Family Posing Guide
So you have the beautiful family. You have scouted the perfect location and the best time of day. Now it is time for the session. So how do you pose a family in a variety of fun and natural ways to be able to fill a full gallery, get a variety of shots and angles, and present your clients with the best possible portraits?
Posing!
Learning a variety of poses, learning how to get your clients in a natural, comfortable position to then interact with each other naturally is crucial to running a successful family photography business. And it is one of the harder aspects to learn.
Over almost 10 years in business, and photographing 100s of families, I have 6 favourite go-to-poses which I use in nearly every session. My sessions are fun and natural, with not a lot of "Smile at the camera". But I do still pose my families so that I can capture them at their best. Then once they are posed I set up little games, topics to discuss (& laugh about) and ways for them to interact so that I can capture their natural smiles, their connection and joy, their beautiful family at their best.
These poses are all outlined in my family posing guide which is free to download through my shop.
Get your Family Posing Guide today to take your family portraits to the next level!
CRM - What is it and Why do you need it for your photography business?
So you have started a photography business. Or maybe you have been in business for awhile and you are quickly realising that taking photos is only about 10% of the work in running a newborn and family photography business. But that’s the part you love! Managing all the other aspects of your business can be a challenge - there is responding to enquiries, booking and scheduling shoots, managing client information such as contracts and questionnaires and chasing payments. It can feel really overwhelming.
That's where a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system comes in so that you can be organised and on top of everything. Meaning you can spend more time doing the part of the job that you love the most.
I converted from a very long and unwieldy excel spreadsheet to Studio Ninja in the second year of my business and it changed my life! Seriously! All of a sudden everything was in one place, systems were streamlined, my client communications were much more professional but still personal, and tracking where every client, job, enquiry and lead was up became so easy. Which meant more time for taking photos and spending time with my growing-too-fast family. I was almost at the point of burnout when I switched over to Studio Ninja and it really saved my business and my sanity. It helped me regain some balance in my life and took away the overwhelm.
With a CRM, as your business grows, you can easily keep track of all your clients, leads and jobs, as well as invoices, contracts and tasks.
So, what is a CRM system? Simply put, a CRM system is a software that helps you manage your interactions with clients and keep track of their information. It can help you stay organised, save time, and provide a better experience for your clients.
Here are a few reasons why you need a CRM system for your photography business:
- One main client database - A CRM system allows you to keep all of your client information in one place. You can store contact information, names and ages of family members, shoot details, contract information, and more. This can help you stay organised and save time when you need to access your client’s information. I especially love that I can include a photo of my clients in the database because after 9 years it quickly jogs my memory about who they are and what their past session was like.
- Automated workflows - A CRM system can automate tasks such as sending emails, invoice and payment reminders, and following up with clients and leads. This can help you save time and ensure that you never miss an important task.
- Improved communication with clients - A CRM system can help you stay in touch with your clients and provide a better experience. You can send automated emails, share galleries, and communicate with clients directly through the system. Your client can access their own client portal where all of their invoices, contracts and questionnaires are stored making it easier for them to find what they need too.
- Better insights into your business - A CRM system can provide valuable insights into your business, such as which clients are most profitable and which services are most popular. It can tell you where your leads are coming from so you know where to direct your marketing or what marketing efforts are working best. This can help you make data-driven decisions and improve your business over time.
Overall, a CRM system can help you stay organised, save time, and provide a better experience for your clients. With so many options available, it's important to choose a CRM system that meets your specific needs as a photographer.
My CRM system is Studio Ninja, which I have used since they launched in 2016. They are constantly improving, innovating and giving me a better experience as well as my clients. You can get 20% off your subscription when using the code BR4352Y. So why not give it a try and see how it can improve your business?
New Canva Tools for Newborn and Family Photographers
We have some new Client Guide templates available for Newborn and Family Photographers. Simple, downloadable tools to help build confidence in your business and achieve a simple, beautiful, natural client experience.
The Client Guides
Baby Sitter Welcome Guide Template
This new Canva template is the perfect tool for newborn and family photographers to take their client experience to the next level.
This preparation also educates your clients in the value of ordering products and leaves them feeling truly cared for even before your session has begun.
This customisable Canva template contains all the information and headings needed to ensure you to cover all of the topics needed, along with many pages of pre-written text with information that I have collected from over a decade years of running a successful newborn & family photography business.
Your guide can be delivered to clients digitally, or printed as a booklet to post out to clients to prepare them for their shoot. Who doesn’t love receiving snail mail! The downloadable templates are delivered immediately and only require a Canva account which you can set up for Free here.
The Welcome Guide template includes:
- 44 content pages.
- Tips and prompts on each page to ensure you are giving your clients all the information that they need.
- Pre-written sections take the overwhelm out of creating your own perfect client welcome guide and are fully editable.
- Fully customisable pages give you the ability to adjust fonts, colours, page order and layouts to suit your brand and business.
- Image boxes allow you to drop your own gallery of images easily and seamlessly into the layouts.
Pre-Written topics include:
- Why you should choose Professional Photography
- Why you should hire a Professional Photographer
- Preparation Tips for your Baby Session
- What to Expect Before, During & After Your Baby Session
- What to bring with you to your Session
- What to wear and how to style your family outfits
- Frequently Asked Questions (& their answers)
- When to book your session
Once you purchase, simply download your templates into your Canva account and start customising!
Buy the Sitter Client Welcome Guide
Pricing Guide Template
This Pricing Guide template is quick and easy to edit in Canva, helping you professionally present your services and pricing and providing a client journey that will go above and beyond the ways that most photographers serve their clients.
This 12 page template is designed to prepare your clients for their upcoming portraiture experience with you. It ensures they feel at ease with you and that your session runs as smoothly as possible. This guide sets clear expectations, making it easier for clients to understand the value of booking a portrait session with you, highlighting your unique approach and providing a detailed pricing breakdown.
This preparation educates them in the value of ordering products and leaves them feeling truly cared for even before your session has begun.
This customisable Canva template contains all the information and headings needed to provide your clients with a clear outline of your different packages and products from digital collections, prints and albums.
Your guide can be delivered to clients digitally, or printed as booklet to post out to clients to prepare them for their shoot. Who doesn’t love receiving snail mail! The downloadable templates are delivered immediately and only require a Canva account which you can set up for Free here.
What’s included in the Pricing Guide Template:
- A Welcome & introduction – helping clients connect with you
- Clear Package outline – helping clients understand the options that they have available to choose from, making it clear and concise for them.
- Product details – detailed outline of what products you offer so clients can plan for how they want their photos displayed in their home.
This Canva template is has pre-written that’s designed to resonate with portrait photography clients, saving you hours of work. Simply customize with your photos, colours, and branding to create a pricing guide that works for you and your business.
Once you purchase, simply download your templates into your Canva account and start customising!
*Product required a free Canva Account*
Buy the Pricing Guide Template
Coming soon - The Client Wardrobe, Styling & What to Wear Guide Template, Session Checklist Templates, Family Session Welcome Guide Template and more.
Previous Guides & Resources for Newborn & Family Photographers
Newborn Welcome Guide
This Newborn Client Welcome Guide Magazine will take your business to the next level, with a client journey that will go above and beyond the ways that most photographers serve their clients.
This 40+ page magazine prepares your clients for their experience with you, ensuring they feel at ease and your session runs smoothly.
The customizable template contains pre-written copy to take the overwhelm out of completing each section. Your guide can be delivered to clients digitally, or printed as a booklet to prepare them for their shoot.
Topics include:
Why you should choose Custom Photography
Why you should hire a Professional
Preparation Tips for your Newborn Session
What to Expect Before, During & After Your Session
What to bring to your Session
What to wear
Frequently Asked Questions (& their answers)
When to book your session
*Product required a free Canva Account*
Buy the Newborn Client Welcome Guide
Presets
Do you want to create beautiful crisp white edits? Do you want consistency in your editing style? Do you struggle to keep your whites white and your skin tones bright and fresh?
These Lightroom presets are created specifically for natural light photographers who shoot in a white studio space.
The White on White Studio Presets for Lightroom give you a beautiful bright, crisp white look. Suitable for newborn, sitter, cake smash or family photography.
Designed to work with RAW files in Lightroom Classic and Lightroom CC.
Buy the White on White Studio Presets
Free Downloads
Free White Balance Guide
Let’s talk white balance. Specifically, setting custom white balance for natural light photographers.
White balance refers to the process of removing or neutralizing color casts in your images. All light sources produce a color cast. And while our eyes are pretty good at correcting for this in real time, a camera captures the subject as it looks in life.
Color casts prevent you from capturing accurate, true colors in a scene and they tend to look bad - messing with portrait skin tones, creating muddy shadows and sickly highlights, and they can create unwanted moods in your photos.
You can adjust the white balance of your images in two ways:
In camera, before taking a shot
Afterward, in post-processing
Read my free white balance guide to help you get one step closer to better photos.
Download the free White Balance Guide
Free Family Posing Guide
Learn the top 6 poses I use with my family portrait clients in every session. These poses ensure that you get a full and varied gallery to present to your clients, capturing real emotion, connection and laughter.
One of the key components of running a succesful family photography business is mastering posing. If you can master your posing and your posing workflow, you can deliver consistent results every time.
Learning how to pose families for their family portraits is essential in being able to offer a full and varied gallery to your clients. One full of connection, emotion and joy. Posing can ensure you capture these crucial aspects for every family.
In this Family Posing Guide I detail the top 6 poses I use with all my family portraits clients ensuring that I deliver the best gallery possible with every client.
Download the Free Family Posing Guide
Harnessing AI for Newborn and Family Photographers
As technology continues to revolutionize the photography industry, it's essential to stay ahead of the game and leverage the tools available to enhance the services you have on offer for your clients.
ChatGPT is an incredible resource that can elevate your newborn and family photography business to new heights, saving you time, enhancing your communication and assisting with your marketing and advertising.
Read my top three ways you can incorporate ChatGPT into your newborn and family photography business today in my Harnessing AI for Photographers Guide.
Download the Free Harnessing AI for Photographers Guide
FAQs About the Bree Hulme Education Products and Resources:
What programs are these presets compatible with?
Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic.
What camera will these presets work with?
Any digital camera. These presets have been designed to work best on RAW files but they can also be used for JPGs or camera phone photos - ones that can be imported into Lightroom!
How do How do I download the presets and guides?
Once you purchase and complete the checkout process, you will automatically be sent to a confirmation page with your download link at the bottom written in grey font. Simply click on this link to download your purchases.
What programs are the client guides compatible with?
These guide templates require a free Canva Account. You can set up your free account here.
What is the refund policy?
All sales are final. There are no refunds as I have no way of proving that the download/s weren't installed and used. Please be sure that any product you purchase is compatible with your software or camera files as there are no refunds, exchanges, or returns for incompatibility.
Can I share the presets/welcome guides with a friend?
You are not permitted to share, distribute, copy, transfer, sell, or re-license any of these products.
I have lost my guide/presets. How do I download them again?
Please contact us at bree@breehulmephotography.com.au with your proof of purchase, and once verified, a replacement product will be emailed to you to download.