“Take a moment to connect with your family and give to another!”
That’s the tagline for Moments by Andrea‘s 9th Annual Fall Family Photo Days.
Wilton photographer Andrea Topalian is GOOD Morning Wilton‘s contributing photographer and she’s photographed approximately 1,600 families in the past eight years of running her local business. She knows there’s a lot of expectation resting on getting that ‘perfect’ shot when a family books a session with a professional photographer, especially in the fall when people are hoping to get a picture for the annual family holiday card.
“We all think everyone else’s cards are so amazing, right? There is so much pressure to get the perfect pictures and make the best cards! So many what-ifs go through our minds when planning our portrait sessions.” says Topalian, understanding the anxieties people often bring with them to a session with a photographer.
She even wrote a humorous blog post about the “Top 10 Fears” parents have in planning a photo session, and the list includes, “The photographer will think my kids are crazy,” at #9; “I won’t find coordinating outfits,” at #3; and “I’ll look fat,” as #1. (She also posted a personally vulnerable and honest blog post about her own feelings on that last topic, which went viral.)
Topalian has a ton of tricks up her sleeve to make a session fun and capture a variety of flattering and natural looking moments. “My goal for each session is for the clients to enjoy bonding with their family playing games, being silly and having fun. The result of this experience are images that really capture family’s connections, that they’ll treasure,” she says.
This busy mom of three school age children is also the creator of the popular Facebook page Wilton CT 411, and she’s a strong believer in giving back to the communities she serves. Since 2006, Topalian has been working with schools, newcomers clubs, pre-schools and other non-profit organizations to organize Family Photo Day fundraisers.
When families sign up through a public school fundraiser, 100-percent of the session fee goes to the school. It’s her sixth year with the New Canaan Public Elementary Schools and she’s recently added Redding Elementary School to her fundraising efforts.
Topalian also offers sessions at Ambler Farm to Wilton residents and interested families from surrounding towns. This year, she’s donating $25 – $50 from each of those sessions to either the Circle of Care for families of children with cancer or the Wilton Family Y.
Many of her fall dates have already sold out this year but there are often spots that open up when families reschedule. She’s also added a session on Oct. 19 at Irwin Park in New Canaan. If you are interested in booking one of her sessions, you can find info on her website.
Her website also has a list of tips for getting a family ready for a portrait session, including suggestions on wardrobe selection. The advice is something Topalian compiled for readers whether they’ve hired her or another photographer.
Topalian also understands that professional photography is not in everyone’s budget, so she has tips to share for taking great pictures of your own children, especially if you’re trying for a holiday image during the fall. We’ve included some here but there are more tips on her website.
- “Keep in mind the background colors, the yellows, golds and browns of October and November, so keep the clothes simple to coordinate with those colors and what looks good in your home if you plan to display the images on your walls. I always think muted colors work best so that the attention in the image goes to the faces. And even though ‘holiday’ colors and clothes might be great for the holiday card, you probably won’t want them displayed year round in your home,” she says.
- “Look for the LIGHT! The most ideal times of day are early morning or late afternoon before the sun goes down, but if you have to shoot midday then look for shade and position your children on the edge where it is still bright but there is no light overhead causing harsh shadows on their face. Try under a tree, on a covered porch or sitting in an open doorway.”
- “Get them close and connected! Get them to play games with each other, like ring-around-the-rosie or pile-up. We play games for most of my sessions and the kids love it.”
- “Get down on their level. Enter their world. We are always looking down at our children and while that can be good for close up shots of those big eyes looking up at you, the rest of the time images taken at their level will be more emotional and natural looking. For a more unique perspective, you could also try shooting up at them by placing them on a higher level or getting down below them. Try all different angles, it’s fun to see what you get!”
To contact Andrea Topalian visit her Moments by Andrea Photography website.
