Christmas Photo Session Calgary: Outdoor vs. Studio Guide

by patil | Nov 7, 2023 | Family Photography, Kids Photography, Life, Outdoor Sessions, Studio Sessions

Christmas Photo Session Calgary: Outdoor vs. Studio Guide

It’s that time of year again, and I’m always excited for Christmas photo shoots. If you’re wondering what your options are for a Christmas photo session in Calgary, here’s a look at how Alpina Photography approaches Christmas-themed sessions.

Christmas is hands-down the most festive holiday of the year — a chance to slow down, gather with family, and connect away from the everyday hustle. As a kid, it felt like living in a fairy tale: decorating the house, writing cards, watching Christmas movies. Now, as a mom of two, that same sense of wonder is still there, just from a different side of it.

Photography is my passion, so I get a kind of double Christmas joy: capturing holiday memories for other families and helping paint their own picture of love and connection.

Rather than offering Christmas minis, which can feel like the same template repeated for every client, I prefer full family sessions customized around your family specifically. If you’d rather skip the cliché mall-Santa photo and do something more personal, we can build a Christmas photo session in Calgary around your choice of location, decor, and style. If you’re short on time, I’m happy to design the whole session for you. Like most portrait sessions, a Christmas photo session can be done outdoors or in the studio — here’s how each works.

Outdoor Christmas Sessions

An outdoor Christmas photo session is a great way to capture the feel of the season against a natural backdrop. Winter’s soft natural light, a snowy landscape, and — if you’re lucky — a few falling snowflakes all come together for beautiful photos. The white snow on the ground also makes a bright, clean base that lets pops of colour in clothing or accessories really stand out.

(For more on this style, see our previous post: Photo Shoot In The Snow.)

Choosing Your Location and Props

For outdoor sessions, you’re in control of the style and feel. We’ll talk through your vision together — favourite parks, an inner-city neighbourhood, or downtown Calgary all work well as locations. For props, small touches like holiday garlands, cozy blankets, or coffee mugs add a nice seasonal feel, and if you have a specific Christmassy item, place, or even a vehicle you’d like included, we can absolutely work that in.

Why Outdoor Sessions Feel More Candid

Outdoor sessions tend to produce more candid, natural images with genuine emotion and action, rather than tightly posed shots. A wide open space also gives far more flexibility for framing — from full landscapes to close portraits, and from action shots to a shallow depth of field. Without the limits of a small indoor space, there’s more room to get creative with different lenses, whether that’s wide-angle, zoom, or prime.

Studio Christmas Sessions

A studio Christmas photo session is the right choice if you’re after more posed, staged photos with curated decor and colour in front of a chosen background. Alpina Photography has a wide selection of Christmas props and decor, especially for kids.

Where and How Long

My home studio is located in Montgomery, NW Calgary, with free street parking available. Sessions typically run 45–60 minutes. Since it’s indoors, weather is never a factor, and you’re free to dress as fancy as you’d like — studio lighting is the perfect place to shine.

As a portrait photographer, I don’t believe there’s one “correct” way portraits have to look, so I’m always open to your ideas and personal touches throughout the shoot. The best results usually come from balancing your vision with the experience and creativity I bring as the photographer.

Planning Wardrobe and Style

For studio sessions, it helps to coordinate wardrobe across everyone in the family so the group feels cohesive against the festive theme. If you need Christmas outfits for your kids, I may have options available — wardrobe use is free. We’ll talk through style, background, and clothing choices during a pre-session phone call, and if you’d prefer a plain backdrop with just a touch of Christmas decor, that’s an easy option to plan for too.

Ready to Book Your Christmas Photo Session in Calgary?

Whether you choose an outdoor or studio session, my best advice for the day itself is simple: relax, have fun, and enjoy the time with your family. A relaxed, joyful atmosphere is what leads to genuinely beautiful, candid holiday photos.

Ready to start planning? Get in touch, or book your session date directly.

How to Prepare for Calgary Professional Headshots

by patil | Mar 23, 2023 | Headshot Photography, Life, Studio Sessions

How to Prepare for Calgary Professional Headshots

A great headshot is a partnership. It’s the photographer’s job to set the lighting, guide the session, offer posing direction, and help you feel relaxed and confident in front of the camera. But a few simple preparations on your end can make a measurable difference in the final result — often the gap between a photo that looks “fine” and one that genuinely looks like the best version of you.

Your headshot is frequently the first impression a client, employer, or connection has of you, whether it’s on LinkedIn, your company’s website, or a conference bio. That’s a lot riding on a single image, which is exactly why a little preparation goes a long way. As a Calgary headshot photographer, I always tell clients that the technical side of the photo — lighting, camera settings, retouching — is my job. The part you control is everything you bring into the room with you.

Preparing well for Calgary professional headshots comes down to four things: grooming, makeup, clothing, and posing. Here’s how to approach each one.

Grooming and Makeup

A natural, polished look works best for a business headshot. Get a fresh haircut or trim beforehand, shave or style facial hair neatly, and cleanse and moisturize your skin so it looks clear and healthy on camera. It’s worth scheduling any haircut a few days ahead of your session rather than the morning of — this gives it time to settle into its natural shape rather than looking freshly cut.

Skin prep matters more than people expect. Drink plenty of water in the days leading up to your session, and if your skin tends to run dry, a good moisturizer the night before and morning of can help avoid any flaky or dull patches under studio lighting. If you’re prone to breakouts, try not to introduce any new skincare products right before your session — stick with what you know works.

make up for a headshot photo Keep makeup understated. Heavy or dramatic makeup tends to distract from a professional look, especially under studio lights, which can exaggerate anything too heavy-handed. Choose a foundation that matches your skin tone with light to medium coverage, and blend it carefully into your neck and jawline for a seamless finish. A light dusting of setting powder can also help reduce shine, particularly if your session includes multiple looks or outfit changes.

Your eyes are a natural focal point in a headshot, so give them subtle definition — neutral eyeshadow shades work well, paired with mascara for a bit of length and volume. Keep lips simple with a natural-looking colour close to your own lip tone, or a subtle neutral gloss. The overall goal with makeup for a headshot isn’t to look “done up” — it’s to look like the most rested, polished version of your everyday self.

How to Dress for Your Session

Since the goal is to keep attention on your face, avoid bold patterns, distracting graphics, or visible logos. Solid, neutral colours — black, white, gray, navy — tend to photograph best and read as timeless in a professional setting. Busy patterns like tight stripes or small checks can also create a distracting visual effect called moiré on camera, which is another good reason to keep things simple.

Let your outfit reflect your industry. how to prepare for headshot session A creative field often allows for more relaxed attire, while more traditional or formal industries typically call for a suit or blazer. Fit matters just as much as colour — a well-tailored piece will always photograph better than an expensive one that doesn’t sit right on your shoulders, so it’s worth trying on your outfit ahead of time rather than the morning of your session. If you’re early in your career and want more guidance, MasterClass has a solid overview on how to dress for work.

If you’ve booked a studio session with Alpina Photography, feel free to bring a few outfit options so we can see what photographs best together. Two or three options give us room to test what works with the lighting and background, and it’s genuinely helpful to have that flexibility rather than committing to a single outfit in advance. Just avoid anything overly trendy or flashy — simple, well-fitted clothing keeps the focus where it belongs: on you.

How to Pose for a Business Headshot

Good posture sets the tone for the whole photo. Stand tall with your shoulders back and your chin lifted slightly — this conveys confidence and professionalism from the first glance. Many people naturally lean forward toward the camera without realizing it, so it can help to consciously root your weight back through your heels before each shot.

At the same time, relaxed shoulders matter just as much as good posture. Tension reads on camera, so aim for a natural, approachable stance rather than a stiff one. Avoid leaning or tilting your head too far in either direction, as this can create unflattering shadows. If you’re not sure how a pose looks, don’t be afraid to ask — checking the screen between shots is a normal part of the process, and small adjustments often make a bigger difference than they seem to in the moment.

Find your best angle

Turn your head slightly left or right how to pose for a headshot photo during the session to find the angle that suits you best, and make sure your face is fully visible to the camera. Most people have a side they photograph slightly better from, and part of a good session is simply trying a few variations until we find yours.

Practice your expression beforehand

A genuine smile always photographs better than a forced one. Think of something that makes you happy rather than posing a smile directly, and practice in a mirror if it helps you find a relaxed, natural expression. A more serious look or a subtle smirk can also work well, depending on the tone you’re going for — and it’s often worth capturing a mix of both during your session, since different platforms or uses may call for a different feel.

Give your hands something to do

Resting your hands lightly in your pockets or on a nearby surface tends to look more natural than letting them hang stiffly at your sides. If your headshot includes your hands in the frame, a relaxed, slightly open hand position photographs better than a clenched or overly rigid one.

A strong business headshot should convey both professionalism and approachability. With a bit of preparation using the tips above, you’ll walk into your session ready to look and feel your best — and as your photographer, my job is to make the rest of the process feel effortless on your end.

Ready to book your Calgary professional headshots? As a Calgary headshot photographer, I’ll guide you through every step of the session so all you need to focus on is showing up prepared. You can book your session online in just a few minutes. Leave the details to me — I’m here to help you look your best.

9 Reasons Why You Should Hire a Professional Photographer

by patil | Feb 1, 2022 | Family Photography, Headshot Photography, Life, Outdoor Sessions, Studio Sessions

9 Reasons Why You Should Hire a Professional Photographer

We all take photos with our cameras or cell phones daily. Especially with social media becoming an important part of our lives and the development of smart phones equipped with cameras pretty much shaped our habit of taking photos so, one can ask why I would hire a photographer after all.

During the point and shoot era, dreadful photos filled our photo albums. We kept them for the sake of “memories”. After many years of struggling with terrible picture quality and blurry images we took with our point and shoot cameras, finally we have cell phones that can take some fine photos as long as we have no problem with “image resolution” or “composition”.

Let me tell you about an anecdote from a few years ago:

We were at a restaurant, dining together with old friends first time after many years. I wanted to take a group photo as a memory from our get-together. My friend said, let’s ask the waiter to do it, so all of us would be in the picture. When the waiter took the photo, my friend wanted to see it before letting him go. I found it kind of offensive and unkind, thinking “who can fail to take a simple cell phone photo” My friend checked her phone and she burst into a laughter saying “our heads are missing” I was both shocked and embarrassed for both the waiter failing to take a simple photo, and us being such jerks making fun of this, but I couldn’t stop myself laughing either 😊

Paying attention to including all important human parts in the frame, the second photo was much better with some lighting issues.

Cell phone cameras are terrific tools as an aid in our everyday life. We use them often when we are shopping, when we want to document visible health issues to share with the doctor, collecting inspirations for our art project, file sharing and so on.

On the other hand, photography is a form of art, just like painting or music; not only a tool to document what there is out there. When taking a landscape photo or a portrait, no matter what camera we are using, the purpose is capturing our subject in a visual order that is pleasing to the eye, expressing the emotions in the moment, reflecting the mood of the environment. For a good photograph we need to melt technique and aesthetics in the same pot. If one of them is lacking, the photo ends up being a dull, lifeless picture. It may be ok for capturing everyday life and sharing only on the social media platforms. If you want some beautiful photos that you would like to display in an album or hang on your walls, then you need a professional photographer.

Let’s take a closer look at the 9 reasons why you should hire a professional photographer.

1. Artistically composed images

When it comes to composition, it takes more than capturing smiling faces with all body parts included in the frame. If you are looking for more than quick snapshots, you can take advantage of a professional photographer’s expertise, knowledge and experience. A professional photographer has a trained eye to identify the best positions and angles in each situation. They assess the current conditions and location to decide where and how to position the subject to get the best light and a meaningful composition. Good composition is a vital element for artistic images, making it interesting, attractive and unique.

2. Editing that is worth every penny

In most cases Images do not come out perfect straight out of the camera. We do a post processing to make them look their best. Sometimes the weather or current conditions at the photography location may not cooperate with the type of photos we want to attain. High-end editing tools like Photoshop enables us to turn a gloomy photo into a bright happy one, or vice versa. Cleaning up the photo off the bad looks such as a garbage bin, or a car parked on the side of the road makes a huge change on the photo.

Detailed skin retouch is another aspect of professional photo editing especially for portraits and professional head shots. When you hire a photographer, photo editing is part of the package. You can have outstanding images that you will be proud to share or display.

3. Professional Equipment for excellent results

Professional photographers utilize high-end specialty equipment to get the best results for their genre of photography. At Alpina Photography we have top-of-the-line studio equipment for portrait photography. Our most popular studio sessions are newborn, headshots, maternity, family and children’s photos. We also bring our equipment on site for on-location business portraits, couples and headshot sessions.

4. Strike a pose like a magazine cover

I often hear people say, “I am not photogenic”. I believe there is a right angle for everyone in which they look great. It is the photographer’s job to find it out and guide you through your photo session on posing to get the best shots. Portrait photographers are experienced photographing all body types and ages, so they know how to make you look slimmer, taller, younger or smaller. They steer you away from frequently done posing mistakes. Your photographer can advise on how to dress or make up for specific styles and looks.

They can also point you out the best possible time of the day to ensure the best lighting therefore greatest portraits. In Calgary, for outdoor portraits, I advise my clients the exact time and place for golden hour photos, for blacked out silhouette photos and so on. This little girl in the below photo in the below photo is not a model, but her mom was 😊

5. You can be in the photos too

You don’t need to sacrifice anyone from your family to take photos. When you have a professional photographer, everyone will be in the photos, looking their best.

I wasn’t aware of how important it is until I realized I was missing from every single photo I took through the years, except for only a few, which were strictly posed and taken quickly. It’s a matter of passion. Not everyone volunteers to take photos.

6. Easy access to the best photography locations

Photographers know all the best places in your city to take certain type of photos. As a professional photographer, I am always in search of new places for outdoor photography. In Calgary, I have a list of places for family photos, couples’ photos, business head shots or cake smash photos. To get the best results, I do pre-session excursions to the target location and make sure if it will look pretty on the session date. In Calgary, spring comes late, summers and falls are short, so we need to be on the lookout all the time and check the weather and if necessary, reschedule the session. After a strong windstorm, in place of a beautiful park, you can find a post-apocalyptic movie setting for your family photos. It always pays off to scout the place beforehand.

7. Getting high quality prints

Professional photographers usually work with high end photography print labs that only work with photography companies. The quick photo prints you will get from a local London Drugs or Walmart store will not please you as for quality, colour accuracy or sharpness as their printers are set for “low ink consumption” The bigger problem is, if your photos are taken in a different colour space than sRGB their printers will not recognize it and you may end up with lifeless photos with cold colours, unwanted tints or low contrast.

Another issue with prints is that most cameras take photos in 3×4 ratio. If you print your photos in different sizes such as square, 5×7, or 8×10, you will lose some of the image to fit in that size. Sometimes it is part of your arm or ear in a portrait that you must give up when you print it yourself. When you order your prints through your photographer, they take care of such cropping issues. As a professional photographer, I never order prints as is, but check them and see how they look in the desired ratio and make that photo fit nicely into that size. To be able to do this sometimes I have to go back to photoshop and re-edit the photo or add a section to make it look meaningful or centered.

Professional labs also offer better quality archival paper and variety of print papers such as metallic, fine art giclee or cotton paper.

8. Variety of photography props

You don’t need to worry about props or backdrops when you hire a professional photographer. At Alpina Photography, we have an abundance of photography props from umbrellas to wooden crates, from flower headbands to Christmas decors and newborn size beds. We maintain a big inventory of photo props and backdrops to make your photo project successful, whether it is family photography, kids photography, cake smash or newborn photography we have you covered. If you have a specific theme on your mind, you can also communicate it during pre-session phone meeting. We do our best to accommodate custom themes at www.alpinaphotography.com

9. Convenience

You don’t need to go through the process of planning, scheduling, choosing a location, deciding what to wear or how to pose, editing photos afterwards, finding a good lab to print them out. These are all your photographer’s job.

Hire a Professional Photographer!

If you’re in Calgary Alberta and looking for professional quality photos for your family album, for your website, or for the baby coming into your life soon, give me a call at (403) 926-4832 to discuss what you are looking for and how we can make it happen for you.

www.alpinaphotography.com

pinar@alpinaphotography.com

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Cake Smash Experience

by patil | Nov 6, 2019 | Cake smash photography, Studio Sessions

Cake Smash Experience: Celebrating 1 Year Milestone

Today I had a cake smash session with little Owen who just turned 1!

Like most 1 year-olds, he didn’t taste much of sweets until his birthday. He was quite skeptical about the cake when we first introduced it to him. Later when he put some in his mouth, he kind of liked it and started exploring what else he could do with a cake. Finally he discovered that he can roll it on the floor like a ball. Paint on the paper with the colored icing. If you leave it to kids, you’ll see the possibilities are endless 😊

Big brother, who was watching Paw Patrol at the moment appreciated home made banana cake better than the little brother, taking short breaks from his favourite show to have little pieces from cake rolling on the floor. LOL.

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