Photo Ideas for Your Adoption Profile
"We give up! Just use the photos we have now and do the best you can." As a profile designer, I hear phrases like this all the time, and it always makes me a little sad. Do I understand the how anxious clients are to move forward with their outreach? Of course I do. Can we make a profile with a less-than-stellar set of photos? Of course we can. Our designers are amazing- but they can't do their best if you don't give us your best.
N & M are current clients who were overwhelmed and exhausted by the process, probably just like you are now. And I'm sure they were more than a little frustrated with me when I repeatedly asked for additional photos (sorry N&M!) Like many clients, they live in a part of the country that has long winters and this made taking photos even harder. It's cold, there's no greenery and the landscape is brown, gray, and dull. They did an amazing job of digging deep and finding the enthusiasm for a new photoshoot, and they were gracious enough to allow me to share their photos with you. They brainstormed local locations for photos that had vibrant backgrounds, and visually interesting locations. Here's what they did right!
BEFORE
AFTER
If your local landscape is brown, dull, and cold you will need to find other ways to bring visual interest into your photos. Physical structures provide a visual anchor in your photos that helps move the eye around the photo and provides visual interest. In these photos, the arbor and water tower give the photos balance and structure without distracting the viewer from the focus of the photo- which should be YOU!
2. Be on the lookout for murals in your community where you can take photos. This is a fabulous way of bringing vibrant color into the background of your photos. Murals are fantastic backgrounds for photos and give a contemporary, urban feel.
BEFORE
AFTER
3. Cold weather photos make us feel cold just by looking at them. Watch for body language that shows you're cold- relax your shoulders, uncross your arms and pull your shoulders back to open your body. We tend to pull our shoulders up and in when we're chilly, so a quick body check is a great way to not radiate "I'm COLD!" in photos.
4. Photos in coats and hats will seem really dated when your profile is viewed in the summer, but photos in the summer don't feel dated when viewed in the winter. I don't know why, but I know it's true. Shed your coat, hat and gloves when taking photos, even if it's chilly. We also want your clothing to share something about your personality and personal style, and a big, black coat just doesn't do that.
5. If you can't rely on the landscape for bright colors, wear clothing as bright as is comfortable for you. If you're wavering between a gray shirt or a bright blue sweater, go for the blue! Consider scarves and chunky jewelry to add pops of color too.
By the time you've reached the stage of working on your profile you've invested countless hours in researching agencies or consultants, you've submitted a million documents for your home study and you've written more checks than you'd ever thought possible. And I get it- you're exhausted by the entire process. You just want it all done so you can get to the place where you're being presented to expectant parents so you can relax a little. But I'm here to tell you- nothing, and I mean nothing, you've done up until this point is more important than your profile. It's the one thing that will make or break your adoption process. As a designer, I believe design matters a great deal. But the most important part of your profile is your photos.
Working with a photographer is always a GREAT idea. They understand the nuances working with natural light which can be tricky in the winter, and they likely know of great locations around town for a dynamic photoshoot. I always recommend the photographers with Shoott.com to my clients. They're like the Air B&B of photograhers- they have photographers across the country. Using the link or offer code OurChosenChild you'll get 20% off five or more photos, and they're ridiculously inexpensive to begin with. Win Win!
