Fall Family photos

Fall family photos are very popular. If you are thinking about having photos in the fall you would want to contact us early. Sadly we don’t know when the colors will change on the trees but we know when they do appointments will be gone. It’s best to guess a time and then we can always find the best area with the most colorful trees. But really it’s not all about the leaves in the trees. The photo is about the people in it, that is the most important part. We missed the leaves on the trees for these fall family photos because they changed and fell so fast. It really didn’t matter because it was all about the family with them anyway. They decided to set up a family appointment with us because they really like the school photo we took a few months earlier. We were happy to get them in as soon as possible before it became too cold outside. The morning of the session was a bit cold but not bad enough to move the appointment. We were ready to meet the family and get some great photos. Mom told us that dad wasn’t too excited about having photos. Really what dad is? However, he seemed to be having just a wonderful time! He wanted us to be sure and capture his sons haircut and had some fun expressions during the candid photos. The kids were great to work with and big brother was so helpful letting his little sister lean on him for support. The photo we got were exactly what they wanted. Originally they were just going to get the download of all the images but after seeing everything mom knew a couple of them needed to be on the wall. We are so happy that they enjoyed the session and we look forward to working with them again in the future. #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #locationsession #parkphotos #familyphotos
Rachel Ravetta   0     Children photography , family photography , Ravetta Photography , St. Louis Photographer

Family photo tips

How many things are you trying to do around the holidays? We would suspect, just like everyone else, you are trying to do too much. Decorating the house, holiday parties, presents to wrap, the list can be endless. Despite the long list we want you to add one more thing…family photos! Here are a few tips. Don’t miss the opportunity while family is together to have them photographed together. We are often working around school and work schedules. Get those photos done while the kids are on break, it’s one less scheduling problem in the mix. Whether you have a very large family or a family that can fit around one table, we are prepared to take your photos. Our sessions include the opportunity to take all types of different poses. Make sure to do them all while you are together, why not? When taking photos around the holidays there is always the thought of including the decorations or not. We love the idea of taking photos next to the tree or on the fully decorated staircase. However, if you are able it is a good idea to take a few without the decorations. These are the photos you will hang on the wall since they are timeless. Speaking of timeless, make sure your clothing is something classic and comfortable. You want to be able to move around easily. Especially if you have young children it might be best for you to get down on the floor with them. Patterns are not a problem but when selecting those just make sure someone else in the photo has that same color in their clothing. This will keep everyone coordinated but not matching. Is matching bad? Nope that is another option, everyone can wear matching colors or even pjs for a fun option. Next on our few tips for family photos, if you decide to have photos in your home we may need to move a few items to make room. We don’t often move anything large. But perhaps a chair, end table or even just the décor on top needs to adjust in order to make the photo perfect. We always put everything back where it was when we started. Lastly, have fun! Photos are all about spending time together. Don’t worry if the kids are a bit restless, we have seen it all. We are there to capture the photos not judge how your children are acting. Let them be themselves and let us capture it all! You can use these few tips to help create those wonderful family photos. #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #familyphotos #holidayphotos #locationsession
Rachel Ravetta   0     family photography , Ravetta Photography , St. Louis Photographer

Luella and her pumpkins

Are we allowed to have favorites? Of course we love all of our clients and enjoy spending time with them during the session. But after year and years of working with some we find the sessions are more like friends catching up. Rather than clients we work with for just a short time. It all started when we took photos of Alexis because her mom brought her to our studio. We photographed their wedding. Alexis and Dillon started a family and thought that our birthday club would be a perfect fit. We have been working with them regularly for the past few years as the children are growing. We sometimes take too much time talking that it’s more like friends catching up at a picnic together in the park than a family session. This birthday club session was for Luella’s 8 month. Alexis and Dillon decided to theme the photos with some pumpkins. They had all the right colors and sizes to put around Luella in the photos. She was doing such a great job of sitting, not great at standing just yet. Though dad let her try her best before she took a bit of a tumble, he had so much faith she could do it. Dad will always be her greatest supporter! My favorite part of the session was when we took a few photos of big brother pulling his sister in a wagon. For fun mom and dad jumped in pretending to struggle pulling the wagon. Just a fun moment and a cute family photo! Of course, we enjoy taking the regular family photos but throwing in a few fun ones is a nice change to the session. It also helps to keep the attention of the younger kids. After taking too many photos the kids didn’t want to sit still so yet again we took some time to chat. We really should schedule extra time for us to just have a picnic next time!   #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #birthdayclub #familyphotos #parkphotos
Rachel Ravetta   0     Children photography , family photography , ravettaphotography , stlouisphotographer

Tips for a newborn session with siblings

We gladly welcome a new birthday club member. A house full of sweet girls for dad! We have enjoyed working with these sisters and can’t wait to watch them grow up together. We will see them often since they are all birthday club members. Each newborn session has been different for this family. Starting off with a quite in home session with the first one, a bit more chaotic studio session with baby two, and now a well planned and perfectly executed newborn session with baby three. Here are a few tips to consider for a newborn session when working with older siblings. Talk with the older siblings about ways they can help. They can listen to you and the photographer, or they can also help to get baby to sleep. We encourage them to be involved a bit because then that makes all kids more likely to sit for a photo and “help”. When siblings get the impression that they are helping they are relaxed. They feel like they are having a say in the photos which make them more natural and relaxed. Why would you want a grumpy face photo because we forced them to sit in a chair together? What if your older child likes to lay next to baby, that would be a more relaxed and natural photo. We are very flexible with our posing to get the biggest smiles. We can easily go between sibling photos and individual photos of the newborn. So fitting in some breaks for older kids is essential for the session to run smoothly. Snacks or a favorite toy is welcome so parents can focus on baby while the older kids have a break. Lastly, but probably the most important is to have your older children work with baby at home. We don’t want the first time they hold or sit next to them is during the session. Depending on their age they will interact with babies differently and it is a great idea to know that before the session. Do they like to snuggle a bit too much or do they push the baby away? The more interactions they have together the better for the session. We are excited to photograph your growing family. Contact us to start at the beginning with a newborn session. We are happy to give you all the tips and tricks to a smooth session with photos that last a lifetime. #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #newbornsession #birthdayclub #studiosession #newbornwithsiblings
Rachel Ravetta   0     Children photography , family photography , Newborn Photographer , Ravetta Photography , St. Louis Photographer

Themed soccer family photos are the best

For those families that regularly take family photos it can be difficult to find a reason to take them again and again. Our birthday club members often throw a few family photos into the mix when they are together for the children’s photos. Why not have a theme or incorporate something the kids love right now. This family decided that since soccer was such a big party of their life they would just embrace it by turning the session into a soccer-themed photo. There were a few things to consider while planning this session. First of all, the location was important. We knew that in addition to soccer photos we wanted to take a few regular photos of the kids. Therefore, we needed a location that had not only soccer nets but also other options. This was taken during soccer season so finding a location that was not being used for a game was also a bit of a challenge. Luckily we were able to find the perfect spot, Des Peres Park. The next thing to consider was starting with soccer photos or the regular photos. When working with kids you don’t always get the opportunity to change clothes because they get antsy pretty quickly. Making the second half of the session a toss up if they will pose or just play. Keep in mind those play photos are sometime the best!  But on the flip side it can take some kids a moment to warm up to the idea of photos. Meaning the second half would deliver more genuine smiles from everyone. Knowing soccer was a big part of this session we started with those. There needed to be a bit of warm up time for little sis, but playing soccer with her brothers did the trick. Mom knew the best way to get everyone excited about the session. She arrived with lunch, treats and an excited attitude toward the fun they were going to have. Just a rock star mom with a rock star family! We are lucky to have them as a part of our birthday club. What theme will they come up with next? What theme do you want to do for your session? #ravettaphotography #birthdayclub #stlphotographer #parkphotos #familyphotos #fallphotos
Rachel Ravetta   0     Children photography , family photography , Ravetta Photography , St. Louis Photographer

Should you bring your pet, of course!

How often do you have photos taken? A few times a year, once a year or has it been more than a year since your last family photo? Why would you wait that long to capture those smiling faces? We know schedules can be difficult but squeezing in a mini-session is all you need to do. After a few emails back and forth we were able to find the perfect time for this family to take photos. It was only a few days before the session but the timing was great between other sessions at the park. They asked if they could bring their pet, of course we allow pets! It’s encouraged to bring them along to be in the photos. Pets are family members! They are not just part of your day to day life, they are sometimes the best company for you and the kids. Therefore they deserve a space in your family albums. If you’re thinking to bring your pet to your photo session, here are few things to consider. Location options could include a local park or your home. Being outdoors or in a familiar place relaxes most pets more than being in our office. Don’t forget the leash and treats help keep them interested. Lastly, we encourage a few photos of the family without pets. This means we would have pets wait near a bench or tree. Perhaps a toy to entertain them while they wait. These ideas work well for kids too – minus the leash of course! If your pet is not a dog that can go outdoors then let’s talk about the studio options for your family. When a family has older children bringing the pet along gives them a job during the session because they are usually posed close together so the children help wrangle the pets in the photos. Kid love to show off how well pets listen to them, it’s probably likely that they are best buddies. If you have any other questions about bringing a pet to your session feel free to reach out. #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #familysession #photoswithpets #familyphotoswithpet
Rachel Ravetta   0     Children photography , family photography , locationphotography , Ravetta Photography , St. Louis Photographer

Hank’s summer session in the park

Another birthday club session at Ravetta Photography! We love meeting new families and photographing just about anything, but our birthday club sessions are so much fun. We get to see families at least once a year. During the first year we see our members 4 times. Each time we are amazed to see how big the children are getting. With so many sessions in the first year, we are able to utilize different locations during each session. Those winter birthday babies can have an outdoor session during one of the other times they visit. Hank arrived and he looks like a little boy. Of course, he is a little boy but this was his 8-month session. We could swear he looks and acts at least 1 year old. Hank is normally a little flirt, we remember from his 4-month session. But today he was a bit stuck on mom and dad holding him. Good thing we had planned to do family photos because we did those first. Hank warmed up to the idea of letting go to take his own photos. He did give us a few smiles but we had to bring out some of his favorite songs in order to make him laugh. However, the photos of him getting kisses from mom and giving dad a big hug are just precious. They really show off how he is acting at this age and stage as he grows. These are photos that will be cherished forever. It won’t be long before he is moving too fast to stop and give hugs. His one-year session is going to be so much fun since he will be walking, perhaps even be talking a bit more too. We are looking forward to seeing you again soon Hank!   #birthdayclub #stlphotographer #parkphotos #locationsession
Rachel Ravetta   0     birthday club , Children photography , family photography , Ravetta Photography , St. Louis Photographer

One year birthday club session in the park

Welcome to the club Matthew, the red head club! Mom and dad were surprised a bit by Matthew’s red hair but there is some in the family so it makes sense. During his last birthday club session he was still pretty bald, but the moment he arrived for his 18 month session we could see the red. Not only had he gotten more hair, Matthew is basically running now, as well as, talking a bit too. He definitely knows all the little boys words, dirt seemed to be his favorite. He was very quick to point out all the sticks and dirt he found in the park. We actually had to take a few photos with sticks in them since that is what he loves right now. During the 18 month session it is really more about letting them show some personality. We played peek a boo, looked for dogs, ran around a bit and even put his feet in the pond. We try to have the children sit for a few photos but really what 18 month old wants to sit down, very few!  He did sit with mom and dad for some amazing family photos. Matthew has a very big smile that sometimes is just wide mouth open when he is super excited. Both mom and dad also have perfect smiles so we see where that comes from. He was really giving all the expressions during his session. Super happy and sweet smiles were shining through most of the time, but we did get a few “looks”. Mostly, that “seriously I just want to go the opposite way of you and the camera look”. We let Matthew show us what was interesting to him in the park. We had plenty of time to capture photos, as well as, take some time to smell the roses – or the big shinny mirrored ball in the park! In just a few short months Matthew will be 2 and we will see him again. He is probably going to be talking so much by then.   #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #birthdayclub #parksession #boyphotos
Rachel Ravetta   0     birthday club , Children photography , family photography , Ravetta Photography , St. Louis Photographer

Starting a family, with a baby girl

What would you think is the best way to celebrate your one year anniversary? Some couple celebrate by taking a vacation, others have a nice dinner out together, while a select group of people do something really special. Kim and Grant were in the select group of people that did something really special…they had a baby! They celebrated their first anniversary in the hospital with their little baby girl. Not many couples can say that. Kim reached out a few months before she was due to discuss the options for newborn photos. We went over what was included in the gift certificate they received from us, since we did their wedding photos. Then we also talked about the options of them coming to the studio or us traveling to their home. We are happy to do whatever it easiest and most comfortable for mom. Kim was happy to come to our studio and arrived ready to take some family photos. She even brought a few outfits for her daughter to wear. A mom that is really on top of everything! We started off with family photos so we could get an idea of how baby girl liked to be held, swaddled, etc. She was not excited for her photo debut. Kim realized that is was getting close to the time she usually eats so it was best to let her have something to eat. She was well aware that mom did not give her all the food she normally gets. She settled for a moment but then decided that she needed to eat the rest of it. No problem, best to have a full belly when posing for photos. That worked perfectly because the rest of the session she just let us pose her and get some wonderful images. Kim and Grant even said “yep, that’s the one that would look great hanging on the wall in her room.” They hadn’t even seen the photos, but knew they were going to love them. We look forward to working with them again as baby girl grows, hopefully they become members of our birthday club. Great job and good luck selecting your favorite photos!   #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #newbornsession #studiosession #newborngirl #babygirl
Rachel Ravetta   0     family photography , Newborn Photographer , Ravetta Photography , St. Louis Photographer

Newborn baby girl is here and everyone is excited.

We receive referrals from past clients all the time. This one was a bit surprising because it came from a wedding client we worked with many years ago. She is now a photographer herself but mainly does weddings. When her good friend needed a newborn session she immediately mentioned us. Wow, even another photographer would refer us to friends. Sarah wanted to get on our schedule as soon as possible to get those snuggle newborn baby photos. Also, Sarah wanted to get some photos with the grandma’s while they were in town. We don’t often have a generational photo during a newborn session. It was very nice to see the family gathering in our office for Sophia’s newborn session. She is one very loved little girl. We wanted the family to relax while they were with us so we started off with all the photos that included adults. Sarah had a list of combinations, which was helpful so we didn’t forget anything that was important to her. Sophia slept the entire time we passed her from arms to arms during those photos. It was then time for her solo photos, she slept during those as well. She was just an angel the entire session. We were able to incorporate the bows mom brought with her. It’s great when parents come with stuff from home. Of course, we have lots I our studio to use but personal items give the photos a more unique look. Mom knows she would have a hard time selecting images so she picked our digital package right from the start. That includes all the images we take during a session. That was a great decision since it would be difficult to narrow them down. The best part of the session was when grandma came in the room and told Sophia she was going to be a star since she was doing everything perfectly. You’re a star for sure Sophia – the star of your family!   #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #newbornsession #studiosession #babygirl
Rachel Ravetta   0     family photography , Newborn Photographer , Ravetta Photography , St. Louis Photographer