Lifestyle and Documentary Family Guide

F A M I LY

BIRTH

BUSINESS

THE REASON It started with a roll of black and white film, the smell of the darkroom, and the excitement of seeing my photo develop in the chemicals right before my eyes. I fell in love with photography in 2000, started studying at the University of Alaska Anchorage in 2007 and began my professional career in 2010.

I am driven by my memories; above everything else my photos and keepsakes are my most valuable possessions. I can see a photo from my childhood and immediately remember the way the air smelled or how I felt when it was taken. The preservation of these memories is what led me to photography and what drives me to capture life’s most precious moments for my clients.

I have an eye for seeing the little moments that would’ve otherwise been forgotten— the way a mother rubs her cheek against her new baby’s hair, the loving gaze of a father watching his children play in the grass, the look of relief when parents hear their baby’s first cry. These fleeting moments are what make each story, each relationship, so unique and personal.

Relationships are everything to me. As the daughter of an Air Force chaplain, I grew up all around the U.S. which meant “home” was wherever we were stationed.

Moving around the country, I learned the importance of close family relationships which plays a huge role in how I photograph families and couples.

My husband and I are high school sweethearts and the very best of friends. We have fully embraced the southern life, spending countless hours sitting on our porch swing watching our girls play and taking long walks in the evening. I wholeheartedly believe in living simply, taking care of the earth, and building deep, meaningful relationships.

- Elaine

SESSION STYLES LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY My brand of photography is a mixture of portraiture and photo journalism—capturing real life as it is happening.

Sometimes that means lots of smiles and cuddles and other times it means toddlers throwing tantrums and making messes. I thrive on capturing the true story; the one that isn’t scripted.

It’s important to me that I capture true authentic emotion, but some of us (like me!) need a little help to feel comfortable in front of the camera. I offer as much or as little direction as you need to allow you to relax and be yourself during our session. For children I will gladly make obnoxious noises, talk about their favorite cartoons and overall act like a buffoon. Chances are you will laugh almost as much as they will.

FRESH 48 A unique way of remembering all the first moments at the hospital within the first 24-48 hours after the baby is born. I spend an hour documenting the new family and all the tiny details that change so quickly in the first few days. This is also a great time to photograph siblings or grandparents meeting the baby for the first time.

NEWBORN These lifestyle sessions take place in the comfort of your home when the baby is 4-14 days old. I spend 1-2 hours documenting your new life with the baby—feeding, changing, and lots of cuddling! Newborns can be really unpredictable so don’t stress about perfect outfits or having the house spotless, just open the blinds and let me do the rest.

M AT E R N I T Y This is a great way to document your growing belly and your life before he/she arrives. The session can take place in your home or at your favorite location when you are 30-34 weeks pregnant. You can bring your partner along or plan a solo session, whatever fits your personality.

BIRTH* These sessions are purely documentary. I am on call 24/7 from 38-42 weeks and arrive at the birthing location when mom is in active labor and progressing. Some births progress more quickly than others so I never set a time limit for how long I photograph a birth. After baby is born I capture all the first moments and leave once mom is settled in with the new baby, typically 2-3 hours after the birth. *Before booking a birth session, please speak with your provider about hospital/birthing center policies regarding photography -and- let me know if you are interested for additional information.

D AY I N T H E L I F E A full 8 hours capturing everyday life in your home and around town. These sessions capture the heart and soul of your family or workplace highlighting the little details that usually go unnoticed. From the first sleepy yawns in the morning, to cooking dinner, picking up kids from school and bedtime stories, I document your story completely unscripted.

PORTRAIT Ideal for couples, seniors, families, or children, the session can take place on location or in the comfort of your home.

PLANNING YOUR SESSION W H AT T O W E A R When choosing your wardrobe for the shoot first consider the time of year. It’s hard to enjoy the shoot and be yourself if you (or your kids) are freezing or sweating. Also consider the location not only do you want to mesh with the scene but also be comfortable doing it. Pick pieces that reflect your personality and make you feel amazing and confident. This is your chance to splurge on a new outfit or that pair of shoes you’ve had your eye on.

Choose a color palette and have everyone select their outfits based off of those colors. Make sure to avoid being “matchy matchy” or putting everyone in a similar outfit (white shirts and jeans, all the boys wearing plaid etc.). Although black is very flattering on most people, it doesn’t tend to translate well on camera without a pop of color or accessories to give the outfit dimension.

L O C AT I O N A N D TIMING Like your wardrobe selection, your location choice should be a reflection of your personality and life. People tend to be the most comfortable in a location they are familiar with, especially their own home.

For family or children’s sessions I recommend choosing a location with enough space for the kids to run around without having to worry about huge crowds or distractions.

Children tend to be naturally early risers so consider a shoot first thing in the morning when they are in a great mood and well fed. Parks and public places also tend to be less busy first thing in the morning. If you prefer the evening the light 1-2 hours before sunset is also very flattering and great for pictures.

In home lifestyle sessions should be scheduled for the time of day when your home has the most natural light available. With small children its best to plan to do an activity like baking cookies, coloring together, or reading books to help hold their attention.

For an outdoor lifestyle session consider packing a picnic, going for a walk or exploring nature.

THE DAY OF Take a deep breath, all the planning and preparing is over and now it’s time to relax and enjoy making some memories. Plan to bring some snacks (aka bribes) for the kids along with their favorite stuffed animal or blanket then let me do the rest. As a mother myself I’m completely comfortable giving direction to kids as well as redirecting when necessary. Offer lots of hugs and tickles, these make the best photos and bring out natural expressions in everyone.

CHERISHED MEMORIES I did a motherhood/breastfeeding session with Elaine. [She] was so good

interacting

with

my

kids

and patient while they were being goofy. She was able to capture my children’s personalities [and] was also quick on returning the proofs that were beautifully edited. These are pictures I will cherish (and hopefully my children will cherish) for the rest of our lives. -HILLARY

DAY IN THE LIFE Think back to your childhood. What are some of your most treasured memories with your family?

A family vacation visiting the beach, jumping in the waves and making sand castles. A birthday party with all your favorite people, eating so much candy and cake that you still cringe at the thought of it. A song your mother always sang to you as you lay in bed while she brushed her fingers through your hair till you fell asleep.

For me, my most vivid memories of my family are the hours my brothers and I spent playing and creating together. We used our imagination to create kingdoms out of pool noodles and fight crime using popsicle sticks. Even as teenagers, the

hours we spent in my bedroom in the basement scheming and plotting our next adventures are some of my most treasured times with my siblings that I can recall. Time is so fleeting and change is constantly happening around us and to us whether we want it or not.

As a documentary photographer, my job is to capture that. I spend a few hours, all day, or all week with you and your family just capturing real life as it unfolds. Think it might be weird to have me follow you around for a day? By the end of it we’ll be friends if we aren’t already, and after an hour or two you won’t even notice me anymore.

LENGTH M I N I : 2-4 hours. Best for specific events or short outings.

(The state fair, cutting down your Christmas tree, carving pumpkins, adoptions etc.)

H A L F D AY: 6-8 hours. A glimpse into your life.

F U L L D AY: 8+ hours. A true day in the life.

WA R D R O B E These sessions are meant to capture your everyday life, unscripted. I want to capture your family the way you look everyday without any extra measure being taken to be “camera ready.” So don’t plan a different wardrobe than you normally would. However, if you normally wear lots of makeup or fancy clothes, DO IT. If you wear pajamas to Walmart at 3pm on a Saturday DO IT. Let me capture your family in the most honest way that I can.

L O C AT I O N & A C T I V I T I E S Since these sessions are designed to capture your family unscripted, I won’t be doing any posing or directing and if you look at me and say “cheese,” I’ll probably laugh and smile back. Some of my favorite moments are the chaotic, messy, toddler meltdowns or when things don’t go as planned. We will discuss your daily routine ahead of time and brainstorm ideas for some activities to do throughout the day (ie. going on a walk, baking, bath time, visiting the park etc.). Where you go, I go... unless it’s a roller coaster.

THE INVESTMENT A photo session with me is an investment in memories that will be cherished for a lifetime. They will be heirlooms that get passed down from generation to generation. Unfortunately in this day and age most people have thousands of photos on their phones or computers but very few that are actually printed, in albums or hanging on the wall.

When planning your session I encourage you to think about your home ahead of time and plan where you want to hang your new art work. This is important when considering the location of where a portrait session will be taken and the colors of you wardrobe.

Invest in heirlooms and tangible keepsakes. Every time I am able to make it to my parent’s house, I take time to go through our family photo albums and specifically their wedding album. These memories for me are absolutely priceless. My parents have no digital copies of the photos of their wedding day, just a large leather album of all the photos from the day. We love sitting on the couch and looking through them together, it’s one of their most prized possessions.

ELAINE BACA

www.LANEBPHOTOGRAPHY.com 210.381.6718