Say..."cheese?"

If you have been to my studio or worked with me before you know I am not a fan of "Say CHEESE!" to elicit smiles. Why? Well, for one reason, after 19 years of photographing children I'm just plain tired of hearing that shouted over my shoulder when I'm working. I know that parents just want great smiles from their kids! And believe me, I want that too; but part a photographer's job is connecting with their subjects, not just pushing a button. Whether I'm at my studio or at a school I work to establish a rapport with children and I have a huge array of words and silly phrases that I will drop to get those natural smiles from them. I've also found with some kids that they've heard "say cheese" so much that it no longer means a natural smile, just a pasted-on fake one. So say no to CHEESE and trust me (or whoever your photographer is!) to get those spontaneous, happy smiles from your children!

Silly smiles!

Graduation portraits for the Class of 2026!

High school and college graduations are upon us and here at Anne Companion Photography in Hampton Va we have options for everyone!

If you would like studio portraits you can schedule a session for up to 5 people (including the grad) for up to 5 people (the graduating senior, plus 4 family members or friends) for $275+tax at tinyurl.com/studiocapgown

And if an outdoor location for your graduation portraits is what you'd prefer that will be $359+tax for up to 5 people and can be scheduled at tinyurl.com/outdoorcapgown

Whatever you choose I will capture memorable portraits that will last you a lifetime! Call 757-630-5860 if you preferred date is not on the schedule or if you have any questions.

#capandgown #gradportraits #graduation #classof2026 #hamptonva

"What should we wear for our portraits?"

When families plan a portrait session with me one of the questions they frequently ask is "any tips for what we should wear?" Yes! I tell families that they can match if they choose to, but it's not necessary. The important thing is to look coordinated with one another; choose a color scheme and build around that, and make sure the clothing styles go together as well--you wouldn't have one person in a suit and another in jeans and a t-shirt!

Another thing to consider is the setting for your portraits. On the beach a casual, fun look is great! In a more formal setting (sometimes in the studio) you might want to have everyone dress up more.

The most important thing is to look like you all belong together, not like a random group of people that just happened to take a photo together! Check out some examples below, from portraits on the beach to a park, to the studio!