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Teen session tips

It’s completely normal to feel a little awkward when taking senior portraits. Many seniors (and adults too!) tend to feel self-conscious about their appearance because they feel uncomfortable taking photos on their own. Below are five tips for taking on your senior portrait with grace and confidence and leaving with photos that you will love for years to come.

1. Use your eyes.

Use your eyes to express emotion. When you smile naturally your whole face lights up and your eyes look bright and awake. But do not worry, I will help you achieve this and get beyond the ‘less than natural expression’ along the way!

2. Relax.

Great photos happen when the subject is relaxed and confident. Let the excitement of you photo session show through the lens as you take a moment and breathe, relax and just have fun. This is where bringing a best friend or sister helps a lot! You may feel silly during this process but we will do everything we can to help you feel more comfortable.

3. Breathe.

This may sound obvious but breathing is key to capturing a natural look. Take time to  practice taking a deep breath while smiling in front of the mirror.  Slowly release the air while holding the smile and notice how your face and eyes settle into a natural and relaxed expression. Allow your eyes to “smile” by focusing on the apples of your cheeks pressing upwards. When in doubt, just breathe.

4. Move.

Staying stationary can sometimes produce a very staged and cheesy look. Just because you are sitting or standing still doesn’t mean you can’t change the angle of your body to create a look that is fresh and inspired. Try leaning into the camera slightly to appear more engaged, shift your weight from left to right, or simply move your chin slightly up and down for different shots as this gives us a variety of facial expressions to work with. Again, I will guide you through this process and it will be fun!

5. Beautify.

This goes for everyone. It is so worth spending some extra time getting your hair blown out, your makeup done and choosing an outfit that makes you look and feel your best. Teens usually get their makeup done at my studio before the session and I can also arrange for someone to come get your hair done as well! Plus, a bit of pampering before the photos makes for extra special memories! As for the men, take a shower and shave. When you look your best, you feel your best and when you feel your best, you are naturally more confident. Go the extra mile to walk into your senior session feeling confident, attractive, prepared, and inspired.

 

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Summer family portraits

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I don’t know about you, but all this wonderful weather we are having is making me more and more excited for summer to arrive! And my calendar is starting to book up… So if you are keen to have a family session in Switzerland’s beautiful nature, on a warm summer’s morning or evening, it is time to get in touch with me and reserve your date. I can’t wait to spend time with your loved ones, capturing the joy and love of being together, in the golden summer light. 🙂

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Unique photo ideas

There is nothing quite like capturing memories with your loved ones. Are you someone who enjoys taking beautiful pictures of you and your family?  Then you are probably always on the lookout for inspiration for your next photo session. Below are some unique photo ideas that you’ll love.

  • Family history. Are you a fan of the photos that your grandparents or even great grandparents have taken? Why not replicate them yourself? All it takes is a bit of editing and you can achieve the same look and feel.
  • First and last day of school. For the first day of school, get some fun pictures of your child getting ready. You can then do the same on the day that they graduate from high school so that you can create an amazing “before and after” picture. You can even choose to add on college photos later.
  • A day in the life of… Pick a day and take photos to document your life or your child’s life from the moment they (or you) get up to the moment they (or you) go to bed. I like to do this for my girls and choose a day where their usual activities will be captured. Doing this once a year will help you freeze in time what they were like and what they did.
  • Generational photos. Photos are one of those items that are passed down through generations so why not create one that future family members can treasure. Take a photo with your daughter, mom and grandma to show the generations of women in your family or any other mix of family members that you want to place in a picture together.
  • Pregnancy pictures. There are many fun ways to show your progress through pregnancy and documenting it with photos is the perfect way to capture this time in your life. Years from now you’ll be able to take your child through your journey before you got to meet them and share that special moment with them.
  • Pet portraits. If your pet is a member of your family then capturing memories with them is just as important. There are so many great ways to take some amazing photos whether it’s outside at a park or in the comfort of your own home.
  • Save the date. Getting married in the near future? Taking a quirky couple photo where your wedding date is displayed is a lovely way to invite people to your wedding. You can do anything from writing the date on the bottom of your shoes to using chalkboards or balloons to display the date.
  • Gender reveal. Why not make finding out the gender of your baby a fun surprise for everyone by turning it into a fun photo that you can send around. Some cute ideas include releasing pink or blue balloons out of a box or you could incorporate a cute color frame to hold around your belly.

 

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Winter photo tips

There is a special kind of magic that comes with outdoor, winter photo sessions. The snow glowing in the background and the beauty of the Swiss forests create a lovely backdrop for any photo session. Here are some tips to make your winter photo sessions go smoothly.

  1. Dress warmly. You will be surprised at how often this is overlooked. Since you’ll be standing outside for a long period of time, wear layers, warm socks, wool underwear, and bring a blanket, coats and scarves/mittens to warm up in when you are not being photographed. Shivering makes it hard to look happy and pose properly.
  2. Wear sunscreen and lip balm. Protecting your skin should be a priority throughout the year, not just in summer. Use a good moisturizer to protect your skin from chilly winds and avoid chapped lips.
  3. Be flexible. If the weather isn’t exactly what you had hoped for, we will see if we can still make the photo session work, as our window of opportunity with snow is short. If you are however scheduling this session in advance, you may just have to work with the weather on that particular day.
  4. Incorporate color. Even though winter has some amazing colors to work with, why not wear a splash of color to really stand out in your photos?
  5. Plan your day. Taking your photos just after the sun rises or just before it sets will provide you with amazing lighting so we will plan your session around those times.

Take some hot tea or coffee along in cute mugs to make your photo session even more enjoyable, and get ready for some beautiful results.

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Little studio stars

GLITTER SESSION DETAILS:

  • Each Glitter Session will be about 20 minutes long and result in approximately 10-15 beautifully edited digital images for you to choose from.
  • Sessions will be held at our lovely Le White Loft studio in Vinzel.
  • Each session includes up to 2 participants, age 4 to 11.
  • Sessions dates will be February 17 and March 4. Images from the sessions will be turned around within two weeks.The Session Fee is CHF 150.-
  • The session fee covers the photographer’s time both at the session and in post-processing and editing.
  • After the session, an online private gallery with the finished High Resolution proofs will be sent to you.
  • From there, you will be able to choose an image collection. Collection 1 = 5 images for CHF 200.- / Collection 2 = 10 images for CHF 300.- . ONE IMAGE COLLECTION MUST BE CHOSEN. To celebrate the launch of the Little Star sessions, one complementary extra image will be included.
  • Once an image collection has been chosen, extra ‘A La Carte’ Photos for CHF 50.- each are available.
  • Upon payment, the photos in high resolution format will be made available for download directly from the gallery.
  • Glitter Sessions sessions are LIMITED and, so, if you’re hoping to grab a spot, send me an email at michelle@michellepetersephotography.com.
    I will respond with available times and details.

The sessions are booked on a first-come, first-served basis without exception…

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Little studio stars

It has been six months since I started offering studio sessions. Beyond headshots, it has been a real joy to have little ones come for indoor photos.

With the weather being cold and wet, indoor photography sessions are so much nicer! I keep them short and make them as fun as possible for your little stars!

Here is a sample of both summery and wintery photos taken last year. How cute are they all?! (Even the little escaping toes…)

 

 

 

 

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Woolami photos

A few weeks ago, I have the pleasure of collaborating with the owner of Woolami and a wonderful team of makeup artist, hair stylist, and florist, to create lifestyle photos of kids-being-kids in Woolami’s warm comfy Merino wool clothes. These can be worn as a base layer or as a garment combined with everyday clothes.

Working with entrepreneurs to create photos for their website and advertising materials has become a very rewarding part of my services. I really love sitting down with an entrepreneur to discuss the types of commercial photos they would like and which message theses photos are going to communicate. We end up discussing colors, textures, moods, and what products/people will be showcased. And then we gather a good team of people to help us with the photography shoot: makeup, hair, stylist, props, extra moms/babysitters for the kids… and off we go..

Woolami’s brand mission is to inspire parents to spend more time with their children outdoors. So that is what we did… We took our very cute little models out to play in their soft non-itchy merino wool outfits! I am in love with the result… 🙂2016-10-30_0002

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Summer Nyon photography

For those of you who, like me, are having a hard time saying good bye to summer, here are some photos oozing warmth and sunshine. 35 degree celsius to be exact… Warm, warm, warm… But the light, and the joy! Bliss…

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Maternity love

These two have so much happiness going for them this Spring: a wedding, a baby… It is written all over their faces, don’t you think?

2016-06-01_00012016-06-01_0002Being a part of their joy was a real privilege for me. Nature was celebrating them as well, or so it seemed: we got the sun and the warmth of a near summer’s evening, something rather rare this Spring…2016-06-01_00032016-06-01_0006 After getting makeup done at the Studio, we headed out into the vintage orchard and “domaine vinicole” behind it. What a beautiful spot, beautiful evening, and beautiful couple. Can you tell I like my job?! 🙂2016-06-01_00052016-06-01_0004

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Urban teen photos

Who would have thought Nyon could look so urban?! I am finding it to be the perfect place to bring teens as there are so many possible “looks” for photos: ‘urban’, ‘girl on the – Swiss – town’, ‘green and natural’… No need to go very far to find it. Love, love, love!

And how about this gorgeousl teen? Isn’t she beautiful! Thank you, dear teen, for letting me take you out on a cold, and very busy market day, to try out my new location ideas with you!

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Studio happiness

In a couple of weeks, I get the keys to my new photography studio! I am so excited about the possibilities it will offer and can’t wait to share more with you on that subject…

In the meantime, I got to do a studio-like photography session this fall with the cutest, happiest little boy. Here he is!

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A New Location in Versoix

I was so pleased when this family suggested we meet in this beautiful park in Versoix. I couldn’t have asked for a better mix of a tree-lined path, tall grass, and cute Swiss buildings in the background. And the cherry on the cake was this absolutely cute little girl and her adoring parents. Everything down to the little coat she was wearing and the lovely rocking horse they brought along… perfect!

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The black and white versions add a timeless, classic look to an already lovely photography session!

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A look back at summer

If you are like me, the wintery temperatures are making you dream of warm sunny summer days, so here is a little touch of summer for you. I spent time with this gorgeous family on an sunrise session at the beach in August. Because the sun gets up early in summer, so were we…  That golden soft sunlight, though, was more than worth it! And thankfully, most families with small kids are up anyway, so why not be out on an empty beach, with lovely sunlight  and wide awake kids?! 🙂

 

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A dreamy fall session near Nyon

Now that winter is properly here, I am having fun looking at my fall sessions and will be adding them on the blog bit by bit. We had such a beautiful fall and the result was lots of dreamy mornings spent with lovely families. This was certainly one of them!

Despite the fact that we had two little ones who had their own idea as to what needed to happen and where they needed to go, being outdoors and in a place free from distractions (quiet, sunlit woods with no-one around!) meant that we followed the littles ones around, made sure they had some fun along the way, and… voila! Precious images for this family to treasure.

Them, their family, as they were on that day. Unique. Precious. Beautiful. 2016-01-25_00182016-01-25_00192016-01-25_00202016-01-25_0021

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Three lovely teen siblings…

Who would have thought that it could actually be too hot for a photography session?! With the summer we had, we actually had to postpone a few times. Crazy for Switzerland! I usually have challenges with cold wind and rain… But when we did spend an evening together, these three teens who were doing this for their mom, actually had fun, I think. And so did I!

Alison Blog

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New Teen and Tween Sessions

I feel passionately about the need for teens and tweens to be reminded again and again that they are precious, unique, one-of-a-kind, beloved and beautiful! They are headed into a world that will not always treat them this way. This is why I am adding teen and tween photography sessions to my services. What better way to document the amazing transitions they are going through?! Stephanie Face and Blog

I have been spending time with some lovely teens the last few months, and here is one of them. A beautiful high school senior embarking right now on a new adventure! I am wishing her only the very best in this new chapter of her life.

Stephanie Blog

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Twins!

I had the joy of photographing this family’s maternity session last year, and now the twins are here! Pure cuteness… Congratulations, family C, your babies are simply beautiful!

Lana Blog

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Bassins and the Jura mountain – a perfect Swiss session!

This family wanted to remember their time in Switzerland with a family photography session, so we chose a mix of a cute Swiss village and the lovely fields of the Jura mountain. The result: perfect! Who thought that 5 kids would be so easy to photograph?! Aren’t they all lovely?! Kelly Blog

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A Mother’s Day morning in Prangins with this lovely family and their dog Phoebe!

I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Mother’s Day than to capture precious memories of my children, and this is exactly what this lovely family go to do! It was just the perfect morning, warm, summery, quiet, peaceful, beautiful surroundings, and a family who clearly enjoys spending time together. And the cherry on the cake: my daughters got to come as my assistants, and were thrilled to take care of this family’s sweet dog. Molly Blog

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