Thank you for selecting kelli barnette photography!
I strive to provide you with a stress-free photography experience and timeless photos.
I fell in love with family photography because I cherish the raw and organic emotion. My style is more relaxed and focuses less on props & set-ups, and more on authentic moments/interactions. I will do everything I can to provide you with a unique experience from start to finish.
Please be sure to read through this welcome guide thoroughly & contact me with any questions that arise!
what to expect
Here’s what you can expect from me during our time together.
calm & collected : please do not worry if you child seems less than happy; some of the best photos come from encouraging little ones to play & interact with you as you would if you were at home!
be ready to play : playing with your littles creates the most authentic moments and genuine smiles. Have some songs in mind that they love to sing or anything special they do with you! (for example—high fives & Eskimo kisses)
formal portraits : as soon as your family is warmed up we will of course get the formal family shots (the ones you send to family or may use on a Christmas card) all while having fun in the process. I find that showing them a few photos on the back of my camera sometimes helps them see how much fun they’re having ;)
your Gallery : within 2-3 weeks of your session you will receive your digital gallery for viewing & downloading your photos. During the wait time, I will often post a few sneak peeks to my Instagram or Facebook pages; be sure to keep an eye on these platforms to get a peek into your final gallery!
illness precautions
At Kelli Barnette Photography, safety is my top priority. Here is what you can expect from me and what I will be asking of clients to prevent unnecessary contamination.
Arrival - Sadly, We will avoid hand-shaking all together. Please know I am still excited to see you and your sweet family!
Sick Symptoms - Please notify me immediately if you or anyone in your family become ill. This is not limited to Covid symptoms but any type of bug, cold or flu as well. I will also notify you if myself or my family should fall ill. Your session will need to be postponed until further notice if any one of us are sick. Please don’t arrive to your session if your family is ill in any way. I will need to leave and your retainer fee will not be refunded.
Masks - I do not require masks outdoors but only ask that when you are not being photographed we keep a 6ft distance in order to keep all well as I work with vulnerable populations such as newborns. If I arrive to your session and your family is wearing masks, I will assume that it would make you more comfortable that I too wear a mask. If I arrive to your session and your family is not wearing a mask, I will too skip wearing a mask during our time together.
Clothing - I ask that all clothing worn by both parties be freshly laundered. Meaning I will wear clean clothing before your session and will immediately launder my clothing once the session is over. I ask that you please do the same for parents, siblings and newborns.
how to prepare
pack a bag of essentials : changes of clothes for the little, wipes, snacks, a favorite toy—anything that could be a life saving item during our session ;)
added guests : I ask that we keep added guests to a minimum of primarily those being photographed. However, I do understand that sometimes it can be essential to have Grandma attend to help generate smiles for formal shots, or to hold on to dog leashes once their photo op is complete. Please limit these additional guests to 1 as it can be a bit of a distraction and I would love to connect with your family!
avoid ouchies : Try to avoid bumps, bruises, and scratches leading up to your session. I understand accidents happen, so if your little one gets hurt please don’t hesitate to reach out & we can talk it over beforehand.
drive time : be sure to allow plenty of time for the commute to our selected location. Outdoor sessions are all about the light & a change in schedule could shorten our session time due to the light quality. If you have any questions about the directions to our location, feel free to shoot me an e-mail or give me a call & we’ll discuss!
preparing the littles : Getting your kiddos excited beforehand is so important! Assure them that Mrs. Kelli just wants to have fun while taking some photos—they may even hear me make a few funny noises, play peek-a-boo, or attempt to sing a song.
relax : Sometimes as parents we get frustrated when the littles don’t participate as we hope. It will happen that they may not want to sit/stand with their hands down & the perfect smile, and it is OK! If they want to dance, let them—sing & pick wildflowers? Perfect! Consider joining them ;) I promise sometimes these are the best photos I capture because we are documenting your child exactly who they are at this stage. (& it’s much better than red noses & teary eyes… am I right?!)
rainy days : There are times where outdoor sessions have to be rescheduled due to weather (rain, freezing rain, hail). This will be at my discretion, but will be called with enough advance time so that you aren’t turning around mid commute. Cloudy days, believe it or not, can make some of the most beautiful evenly lit photos! For these days we will shoot as planned :) I will always keep an open line of communication if it appears we may encounter less than ideal weather conditions.
dads: When you arrive at our meeting spot, be sure to remove keys/wallets/phones from your pockets as they can be distracting.
moms: When planning your outfit be sure that bra straps can’t be seen. Upon arrival to location for your shoot be sure you remove any hair ties from wrists or jewelry you don’t want in your images.
kids: please be sure to remove any tattoos, bandaids, stickers, or wrist bands from camps etc. as these won’t be removed in post without an additional fee.
be ready at our start time : have all persons participating in your shoot dressed and ready to start at our scheduled time or upon my arrival (depending on location). If everyone is not ready to start on time, we will lose time as our session will end at our scheduled end time.
what to wear
Here are a few wardrobe tips to consider when styling your family session:
basics : Think about coordinating your family vs. being matchy-matchy. Wear colors that flatter your skin & hair color. I was given the tip once “select moms outfit first & coordinate dad & the littles with her”. Often times mamas put themselves last, but are often the hardest on themselves. Kiddos are confident & happy in most anything, so consider selecting your outfit first & coordinating everyone else to you! Please be sure that you are comfortable with your outfit being photographed in it’s entirety - meaning everything from the top of your head (hair/hats) all the way to your feet (shoes or barefoot).
colors : When selecting your outfit colors, think about muted colors vs. bright/vibrant colors. Examples of this would be maroon vs. red, burnt orange vs. bright orange, ivory vs. white, or baby pink vs. hot pink! Often times these bright colors reflect color casts onto the skin. Another trick is to think about your location when planning your outfits; if your session is in a field of colorful wildflowers, neutrals would compliment this location beautifully! A simple wheat field in the fall might be best complimented with the fall wardrobe colors you think of :)
maternity : We want to accentuate & highlight your baby bump. Fitted, flow-y maxi dresses are absolutely gorgeous for this reason.
body type : Don’t be afraid to accentuate your shape (mamas & daddy’s!). Flow-y, fitted fabrics always look fantastic! When buying outfits for children, select well-fitting clothes vs. something that they will grow into.
comfort : Please never wear something you are not 100% comfortable & confident in. If you have doubts, it will show in your photos. If you love wearing maxi dresses, wear it! If jeans & a stylish top are more your jam—go for it! You all will shine brighter in your photos if you feel good about what you are in!
barefoot : Something about being barefoot seems more relaxed & natural. If this is natural for your family, and works with our location—I have no problem with bare feet!
stylish : Dress a little extra special. I’m notorious for being in leggings & a long shirt in my day-to-day life. However, for your photo session, consider selecting an outfit for you and each family member that is just a little step up from what you all would wear during everyday life. Think about jewelry, shoes, and other accessories to help make your session special.
distractions: Last tip, (I promise!). Men/Dads in particular, please keep phones & wallets out of pockets for our session. Women/Girls: Be sure that when selecting an outfit that you have a bra that works well and won’t be seen (such as straps particularly in the summer) as these images will have to be sent off for retouching for a small fee if you want them removed. For Kids: Remove any temporary tattoos/stickers etc.
outfit changes: Changing outfits for children (or adults) is reserved for full & newborn sessions only. When it comes to changing outfits, I highly recommend starting in the outfit you want photographed the most & touching base before changing. If you’re kiddo is not a fan of changing clothes, I might recommend not adding this in so that we don’t miss out on a happy kiddo to photograph. Unfortunately, the length of petite & mini sessions just doesn’t allot for changing clothes.