Creating a gallery wall in your home

One thing that I’ve noticed in the past several years that I’ve been photographing families is that most people WANT to display their family portraits on their walls. They WANT to see those beautiful photos everyday! They love the idea of creating a gallery wall.
They just have no idea where to start. 

I totally get that.  Just imagining all the possible options to create a gallery wall in your home can be overwhelming.…

Should they be framed? Should they be matted?  What size should the prints be? But I have a black and white photo… should all the pictures be black and white?  Should the frames match?  Is it okay if one doesn’t match? Should I line them up? Should they be sort-of asymmetrical? But what about the canvas we bought a few years ago?  I can’t hang the canvas with the frames, can I?  Would that look weird?  What do I hang first? Oh forget it, I need a sandwich.

At least I remember thinking all of those things myself at one time or another.  

But I found, as I began offering beautiful canvases, prints, framed art, etc. in my San Antonio studio, I started looking at gallery walls in another way.  In fact, I started seeing all the freedom one actually has when creating a gallery wall in your home! 

And the good news?  It actually can be REALLY EASY!

In this tutorial, I’m sharing how I easily created a simple gallery wall in our San Antonio home- with frames I already had- shortly after moving in.  And shockingly, it didn’t take me forever. (I’m a huge procrastinator by nature. If I don’t have a perfect plan laid out, I tend to put things off until I do.  And you guessed it- I rarely do!)  However, my intolerance of undone tasks overcame my desire for perfect planning and I finally forced myself to JUST START.

Which is how I started this gallery wall! 

I just. Started.

What does that mean?  It could mean : A) gathering all of the photos or prints you’d like to display (or in my case: B) Gathering all the frames I already owned,and a couple canvases) and laying them out on the floor together.  I figure most families either have a bunch of frames laying around ready to be filled with art, or a bunch of art laying around ready to be framed. You could start either way! Just start with what you have! 

SO, here’s everything I gathered together- all laid out on the floor- right underneath the wall where it was going. 

The canvases were samples I had printed when choosing my canvas vendor years ago. (Note: they’re beautifully made, and they’re still the canvases I offer at Sarah Lake Photography today!) I also had a couple other frames that I used as inexpensive artwork when staging our previous house to sell.  I ended up loving them and decided they’d look great alongside the smaller frames (which I already had from who-knows-when).  

What I ultimately want to do is to frame all of our family’s portraits with these insanely cool frames I offer at SLP, because they’re GOOOORGEOUS.  But, as I mentioned… procrastinator right here!  Plus, moving is always expensive so I wanted to just use what we already had for the time being.

At first, I thought I’d just use one canvas, because it seemed the black & white looked great with everything. (And notice that the small wood frames had horizontal photos in them, but I was thinking they’d need to be vertical in this gallery).  Anyway, I just started moving things around.

I didn’t love this first arrangement– Something about the squished-in-the-middle look that didn’t seem right.  So I thought Hmm… maybe everything arranged to create a large rectangle on the wall… 

A little better, but still… not quite. The large gap in the middle didn’t feel right.

So I moved things around some more. This time, I went ahead and threw in the canvas of our son in his bright red shirt.  (Ack! Bright red???  I was thinking it’d stick out like a sore thumb.  But you know what? I adore it.  I don’t even care that he’s in color and our daughter is in black & white.  It’s our family, after all!  It might not be what I’d design for a client, but I’m using what we have.  I’m actually displaying our photos!  And the bottom line is: it still works!  If you mix color and B&W or mix finishes, the art police won’t come knocking on your door.  So, do whatever you like!

You can see I sort of mirrored the left side and right side- sort of like a windmill arrangement in the middle- not even caring that I have 3 dark wood frames and one light wood one.  I felt like it was coming together!   

Then I thought… What if I had an imaginary line that each edge (on the left and right halves) lined up with?   I liked that even more! 

Then the portrait designer in me realized that the composition of the two canvases were such that the subjects (our son and daughter) should be on the outside of their given arrangement, not squished on the inside.  

So I swapped them. I basically flipped everything over to the opposite side.  That’s it!

Now comes the hard part, right?  Hanging it.   <gulp>

Actually, no.  Ever since I discovered this genius hack for hanging frames, art, canvases, whatever-  putting anything on a wall is a piece of cake.  Let me show you!

Thanks to good ‘ol Pinterest, (and this “pin” that I found a few years ago) I’ve been hanging things on my wall with my paint stick hanger ever since.  I LOVE this method. Works like a charm!  

In a nutshell, you drive a small screw about halfway through one end of a wooden paint stick- having the point poke through to the other side.  Hang your artwork on the screw head (in case it’s not obvious- your artwork will need a wire or sawtooth hanger or something on the back of it), and then- by holding the paint stick (with the frame hanging on it) up against the wall- move it around until you know where you want it, then gently press the tip of that screw into the wall, and it will leave a tiny mark.  Boom.  You just marked exactly where your nail (or drywall hook, or whatever) needs to go.  Couldn’t be easier. 

First off: See the pin in the photo? Before I hung anything, I measured the length of my wall.  (Or would that technically be the width?). I determined the middle and marked it with a pin.  It doesn’t have to be exact- just enough to get the middle of your arrangement centered on your wall. 

Now, speaking vertically (from floor to ceiling, I didn’t want my arrangement halfway up this wall, because it would look oddly low! The ideal placement for anything on a wall is (roughly) at the average person’s eye level.  (In this case however, the middle of my whole arrangement is a little higher than that- because when toddlers visit the studio, they’ll be able to walk through this hallway and I wanted the frames just beyond their reach!)

I started by using my paint stick picture hanger to hand the top two pieces, lining up their top edges. (I made sure to center them around that pin, more or less).

Next, I hung the other two pieces underneath them- making sure to leave about the same amount of space between edge.  Again, using the paint stick makes it super easy to look at it and know when it’s just right!  I didn’t bother measuring the space in between the pieces- when it was even, I called it goodl!

I should note: Some of you (like my husband) might feel more comfortable using a tape measure to ensure you have the same space around/between each piece. But for me, my eye is just easier and simpler in my opinion. At a glance, I can tell whether it looks right, or looks too narrow or too wide. (And though I can barely notice a faint margin of error in these photos, it wasn’t enough to bother me- It still looked pretty even!) I don’t care if it’s not exact to the nearest millimeter, It just needs to LOOK right! I was pretty satisfied with this. 🙂

It literally took less time to hang everything than it did to decide on an arrangement.  And this arrangement might not be for everyone. You might want a more structured arrangement or maybe something that looks more free-form. You may want everything to having the same-size, matching frame (which is stunning!) or it might be more important to you to display photos that are special, regardless of their size. It’s up to you.

But the lesson here is this:  You don’t need any special templates or outlines on your wall. Seriously, lay everything out on your floor!  Don’t be afraid to move things around. A lot. Don’t be afraid to swap out artwork in order to hang your horizontal frames vertically, or vice versa.  Don’t be afraid to mix frame finishes.  Definitely don’t be afraid to mix media- I have frames and canvases together, and I’d be up for throwing in any other cool memento in there, too!  And don’t be afraid of putting together color and black and white prints.  Likewise, don’t be afraid of hanging an entire black and white gallery wall, either.  They’re YOUR photos. They’re the faces you love.  Play around with it. See what looks good.  When you know, you’ll know!  😉

And here is the finished gallery- after adding my printed portraits!  I swapped a few older photos for some from our family’s most recent session (with the talented Jesica Lacey Photography of MD).  The ones I removed went into smaller frames that are now on our mantle.  🙂 

Now remember- I needed to have this display just out of reach of little hands, so you’ll notice it’s a bit higher than what’s ideal. But it still looks great!

I really hope this will help some of you fellow procrastinators finally put up those family photos in a way that looks amazing!  I’d love to see your own gallery walls or other arrangements you made with your family’s photos- please share them below!  And remember… You probably have a ton of photos of your children, but do they have any of YOU?  Make sure that you exist in photos for your children.  <3 

Check out my pinterest board beow for other great tips on creating your own gallery wall!

Every year around Mother’s Day, I have the persistent notion about hosting an event to celebrate Moms– and that special connection between a mother and her littles. Because as dorky as it sounds, I LOVE Mother’s Day. It’s kind of a big deal for me. Because being a mother to my two children is the most important and most meaningful role I’ve ever had in my life. I think that’s the case for every mother.

So this year, I’m celebrating Motherhood with a special portrait event!

MOTHERHOOD MINI SESSIONS ARE COMING TO MY SATX PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO IN LATE APRIL!

These SLP Motherhood Mini Sessions are going to be simple, beautiful, and stress-free! And your children (and you!) will love these photos more each passing year.

HERE ARE THE DETAILS!

MOTHERHOOD MINI SESSIONS | $250

• FOUR DAYS ONLY! April 27-30 (Thurs-Sat) at my northeast San Antonio home studio.
• 15 minute studio session for Mom and up to 4 children.
• Includes 5 full-resolution digital images (with print release)
• Additional images and/or custom products will be available for purchase!

Approximately 12-14 total images will be created for your online viewing gallery (which will be emailed to you about 2 weeks after your session). You can then download your five favorite images. Additional images are also available for purchase as follows:

• Additional Digital Images: $50 each
• Entire Extended Gallery: $175

You are also more than welcome to order custom print products with your images! I have samples of all the SLP custom products (canvases, fine art print, albums, etc) here at the studio. When you visit for your mini session, be sure to browse the product samples!

LIMITED SLOTS AVAILABLE, SO BOOK EARLY!

Want to reserve a slot before they’re opened to the public? Sign up for the newsletter! After current clients, all my newsletter peeps get first dibs on mini sessions. Just click the link below to SIGN UP!

Want to hear about upcoming specials?

Short answer: the earlier the better!

The newborn stage is incredibly fleeting- after just a 3 or 4 weeks, babies no longer have that tiny, brand- new “newborn” look.  So to ensure that you can actually capture baby’s brand-new-ness, it’s best to book your newborn’s session as soon as possible- ideally by your second trimester.  If you wait too long to decide to capture those only-once-in-a-lifetime photos, it’s very possible the photographer you choose may be fully booked. (Yes, sadly it’s happened many times.) 

I myself only book a limited number of newborn sessions per month to ensure that I can accomodate varying arrivals and give each and every one of my families the best possible service and turnaround.  For me, this means no more than 8 newborns each month. (That’s not very many slots!)  Especially in a huge area like San Antonio. This time in your child’s life literally only lasts a few weeks, so don’t miss out on capturing it. You can’t get the time back. Book early if you can!

Last-minute sessions…

However, if circumstances left you unable to book a session while you were still expecting, and baby has finally arrived- please don’t hesitate to reach out. There have been many times where my schedule has allowed me to fit in a last-minute newborn session, and I’m thrilled when I can help serve parents that way!  But planning a newborn session typically takes days (with planning, styling, washing, sanitizing, set-up, take-down, etc.) so it’s not always the case that I can make those accommodations. But it never hurts to inquire!

In fact, my most recent addition to the newborn session lineup is the Simply Wrapped Mini Session. It’s a short and sweet session designed so that I can easily set-up, shoot, and edit far quicker than full newborn sessions, and (fingers crossed) be able to fit it in at the last minute. It includes a small gallery of 10 beautiful images. And it’s a perfect answer to moms and dads who are worried they may miss that “newborn” window! So, if you’re a “last-minute” mom or dad, just get in touch and we may be able to squeeze in a Simply Wrapped Mini Session!

How do we book a newborn session?

Parents can easily book their newborn’s session with a $200 retainer and signed session agreement. That’s all! The retainer is applied toward the session fee, with the remainder due 3 days prior to shooting. Just get in touch and we’ll get the ball rolling! The paid retainer and session agreement guarantee you a spot on my calendar. I block off my calendar with individual due dates (for planning/scheduling purposes) and then finalize an exact date after baby arrives. And because I book no more than 8 newborns each month, this allows me wiggle room for early or late arrivals.

When baby finally makes his or her appearance, just  let me know, and we’ll choose a morning (roughly a week later) that works best for you! Newborn sessions are held on Monday through Friday mornings, around 10am.  I have everything here in my studio that you’ll need (well, except your diaper bag!) To see what to expect during your newborn session, check out this blog post!

When does a newborn session take place?

Photographing newborns when they’re roughly 1-2 weeks old seems to be the “sweet spot”- where they’re still extra sleepy, and before they’ve developed common (but not-so-cute) things like baby acne and hair loss. So, I usually try to schedule baby’s session during that timeframe! Baby should be at least 5 days old (to ensure that they’ve established a good feeding pattern), but anywhere up to 3 weeks old is still a great time for photos.

However, I have photographed MANY newborns that are a month old, or even 6-8 weeks old! Should anything happen that makes it difficult for you to come a week or two after birth- don’t worry! I believe ANY baby can be photographed- regardless of their age. For “older” newborns, I have a few tricks up my sleeve that will still allow me to make beautiful portraits. 😉

What kind of newborn sessions do you offer? 

I currently offer 4 types of newborn photography sessions– The Signature Newborn Session (the most popular), the Petite Newborn Session, the Simply Wrapped Mini Session, and the Fresh 48 Session.

For more details on all the SLP Newborn Sessions, have a look at our Newborn Sessions Page!

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I would bet that the one thing that moms worry about the most when it comes to their family’s portrait session (aside from what she’ll wear) is whether or not her children will behave enough for their photographer to get some “good” photos, or whether they will turn feral and ruin the whole session (and in turn, their family’s investment). 

I get it. Really! 

And remember- I have the luxury of having two different perspectives. One being that of a mother of two children- (one being extremely pig-headed, argumentative, maddening “strong-willed” ) and the other perspective being that of a family photographer.  So I’ve been both behind and in front of the camer, and I really do know how moms and dads feel during family pictures…

Excited to see what gorgeous images are made of their loved ones… Nervous that things won’t turn out…. Hopeful that their kids will be sweet so they can enjoy things…. Worried that they won’t.

So, since I am now behind the camera, doing my best to create those gorgeous images for you, here’s what I want to share with you!

MY 3 MOST IMPORTANT TIPS FOR AN AMAZING PHOTO SESSION WITH DIFFICULT CHILDREN:  

 1.  Find a photographer that not only has experience with children, but ENJOYS working with them!  And then trust them to guide the session. 

And by that, I mean you have to LET them “take over” the chaos and allow them to give directions and guidance to your children.  So, if you’re thinking, “Wait… should I not even say anything if my children start acting up?  Or start being silly/crazy/grumpy/uncooperative? 

YEP.  That’s exactly what I’m saying. And there are a couple of reasons:

I can’t tell you how often well-meaning parents look down at their children to tell them to stop fidgeting/wiggling/making faces, etc. and when I capture that PERFECT expression of their sweet kiddos, it’s Mom or Dad who has the weird face! Never fails!  😆 ⁠

So, really- don’t worry about what your kids are doing- give your photographer the space to guide them and direct them himself/herself…

Kids will be more likely to listen better to your photographer anyway!  (You know how that goes, right? (Just like how they’re angels for their teachers at school but then their devil horns come out at home!)  😆 ⁠

Plus, too many voices at once is simply sensory overload. Let your photographer’s voice be the one your child hears and listens to- they’re the artist who knows what’s needed for an amazing photo!

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2. If your child is having a meltdown- just give them space.

Yes, I expect a meltdown every now and then at a session!  And guess what? Contrary to what moms and dads feel (i know because I’ve been there!) It’s really not a big deal. And it NEVER ruins a session. 

The most important thing that I can do with kiddos who need a minute to collect their emotions is to literally give them space to do so. And I encourage Moms and Dads to do the same! After an upset child a quiet minute to settle down, what they need from mom or dad is most often just a loving hug. They’ll join us when they’re ready (which is never long) and I’ll make sure to gently bring them back into the fold and help them start having fun again! 

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 3.  Remember, your family portrait session should be fun!

Well, I suppose other more “traditional” (i.e. stuffy) photographers might disagree, but the portraits I make for my families show smiles, giggles, laughter, silliness, loving embraces, and everything that I think is most important about growing families.  

And you can’t really have much fun if you’re stressed. Or annoyed by your children’s shenanigans. (Not only will it show on your faces, it will dampen the mood of everyone!) So relax, Mom and Dad. For real! I got this! 😉

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Wondering what to wear for your family’s portrait session? Check out my tips here!

After the huge accomplishment (in my opinion) of actually booking a day for your family’s photos, the next thing on your mind is probably “Oh jeez…. now I have to figure out what we’re going to wear!”

Well, don’t worry a bit.  I can help with that!  

In fact, complimentary wardrobe styling is part of every SLP family session!  Not only can I suggest to you what to wear, I can take a look at your closet (either with photos, or with FaceTime, or even a quick visit to your home if you’re nearby!) and make suggestions for your family from everything you already own. Trust me, a perfect combination is in there- sometimes you just need another set of eyes to spot the perfect items! .It might not seem like much, but I’ve been able to suggest items to my clients from their own closets that they hadn’t even considered to be “family photo” worthy. And they look AMAZING. Sometimes a second opinion is all you need!

WHAT TO WEAR FOR YOUR FAMILY PHOTOS

The first step for styling your family’s wardobe is to think of what you’d love to see in your family’s portraits! Do you love soft, muted, or neutral colors? Or do you like rich, deep colors? Know what YOU love, what you’d like to see in your own portraits, then follow some of these basic rules of thumb to put together a combination that will look beautiful in your portraits.

Don’t try to match! 

You don’t normally wear matching clothes as a family, right?  So, no need to do it for family portraits!  Be real and wear what you’re comfortable in, what makes you feel good, and what COORDINATES with everyone else. I often suggest to Moms to choose their own outfit that makes them feel amazing, and then choose outfits for the rest of the family to coordinate with THAT. After all, it’s no secret that we moms are the hardest on ourselves when it comes to our bodies and our looks… we should wear what makes us feel amazing! (Because we ARE!)😉

Here’s a perfect example (below) of how “matching” isn’t necessary! Mom, Dad, and daughter each have on a different color… However, since the colors are the same intensity or brightness- (they’re muted or soft versions of green, blue, and coral) it works great! In fact, sticking with MUTED colors is always recommended- they photograph much better than intense or bright colors.

Stick with mostly solids & subtle prints

Prints/patterns can be distracting if they’re too “busy” or bold.  So wear mostly solids, with some subtle patterns in small amounts.  (For example: plaids on the guys, light floral prints on the girls)

Don’t wear too much pure white (or black)

Though white is neutral (and “goes” with everything) in a photo it can stick out as the brightest spot in an image.  Especially if it’s next to dark colors or black. Try creams instead! Or if a couple family members are going to wear white, try to keep the rest of the clothing items lighter instead of darker. In summary: choose articles of clothing that aren’t too “contrasty.”

Leave the large logos, graphic tees, and baseball caps at home!

I don’t think this one needs any further explanation! 😛

Choose colors that are cohesive (not match-y)

1. First, choose a color that you love!  (For me, I love anything blue or green!)  If you don’t like orange, for example, don’t feel like you have to wear orange or red for fall photos just because it’s a “fall” color, or just because it’s the trend in instagram… Wear what you love!  

2. Next, pair it with a bunch of neutrals.  For example, khaki pants, denim, gray skirt, cream shorts, etc. Every family member will likely need either a top or a bottom in some kind of neutral tone. Creams, beiges, grays, denim are all neutrals that pretty much go with anything.

3. Add another color (or two) if you’d like!

Finally, add another “pop” of color in a couple places to add some interest and make everything more true-to-life and cohesive. For example: a gold sweater over sister’s blue dress, and a gold plaid scarf on brother.  Or a pink cardigan over mom’s cream dress, and pink shorts on brother/pink flowers on sister’s dress. There really are endless possibilities!

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A note on colors: 

If you’ve chosen a location for your photos that is rich with certain colors (like golden-toned field grasses, or lush, bright green trees and shrubs), wearing a complimentary color (i.e. the opposite color on the color wheel) can make a very striking portrait!  It can give your photos that extra “something” that you can’t quite put your finger on, but looks amazing…..

So, is it necessary to buy new clothes for family photos?? Absolutely not!  (But for those of you who LOVE to shop, portraits are a fun reason to go shopping for your family!)  Either way- It’s completely up to you. If the thought of being able to buy new outfits for your family thrills you, then by all means do that! Or if the though of simply shopping your closet makes you breathe a sigh of relief, then that’s all you need to do! 🙂

For more info on SLP family sessions and all that’s included, click here!