The logistics of your session—how you plan your session—aren’t the parts you’ll remember. Instead, you’ll remember how comfortable you felt as you enjoyed the freedom to explore, even as we led you through a variety of relaxed and natural poses.
Our Eagle Ridge acreage has hosted families of all stages, from the littlest newborns to college students, and nesting mamas to empty nesters. Our portraits always involve adventure, regardless of whether you’re marveling at the precious features on your littlest one as you sit under the red maple or welcoming stories of life on campus while you amble arm-in-arm around the pond.
There are two factors that make portraits at Eagle Ridge Photography & Design so unforgettably natural. For one thing, your people. Another factor that sets us apart? Our unflinching determination to lead you properly through our simple and thorough four-step process.
Two Steps to Follow as You Plan Your Session
Some of the most true-to-life and rewarding images you’ll ever see are spontaneous: unplanned, unexpected, and delightfully unscripted. More often than not, candid portraits sneak up on us with little to no warning, even as we work within the structure of your session, and we think that’s just as it should be.
So how do we set the scene for such natural portraits? It all starts with meticulous preparation.
Without further delay, here are the two undeniably essential steps we’ll walk you through as you plan your session at the Eagle Ridge acreage.
Step One: Your Inquiry Call
Imagine marrying your spouse without first having a conversation of any kind—ever. A bit alarming, don’t you think? Unconventional, to say the least. If you’re new to Eagle Ridge Photography & Design, let us put to rest your (totally legitimate) concerns that you might not get what you want from us.
We know choosing to invest in natural family portraits feels risky. Even riskier? Waiting until the day of your session to have our first conversation. And no, logistical emails beforehand don’t count in our book. Such a lack of communication can lead to confusion and, potentially, disappointment.
Let us start the conversation over the phone even before you come out to the Eagle Ridge acreage for your planning meeting. In a brief call, no longer than 20 minutes, we’ll ask you to tell us about your family, then we’ll introduce our photography and our family.
Our goal during this call: to nudge you off the fence.
You’ll either be so in love with the prospect of your portraits at our home, or you’ll conclude that what we offer isn’t what you want. Regardless, it’ll be our privilege to get to know you and help you take the next baby step toward your family’s portraits.
Step Two: Your In-Person Planning Meeting at the Eagle Ridge Acreage
Did you know that if you commit to someone that you will accomplish a goal, you have a 65% chance of achieving it? And that if you commit to someone that you will accomplish a goal and you make an appointment with them to measure your progress, your likelihood of success grows to 95%?
Your goal: Charming portraits of your family on your walls and in your hands, as naturally as possible.
Our goal: Exactly the same as yours, as efficiently as possible.
Your face-to-face planning meeting isn’t “just another time” to drive out to the Eagle Ridge acreage. We encourage you to embrace your planning meeting as a unique opportunity to shift the pressure of meeting new people and clarifying your goal away from the day of your session, and onto a day with no strings attached.
Winsome Artwork for Your Home? Check.
All told, it’ll take us a little over half an hour to do the following: take a guided walking tour of our 4.5 acres, design a blueprint for your art, and lay out a plan for your session.
On our way around the pond, we’ll ask you about the colors and styles of artwork you’d love to display in your home. We’ll also invite you to point out the areas of our acreage that are most interesting to you. After the tour, we’ll show you our product samples. We have a bit of everything on hand, from wall art and albums to keepsakes and gifts. Look closely at our framed prints, canvases, and acrylics. Feel the weight of a premium album in your lap. Enjoy the thought of little surprises as you flip through mini snapshots.
In our experience, the joy of dreaming about artwork while holding the very same products in your hands has a way of scattering uncertainty that a virtual call just can’t match.
Without a doubt, the very best way we’ll help you plan your session is by helping you clearly answer one all-important question: What types of art do you want for your home?
At Your Session
On the day of your impeccably planned session (well done, you!), we’ll have a wonderful, relaxed hour together. Come prepared to make yourselves at home on the Eagle Ridge acreage. We invite you (and, truly, we expect you to take us up on the invitation) to wander and explore as we wind our way around the pond and along the woods.
Your session will include a mix of posed and playful prompts, like whispering, lifting, snuggling, and walking. We’ll guide you through natural poses, with little tweaks along the way. It’ll all be so simple we’re sure you’ll forget how apprehensive you were about having pictures taken.
Full disclosure: The first 20 minutes of your shoot are probably going to feel awkward.
They feel like that for everybody. If you feel awkward, you’re normal. Let it go and enjoy each other’s company.
While your whole family may not relate to the thrill of new portraits on your walls (ahem, kids), we’re pretty sure everyone enjoys the freedom to explore—especially when the options include a tree fort, swing set, huge sandbox, open fields, and pond.
The bottom line?
We make natural portraits feel effortless—and yes, that includes the steps to plan your session.
Your family is charming, so get off the fence and make a plan to get charming pictures onto your walls and into your hands. Think deeply about the activities and people you each enjoy, then schedule an inquiry call with me. Nate and I will hold your hand through each step and make the process of updating your family’s portraits easier than you could ever imagine.
Up Next
This post is #4 of 4 in our introductory series, The Eagle Ridge Experience: A Beginner’s Guide to Natural Family Portraits.
Need to go back to the beginning of the series? Start here. Or, skip to the other posts in the series: How to Plan Your Portraits and How to Plan Your Wall Art.
Finished the Beginner’s Guide series? We’ve also written a variety of session recaps, which you can find here.
It’s time to get off the fence, friend. Pick a day and time that work for you and start looking forward to natural family portraits.
