Let's make sure you feel fully prepared for your Wilde Sparrow family photo session!
Family Sessions
We will send you our session location recommendation based on your travel details and the preferences noted in your booking documents. If there's a specific spot you love from our location guide, let us know!
step 01: Session location
Next, it’s time to start planning outfits. With coordinated outfits, your photos will feel more cohesive.
step 02: Pick Outfits
Session day can be stressful and exciting, but I promise there is nothing to be nervous about! All I ask is that you come relaxed, ready to have fun and trust your expert photographers to take care of you.
step 03: Session Day
10-14 days after your session, your images will be edited and ready for delivery. You will receive a direct link to your online gallery. From this portal, you can purchase and download digital files, and place a print order.
step 04: Gallery Delivery
Photos weren't meant to be stored on your device. They should be admired in your home and bring warmth into your life. Heirloom prints are the best way to showcase your photos and protect your memories.
step 05: Order Prints & Albums
Make dinner plans/reservations for after your session.
Bring cold water, toys, snacks, etc.. for kids.
Plan coordinated outfits for everyone. Make clothing purchases well in advance.
Select your clothing color palette.
confirm your session location.
SESSION checklist
02.
Confirm session time and location
blues and pinks
pastels and pop of yellow
pinks and greens
blues and whites
To help everyone look their best, plan to coordinate not match. Choose 1-2 colors + a neutral base and dress everyone in that color family. Limit patterns to one subtle pattern for the group. White, soft pinks and blues photograph best for our style of editing!
what to wear
03.
reds and pinks
warm tones
whites and neutrals
purple & teal
DO'S & DON'TS
CLOTHING TIPS
definitely NO bright, fluorescent, or neon colors
please no black, navy, or dark colors
Avoid patterns, stripes, and logos
Dress mom first and coordinate the group with that outfit
Long, flowy dresses are an easy win
max 1-2 colors for the entire group. When in doubt, go neutral!!!
must-know details
It's hot on the beach!! If you sweat a lot, wear a solid colored shirt (easier to edit sweat out of) and wear an undershirt. Bring a backup shirt to change into.
for men
We cannot photoshop out bra straps - please wear the correct bra for your outfit! Remove your watch and jewelry before spending lots of time in the sun so you don't have a watch tan.
for women
Wear bloomers to hide diapers from showing up in the photos. Nothing ruins a gorgeous photo faster than a blue wet diaper line.
for littles
The things no one tells you...
STYLING TOOL
outfits made simple
Your Online Styling Tool
Putting together outfits has never been easier with this (free!) online styling tool!
1. Access using the exclusive WSP code below.
2. Select a color scheme and the clothing style you prefer.
3. Review your session-approved clothing pieces for each family member.
4. Shop directly from your results page.
Styling Code: WILDEHAWAII
For kids and babies:
For Men:
For Maternity:
For Women:
WHERE TO SHOP online
Vici Collection, H&M, Lulus, Baltic Born, Old Navy
PinkBlush, Fillyboo, Sew Trendy, Asos
J. Crew, Zara, Gap, H&M, Target
Zara, Target, Gap, Old Navy, H&M Kids
WHERE TO SHOP on island
Mahina, Olivia Clare Boutique (The Big Island), Driftwood (Maui), Fighting Eel (Oahu)
Key Things to Know Before Your Session:
Guide to a Great Session
04.
During your session, expect to be guided with prompts and poses the majority of the time, but we’ll still leave room for unposed magical moments. Preparing yourself and your children for what to expect goes a long, long way.
the goal is to capture joy
- Be on time. Build in an extra 10 minutes just in case. But *please* don't arrive extremely early. Kids will get bored and dirty and everyone will feel irritated before we even begin.
- On the day of your session, plan a low-key, relaxing day with minimal activities. This is not the day to go snorkeling and ziplining, trust me.
- Bring water, a small towel, change of clothes for kids, small make-up for touch-ups, bribe snacks for kids.
- Do not bring large bags or messy snacks (ex. doritos, chocolate).
- BEACHES ARE WINDY!! Bring a hair clip or two for anyone with long hair should we need to pull hair back and out of faces, or be prepared to go with the flow and enjoy the natural ocean breeze!
- Prep young children ahead of time. Make sure they know this will be FUN and how important it is that they be good listeners. But no threats, please!
- A fun promise of ice cream or other special treats for afterward works wonders. Prepare them to do lots of giggling and hugging.
an important note for parents. please read!!
- Talk to your photographer about your session goals before we begin your session. The last 5 minutes of a session is not the right time to mention a *must-have* shot that we now may not have time to capture.
- When kids are involved, there will be moments that feel like chaos. Your child is in a new place and a stranger is holding a big scary camera in front of their face giving them commands. They’re likely not going to be themselves. They may act out or your extrovert may suddenly become shy. PLEASE let go of any expectations for how your children should behave. We will, at times, need to pivot and improvise. This *always* happens. It is OKAY!
- PLEASE do not yell and severely discipline your child during our session. Unless they are causing physical harm or are in danger - we hope for and expect them to play and be silly. Touching the sand is not a time to scream at them. I promise you it will suck the joy out of the entire session. We may get some forced smiles, but they won't be the magical images you see in our portfolio if your child is terrified of messing up. Just for this one short session window, let them get away with a bit more than you typically would.
- During the session, please do not tell kids to "say cheese" or “do your good smile.” We'd rather a genuine laugh and smile than a nervous, awkward cheese-face. Let your photographer work with them first, and ask you for help if our tricks aren’t working.
- We will get a mix of looking at the camera photos and the more creative, improvised moments, but we can’t have one without the other. We intentionally start with the posed pictures and build off of that as the session goes on.
Sample session shot list
- Family (1-2 poses and backgrounds)
- Kids together
- Kids alone
- Parents together
Mini sessions
- Family (3+ poses and backgrounds)
- Kids together
- Kids alone
- Parents together
- Candid moments
golden sessions
- Entire family group together (1-2 poses)
- Each individual family
- Kids together in each family group
- All the kids together
- Special groupings and requests
- Candid moments
Legacy sessions
This is the session flow all Wilde Sparrow photographers are trained to follow. If you have any special photo requests, let your photographer know at the start of your session!
Sunset sessions are scheduled to end right at sunset. In the summer months this means that your session will take place between roughly 6-7pm.
Though we love a consistent bedtime routine and nap schedule, in order to capture the best light during "golden hour", a one-time adjustment in your little ones' schedule may be necessary.
We recommend choosing a location that is very close to where you're staying to minimize travel time.
If your session takes place close to dinnertime, please feed kids (and adults!) BEFORE heading to your session. No one - and we mean no one - is happy when hungry.
Consider pushing any naps later that day (if they still nap). Definitely consider some quiet chill time prior to your session.
Pack pajamas for the car ride home so you can get littles right into bed after the session!
sunset & bedtimes
your kids may not behave perfectly and that's 100% okay. We're ready for it.
relax, have fun, and let loose
You've made it to session day! As you approach your session, keep in mind these three things:
day-of
05.
trust us as your expert photographer
On the Big Island, Kukio Beach and Pauoa Bay are the only two beaches with a paved path right to the sand and would be great choices for anyone who has trouble walking, is in a wheelchair, or for strollers. On Maui, we’d recommend Polo Beach for easy accessibility from the parking lot, though you do have to walk down a small set of stairs to get to the beach.
We need an easily accessible location for our session. What do you recommend?
Yes, we will be able to get photos of each individual family and, depending on time, a few shots of just the kids from each individual family. Please be sure to let your photographer know ahead of time the important groupings you have in mind so we can do our best to accommodate all the shots that are most important to you.
Can you get a mix of different shots during our extended family session?
Please do not rely too heavily on weather apps for Hawaii. The weather on the island changes hour by hour and the forecast may say rain because it is probably raining somewhere on the island due to tropical weather patterns. I'll be in touch the day of the session regarding the weather if it looks like it could be an issue.
The weather app shows rain while we’re in Hawaii. what happens if it rains?
We understand late summer sunset sessions require a one-time adjustment in kids’ schedules. Late naps can do wonders! Do not plan any exhausting activities the day of your photo session and nothing at all 2-3 hours before your session. Make it a relaxing day and bring snacks! So many snacks.
I’m worried about the late session and my child’s bedtime.
If you wear glasses daily in real life then you should plan to wear them during your photoshoot because we 100% want you to look like YOU.
If you wear transition lenses that darken in sunlight, bring a backup non-transition pair. Otherwise, it ends up looking like you are wearing sunglasses in all of the pictures.
Can I wear my eyeglasses during the session?
Yes, but more often than not, these interfere with the session flow and bring added stress to your session. We strongly recommend only one outfit for your family, especially if you have booked a 20 or 45-minute session. Additionally, most beaches do not have bathrooms nearby so if you do have your heart set on an outfit change, be ready for a quick change on the beach and expect it to cut into your session photo-taking time.
will there be time for us to do an outfit change?
FAQs
06.
Let's be real, not everyone feels comfortable in front of the camera. During your session, we'll be there every step of the way, giving you gentle instructions and prompts to help you feel at ease. You won't have to worry about awkwardly asking, "What should I do with my hands?". Once we have you in a pose, we'll do whatever it takes to make you feel relaxed and capture those genuine reactions - cracking jokes, making funny sounds, you name it. So if it feels silly - let it be silly! This is where the magic happens!
With over 1200 sessions under our belt, there's not much that we haven't seen. So here's our number one tip for you: just relax, be yourself, go easy on the kids, and most importantly, have fun!
