help and guide you to ensure your sessions are memorable and enjoyable for you and for your children too. First, we start with a phone pre-consultation to customize your session and help you prepare. Second, we start our holiday sessions on Columbus Day in October giving parents the chance to have their holiday cards mailed for Thanksgiving. We also book through early December and offer expedited turn-around.
Timelessness and authenticity is important to all that we do. We like to offer our clientele these 5 tips to create something truly spectacular and enjoyable:
- WARDROBE STYLE
Avoid trendy clothing and bold patterns that may go out of style in a few years. Instead, opt for classic or even historic-inspired looks that can help you create an image that will be as loved in 5 months as it will be in 20 years. Some of our favorite places to shop or draw inspiration for children’s wardrobe include:
- Chasing Fireflies http://www.chasing-fireflies.com
- LaBella Flora http://www.labellaflorachildrensboutique.com/
- Janie and Jack Special Occasion wear janieandjack.com
- Crew Cuts Special Occasions http://www.jcrew.com/girls_category/dresses/specialoccasion.jsp?navLoc=left_nav
- Kidsformal.com
- woodensoldier.com
- Ralph Lauren Special Occasion for Kids http://www.ralphlauren.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=12574038&cp=1760783&ab=ln_children_cs8_specialoccasionshop
- Strasburg Children http://www.strasburgchildren.com/stores/default.asp
- Tuesday’s Child http://www.tuesdayschild.com
- Zara Kids http://www.zara.com/us/en/kids-c270095.html
- COLORS & PATTERNS
- The viewer’s eye will be drawn to pops of color. The child wearing the boldest or lightest color (like white) will in most cases draw the most attention.
- Red makes a hint at “holiday” but works all year long. Red always makes a gorgeous pop of color in photos. When the tresses are stark and the skies are grey in November, the child becomes the centerpiece of the image, as shown in this image below.
- Patterns are nice, but we like to avoid pattern clashing (the plaids and florals). If more than one child is in the photo, avoid the patterns and opt for solids or subtle small patterns.
- Contrast (like ivory skin next to a dark green velvet) looks equally gorgeous as monochrome (light skin and hair wearing a winter-ivory).
(This portrait of Niko and Pietro is one of my all time favorite holiday family portraits)
- DON’T SWEAT THE DETAILS!
- I have a friend who simply WILL NOT book her holiday family portraits until she has the perfect socks and shoes. She waits until last minute and then rush-prints her cards. The truth is, the image rarely notices the socks and shoes (old, new or otherwise), and we don’t want it to. If your child were not the most important element of the image, it would be US doing something wrong.
- My son’s tie was crooked and his shirttail hung out of his pants in last year’s holiday card. But I LOVED that. It was authentic…because his shirt is almost always hanging out.
- We always get the call about the last minute bruise, scraped knee or facial blemish days before the shoot. It won’t matter. These elements can easily be removed in our post-production retouching process to complete your holiday family portraits.
- RULES NEED NOT APPLY
- We ALL want well-behaved children. But sometimes, they DON’T, or they WON’T. That’s OK. Some of our best images are from sessions where the parents considered their children’s behavior challenging. What parents may see as incorrigible, we see as opportunities to capture expressions, energy and independence. The photo shoot is NOT the place to enforce discipline, but rather make it a fun experience where “anything goes”. We’ll let you know if we need your help reining them in, but that’s a rare occurrence! Because in reality, it’s a blast for the child and us when we work one-on-one.
- KICK BACK AND “FEEL” THE HOLIDAYS
For holiday family portraits at our Castle studio, we want you to feel the hospitality of an exquisite home. It’s a special place that allows you to take a breath, experience its history, and soak in the comfortable space we have created for clients. While we’re photographing your child, you’re free to relax on the couch with a glass of wine or a hot cocoa, enjoy our signature homemade Panini, read a long-neglected book or magazine, or listen to music. Our photo sessions should be as enjoyable for you as they are for your children. While we’re making art, you can focus on the art of being YOU (even if just for an hour).
We hope we’ll get to work with you and your family this holiday season! If you haven’t done so already, please call our studio to book your holiday family portrait sessions. Be sure to ask about our special holiday-season promotions. We’ll be looking forward to hearing from you!
Natalie
Je Revele Fine Art Photography Studio & Gallery specializing in boudoir photos in New Jersey
433 River Road | Highland Park, NJ 08904 | Studio: 732-964-3773
Website: www.jerevele.com | Blog: www.blog.jerevele.com | Boudoir blog: www.newjerseyboudoirphotographers.com
LIKE us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JeRevelebyNatalieLicini
International Award Winning Photographer
What’s NEW? Extended Tuesday hours & Weekend hours this Summer!
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We are honored when clients invite us into their lives. It’s a privilege we deeply appreciate. Every client is unique, but our goal is always the same. We want your experience to go above and beyond anything you’ve encountered before.
We hope that our clients immerse themselves in the experience at our studio so much that thoughts and concerns of the outside worlds are pushed far far away from their minds. We hope every photo shoot with us is memorable and unforgettable.
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Every year, our vision grows as our customers needs and wants evolve. One important change in 2012 as you know, is our popular EZ Pay plan and new in 2013 we are offering Saturday portrait sessions this Summer and evening viewing appointments on Tuesdays (with limited availability initially).
The EZ Pay Plan
For those of you who didn’t know about our EZ Pay plan, it has been a terrific option for our clients in the last year.
We realize that the investment in commissioned portraiture can be significant. Our passion lies in capturing the gloriously fleeting moments you want to hold onto forever. We hope to achieve this every single day together with you. We put a beautifully modern spin on traditional painted portraiture. As master artisans we transform our stunning photographs into fine art heirlooms that you and your family will endlessly treasure. And as such we have attempted to make it as easy as possible for you to invest in commissioned portraiture.
Our interest-free EZ Pay plan allows you to split your payments in three monthly payments for orders over $1,500. You can secure your first payment with a credit card, and we will ask you to sign the agreement, which will permit us to bill this same card for the remaining payments. For more details inquire within.
Extended Tuesday hours & Weekend hours this Summer!
Our clients have such busy schedules at work and with family. New for 2013, we are offering Saturday commissioned portrait sessions and evening viewing appointments at the Castle. In the winter, the castle was closed weekends, but we’re excited to announce we are opening our studio for commission portraits on Saturday with limited availability initially. Please inquire within and reserve your date!
We’ve designated Tuesday for viewing appointments. We have two appointments Tuesday evening to accommodate our busy clients schedules.
As always if there’s anything we can do, just let us know. We always do our best to ensure your experience with us is extraordinary!
Give us a call at the studio today and setup your New Jersey Family Portraits shoot or New York Newborn Photography for your family!
Je Revele by Natalie Licini a New Jersey Family Photographer
Je Revele Fine Art Photography Studio & Gallery
433 River Road | Highland Park, NJ 08904 | Studio: 732-964-3773 | Mobile: 917-886-5666
Website: www.jerevele.com | Blog: www.blog.jerevele.com
LIKE us on Facebook & receive $25 Credit: https://www.facebook.com/JeRevelebyNatalieLicini
International Award Winning Photographer
2012 PPA Photographer of the year
THE POWER OF A PERSONAL TOUCH
Your home is a reflection of your personality, your style, and even your passions. Every room presents an opportunity to introduce something unique and personal into the space. It’s where you should feel most yourself… most at home.
That’s why we encourage our clients to get creative in choosing how to decorate their walls. Personal photographs will evoke a much deeper meaning than cookie-cutter decorations. They reflect the things that are most important in your world—your family, the places you’ve been, memories of shared times. They also take you back to the experience behind the image, and that journey is accessible with every glance.
The Importance of Color in Photographs
COLOR
Whether you realize it or not, the colors that surround you are actually impacting your mood. One of my clients recently confided to me that her son was generally overstimulated and had a hard time winding down before bedtime. I suggested she consider outfitting his bedroom with images that reflect an aura of calm and serenity. She loved the idea and commissioned us to shoot a series of images whose subject matter and color palette are soothing to her son (We’ll share those at a later date!).
For years, scientists have been studying the effect of color and visual imagery on the human psyche. Studies show that certain colors can actually produce chemical reactions in the brain, producing very real changes in physiology and mood. Similarly, scenic subject matter—like a pristine beach or flourishing garden—have been proven to reduce stress, increase positive emotions, and promote physical well being.
The medical field is catching on, revamping hospital walls with colors and imagery proven to stimulate positive emotions and aid patients in the healing process.
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Color and mood-setting is something we’re intimately acquainted with. In getting to know our clients, we determine what’s really important to them. From there, we choose a setting or landscape, specifically colored accessories and clothing, and even poses that reflect the desired tone. We never miss a detail!
Check out our color key below. Consider it when making your own decisions about imagery, wall colors, and even clothing!
Red is passionate, glamorous, and even a bit dramatic. It’s known to stimulate energy and can even rev up heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, and appetite.
Orange encourages warmth and enthusiasm. It’s a stimulant known to increase mental focus and energy.
Yellow is joyful, optimistic, refreshing, and balancing. In ancient cultures it was also known to purify the body and stimulate the nerves.
Blue is known to soothe, heal, and calm hyperactivity. It’s known to ease tension, lower respiratory rate, heart rate, and even blood pressure.
Green is most relaxing to the eyes, known to relieve stress and encourage vibrance. It produces a feeling of rest and tranquility.
Purple can be both rich and restful depending on the shade. It’s known to stimulate creativity, intuition, and peace.
White on its own gives off a clean, light, and ethereal feel. Mixed with black, the contrast can be subtle or striking, soothing or serious.
So what does this all mean for you? Experience the same daily benefits at home by consciously decorating your space with colors and images that inspire whatever mood you’re after.
When choosing images to grace your walls, those decisions could be playing a more central role in your disposition than you might think, so choose wisely.
And if you’re like many of our clients…. working with a New Jersey interior designer like Rose Abby, can transform your home.
To see more of her work here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/ROSE-ABBY-DESIGN/
Rose Abby’s website: http://www.roseabbydesign.com/
You can view newborn and maternity photos in our gallery of newborns in NJ and NY and more of our work at www.jerevele.com.
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Je Revele by Natalie Licini a NJ Family Photographer
Je Revele Fine Art Photography Studio & Gallery
433 River Road | Highland Park, NJ 08904 | Studio: 732-964-3773 | Mobile: 917-886-5666
Website: www.jerevele.com | Blog: www.blog.jerevele.com
LIKE us on Facebook & receive $25 Credit: https://www.facebook.com/JeRevelebyNatalieLicini
International Award Winning Photographer
2012 PPA Photographer of the year
