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Very classic family photo shoot in Washington, DC

I love meeting great people in general, but moreover I love getting to know great families, who seem to find their way to live in harmony. I mean, sure, every family has its own issues, and Leo Tolstoy may have said “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” I still think that families who have found a way to accept, support each other and be happy together, are the ones that should be admired.

I happened to meet this wonderful family of four – Hedy, Babak and their two lovely daughters Noora and Tara.

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We initially met through a common friend of mine a few years ago. I couldn’t believe how much the girls have grown, when I saw them all dressed up for the photo shoot.

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I still remembered them being just kids, but now they certainly looked like beautiful young ladies.

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One of my favorite places to take pictures in Washington, DC is Jefferson Memorial. The marble serves as a great, very neutral background, while the monument structure gives some cover from the direct sunlight.

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Hedy specifically wanted to do family pictures in DC – something classic and timeless. I think marble and tall columns of Jefferson Memorial were exactly what they were looking for.

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Notice, how Hedy put together the outfits for the family photo shoot. I usually advise to coordinate outfits, so that the colors and styles looked cohesive. They used black color as a base, with white and turquoise as accent colors. Simple styles and solid colors usually look best in the pictures.

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Normally a family photo shoot lasts about 1-1,5 hrs. It’s long enough to get all the shots, but not too long, so that my clients are not getting tired. I usually do all the group shot first – the family altogether to get everyone to relax. I noticed that it’s easier to relax in front of the camera, when you’re a part of the group versus individual portraits.

After a variety of group family shots, I move to smaller groupings – in this case it’s mom and the girls, dad and the girls, just kids. There’s a lot of variations, but I always ask my clients what groupings they prefer.

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Sometimes I may move back and forth between smaller groups, individual shots and family altogether. I try to feel the mood of every family member and engage everyone as much as I can.

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Finally, we do a few walking/moving shots, that looks not as posed, more candid and natural.

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Some families want to do two different outfits – it’s usually one formal, dressy, and one more casual like jeans and t-shirts. In this case, they asked me to do more pictures of the girls wearing something casual.

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They look so pretty! I’m sure these will be cherished over the years.

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To schedule your family photo shoot in DC area, please email me at [email protected]

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