Prep Guide: Christmas Market Mini Sessions
I’m so excited that we’ll be spending time together at one of my favorite Christmas Markets.
If you need to reach me on the day of our session, please send me a text message or call via WhatsApp at +49 176 43633578 . If I miss your call, please leave a text message so that I know to return the call.
Please plan on arriving well ahead of your scheduled start time to allow time for parking or to walk from the train station, depending on how you’re getting there.
Usually parking isn’t an issue in the morning; however, parking spots in Esslingen can be small so please plan accordingly.
Address, Parking, and Directions
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There is a small parking garage at the address provided above. It usually has availability in the morning but this is not 100% guaranteed.
This parking lot is about a 5 min walk from our meeting location. I personally don’t recommend parking here if you have a larger vehicle because the spots are very small and the turns are tight. Small sized SUVs should be ok; mid-sized SUV and above will be a very, very tight fit.
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Our meeting spot is located approximately 15 minutes (depending on how quickly you walk) from the S-Bahn train station.
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Our meeting spot will be in the more “modern” part of the market because it photographs better. As you enter the market (see walking path map below), look for the tall Christmas Pyramid. It’s a tall multi-tiered wooden structure with a spinning top (more like a column and not at all like what you may associate with a “pyramid.” Near the Christmas Pyramid is a small merry-go-round. I’ll be standing there in a jeans and a black jacket, most likely wearing two cameras.
Google Maps Pin to the spot:
Wardrobe Suggestions
This location works very well with winter wear - sweaters, cute jackets, hats, gloves, scarves, etc. Our backdrop will be the Christmas Market in an old German half-timbered town, which means the backdrop is going to be vibrant with a lot of little details. Because of this, I actually recommend sticking mostly to solids, plaids, or small prints to not clash with the background.
Choose an outfit for the person who is the hardest to shop for first and build the rest of the family’s wardrobe around that person.
Coordinate your wardrobe around a chosen color palette so that each of you look great individually but also when grouped up together.
For those wearing pants - match your pants. For example, all the pants are denim or all the pants are khakis. Dresses and skirts can be a mix and match of fabrics.
Avoid super bold prints, logos, and characters or illustrations as they will distract the focus away from your faces.
The fit is KEY. Make sure that your outfits sit exactly how and where you want each piece to sit, trying out different poses (walking, standing, sitting, etc).
Comfort is important. Some children are very sensitive to certain textures and clothing tags. Some children have very strong opinions about what pieces of clothing they will (or will not) wear. Choosing something that your child likes and feels comfortable in will go a long way in helping them feel comfortable on the shoot so that we can focus on creating beautiful images and new memories.
Dress appropriately for the weather. For older children, teens, and adults we can typically get away with being cold for short time. For younger children, dressing warmly helps when we are shooting outdoors in the fall. Plan on layering. Leggings, tights, and thermal underlayers are great if you’re going for the “no jacket” early winter look.
Remember shoes and appropriate socks. Investing in shoes that go with your outfits really ties together the whole look and feel of your images. Rule of thumb with socks: neutral or black is best because chances are we’ll probably do one or two sit down poses and they will peep out.
Iron or steam your clothes. With fabric that tends to wrinkle easily, plan on maybe changing once you’ve parked the car.
Hair and Skin Guide
Treat your photo session the same way you would a major event.
No new skincare or products within 48 hours to avoid allergic reactions.
Schedule haircuts/trims well ahead of the session to allow for any unexpected errors or surprises.
Hair color should be applied several days ahead of our session to allow color to be washed off the scalp
Trim/remove any unwanted facial hair
Trim and clean nails
Moisturize skin and lips in the days leading up to our session
Hydrate well the week of our session
Test out and use hair products to ensure that everyone’s hair can survive possible humidity, static, wind, etc.
On Our Shoot Day
Whenever possible, don’t overschedule your session day. Arriving rested and refreshed is an excellent way to start a session.
Give yourself plenty of time to get ready, drive, park, and get to our meeting location. Getting ready for a photo session tends to be stressful for most families, and giving yourselves time will help alleviate a lot of that stress.
Make sure to eat something prior to our session if it is around the time when you or your family normally have a meal or a snack. Trust me on this one: you don’t want hungry kids (or adults) on a shoot.
What to Bring
Hair brushes and combs in case we need to smooth down hair.
If wearing make-up, bring the essentials with you for touch-ups if needed.
Water and small, easy to chew snacks. I’m a huge fan of neutral colored goldfish crackers and Pez candy.
A small blanket to bundle up and keep warm during the shoot. It’s a lot easier to wrap and unwrap a blanket from a young child than to take jackets on and off during a shoot.
One Final Note
In my own life, I have learned to take a deep breath and remind myself that my child is is a child and that if they are “not cooperating” it is most likely because they are having a hard time, and not because they are trying to give me a hard time. This has made a world of difference for me as a mom and a photographer.
This is at the core of my approach to photographing people of all ages: with empathy.
On my shoots, we encourage desired behavior through encouragement and positive reinforcement. I ask that parents be on the same page with me on this because it is VERY hard to get a child to get back to a state of mind where they are genuinely smiling (especially on a mini session) after getting scolded or teased by a parent. Gentle and playful behavior will generally get you the desired giggles and smiles. When necessary, we redirect and take breaks as needed. Children under the age of 10 generally do not understand that a mini-session only lasts 15-20 minutes, and it’s so important for us as adults to help gently direct them towards the desired behavior.
There could be a myriad of reasons why a family member (adult or children) may seem difficult or incorporative during a session. They might be nervous, anxious, tired, overly stimulated, cold, hot, hungry, just had a fight, sick, teething, or just having a rough day/week/month. I want you to know that as your photographer, I understand this and that I fully expect children to be children during a shoot. I ask that clients keep this in mind and work with me to help their loved ones overcome whatever challenges that they may be experiencing before and during a shoot and extend extra love and grace.
I ask that you be gentle with yourselves and each other before, during, and after session. Talk to your loved ones about our upcoming session, together or individually, and if you do have a reluctant family member I encourage you to try to work with them to address some of the reasons they are reluctant. Feeling anxious before or during a shoot is a normal behavior for most people, of all ages. In my experience, it does get better during the session especially if the adults on the shoot are on the same page.
And if things go sideways? It’s ok - we’ll roll with it. As a mom of 3 (20, 19, and 6 year old) who has photographed literally thousands of children: there’s really not much that can frazzle me on a shoot. Come as yourselves and we’ll work together to create these beautiful images together.
I’m looking forward to meeting your family and creating beautiful memories with you. Thank you for choosing me to be your photographer.