Beata and Joe have been together since they were 14 (or 13?) years old.  I remember this interesting fact from the first time I sat in her apartment when she was my graduate head resident and I was a resident adviser (RA) under her tutelage.  I had just started dating my now husband and was the worst RA ever (sorry Beata!).  Fast forward 10 years…

Beata got her PhD in psychology and now home schools her kids and teaches on the side. Joe is also involved in education, specifically assistive technology.

Beata was gracious enough a few years ago to be an arm model to help demonstrate what length of sleeves people of different body types should wear. You can view her head shots here, or learn what sleeve length will best flatter you by clicking here.

Our lives have crossed paths in so many ways – we even used to be neighbors until we moved out to the corn fields.

I am a little embarrassed to share these, but I will anyway… here’s a flashback from when Nadine was just five days old and Beata was gracious enough to share her with me for some newborn portfolio building.  I knew nothing at the time – poor Nadine!  I’ve learned quite a lot about newborn posing and especially newborn safety since then!

It’s easy to forget how small they start out and how fast they grow.

Thank you so much Beata and Joe for sharing your beautiful children with me. I hope 2017 is filled with an abundance of joy, love and laughter.

It may be tempting to pull out your favorite tank top for your portrait session, but unless your arms are particularly thin, you may want to reconsider.  Below are some examples of why types of arms do and don’t photograph well in tank tops.

Sleeve Length in Photos ~ Pam

If you’re super thin then your arms may photograph well, but for the rest of us, there are two tricks you can keep up your sleeve.

Sleeve Length in Photos ~ Debra

In a previous blog post we talked about what to wear during portraits if your arms are thicker than pencils.   Essentially you want to have short to long sleeves rather than tank tops because it’s more flattering.  On the other hand, if you happen to have thin arms, then you have more versatility with clothing options.

Sleeve Length in Photos ~ Beata

In our previous blog posts we saw what people with different arm thicknesses might prefer to wear to flatter their shapes the best.  Pam described her arms as thick, whereas Debra described her arms as thin.  Beata also graciously offered to volunteer for these sessions, and also described her arms as thin.

After you’ve made all your clothing choices, you might want to think about how to personalize your session with creative portrait ideas.

Step 3: Adding Style

This is a more “modern” posing set up with different groups. The best part of this setup is that it’s easy on the eyes. The drawbacks are that because the people are smaller, you need to print the images at a larger size. It can also make single people in the family feel a little awkward.

This is a more traditional posing setup. The best part of this setup is that it’s completely inclusive, we’re more used to looking at this type of portrait and prints can be smaller.

Megan recommends approximately one drink an hour (and just one) during portrait sessions – especially when it’s 90 something degrees outside. I do have to say her family was pretty cheerful and easy going!

During a test shot I had my first ever photobomb.

His family seemed used to it but I was pretty entertained.

We also did some other groupings. Extended family portraits are a great opportunity to also throw in other portraits – such as siblings, couples, immediate families, etc.

And just because they seemed like a jumping kind of family…

But I’d be remiss without a quick posing tip here too! In this image Beata looks amazing, but her hand placement could be slightly improved. We actually all tend to put our hands in our laps, but in a photo sometimes it can look a little inappropriate. While Beata still looks great and this image doesn’t cross the line, it’s generally a good idea to keep your hands off to the side or away from that general region.

In terms of where to put your arms while you’re standing up alone with no one to hug, to the side can be fine.

But you may prefer the way you look with your arm behind your back. It gives the image a more purposeful look.

We also threw in some professional headshots for good measure. Traditionally professional photos have always been done in a studio and maybe still should be if you’re running for president or something, but even corporate headshots are trending toward more natural backgrounds.

In this image Beata looks quite professional even though she’s sitting on a park bench.

As for her sleeve length, as with Debra, her arms are thin so there’s not a huge difference between tank tops, short sleeves and long sleeves.

Debra was our second volunteer for this blog post series (if you’d like to find out about these opportunities, sign up for the newsletter!).  She spells her name the same way and even goes by Debra!

But first for a quick posing tip. This is how most people stand when they’re being photographed, but a quick turn to the side and doing something relatively comfortable feeling with your hands can really improve the quality of the image.

So it’s important to remember to stand at an angle and put your thumbs in your pockets, behind your back or around someone.

Next we did a series of images with different shirt sleeve lengths.

As you can see, compared to people like myself who have thicker arms, sleeve length when you have pencil arms just doesn’t matter all that much. Enjoy it – you can wear whatever you want for photos!

Pam was the first volunteer to be an arm model for this blog post series. I had the privilege of photographing her daughter giving birth 15 months ago, and then the honor of photographing Tirian for his newborn session.  Even though our paths have crossed only briefly I’ve grown attached to their family.  Pam is an encouraging woman – put having a conversation with her on your bucket list!

I asked everyone participating to bring a tank top, short sleeved shirt and long sleeved shirts so that you can see what they look like on different arm types.  Pam described her arms as being very thick.

Tank tops tend to be unflattering on most arm types – especially with your arm directly up against your body. You’ll notice a slight improvement with her arms away from her body.

Then I asked her to change into her short sleeved shirt. As you can see this is immediately more flattering, even with her arm flat up against her body.

When her arms are placed away from her body, they look even better.

In the final images she’s wearing a long sleeved shirt. This is pretty much always safe, though you’ll want to balance that choice with how much you might be sweating if it’s warm out.

Again her arm is completely flat against her body and when it’s out a little, the image is even better.

Here are all three of the properly posed images (with her arms away from her body) side by side:

So our tips for sleeve length are:

1. If your arms are thicker than pencils you may want to consider a short sleeve shirt or longer (3/4 length, long sleeved, etc.).
2. Always try to keep your arms at least slightly away from your body – either by putting them behind you, on your hips (if you would ever stand that way without looking mad) or with your thumbs in your pockets.

Step 1: How to Choose a Great Photography Location

After you’ve herded all of the cats in your family to a mutual time for your portrait session the next most important decision you’ll be making is what location to use. It’s an often overlooked fact that the background is 50% of the image, so choosing a great place can’t be overstated.

And since it’s Rochester, you know the weather won’t always be up to snuff.  If we’re rained or snowed out, rescheduling or taking it inside is always an option.  Here are my Top 5 Recommendation for Indoor Locations.

Step 2: How to Choose Clothing

The second decision you’ll make is what to wear.  If the background is 50% of the picture, clothing is 30%.  Choosing coordinating clothing for groups can make the difference between an image that looks like it belongs in a time capsule, and one made for Instagram.

To learn how to choose clothes for your family photo session, click here.

And as you’re picking out your coordinating clothing, it’s important not to overlook choosing clothing that flatters your body type.

Unless you are particularly thin, it’s usually best to wear clothing that covers those areas you don’t want to publicize (for many people, myself included, this is their arms).

Step 3: How to Personalize your Session 

Your dog, your house, your outfit – all of these things have personality.  Generally the more we age, the more comfortable we are with who we are.  We exchange experimentation for knowledge, which is a whole lot more efficient and definitely less stressful.  Your family portraits follow this same principle.  Your images should represent your family’s personality.

Step 4: Smile!

Parents have high expectations for portrait sessions.  There’s planning, organizing, coordinating, and paying involved.  When the moment happens it can be unnatural to relax and have a good time.  Most parents will say something along the lines of, “If you don’t smile, you’re going to be in serious trouble!”  Which doesn’t typically result in a smile for grandma.  This summer I fell into this trap myself.  This link has a few tips to keep away the stress and keep you smiling!

There are a few different routes you could take.

1.  Modern (most popular): Choose a few colors that coordinate but don’t necessarily match.  There are often several colors of different shades that blend together.

2. Traditional: Everyone matches with one or two colors.

3.  Three Colors: This is best for a large group.  Name 3 colors and tell everyone to show up wearing those colors (and no others!).

4.  Two Groups: This is another option for a larger group.  You could have the girls wear one color scheme and the boys another, or you could have the children dress in one way and adults in another.

5.  Nude/Neutral: This option is best for babies since it draws the attention toward the baby and not to everything else.

[FinalTilesGallery id=’4′]

After you’ve been inspired with a color scheme, be sure to take note of what sleeve length you might want to choose to flatter your body type.

Step 2b: Flattering Sleeve Length

[FinalTilesGallery id=’2′]