Family Portraits + Easy Chalkboard Paint Craft

This is a partnered post with Portrait Innovations. All opinions are my own. I love capturing memories like family portraits. Since I’m usually behind the lense on the blog, I try to coordinate family pictures with a professional studio at least once a year. One thing that’s always important is great photo props. Most studios have a variety of props to use, but it’s also fun to mix in something personal too. This year we created this super easy chalkboard paint craft. I found everything we needed at our local big box retailer. Here’s what you’ll need to pull off this fun craft!

Chalkboard Paint Photo Props

• Chalkboards (I found these in the craft aisle for less than $2!)
• A variety of chalk paint markers
• Stencils
• Tape (for the stencils)

The chalkboard markers are much cheaper than the paint so I recommend those if you’re on a budget. Remember to shake them first to activate them. I taped down the numbered stencils so they stayed in place while the boys colored. Since we were doing a “beachy theme” we glued on a few shells from our most recent trip to the beach as a final touch. This craft is super easy for kids or adults and takes just a few minutes from start to finish. We had so much fun crafting these photo props! This was our first time using Portrait Innovations for our family photos, and I have to say I was quite impressed! From the moment we stepped into the studio everything went seamlessly. Our photographer, Michael, and his assistant asked for portrait specifics upfront and walked us through the process. We were able to capture a great mix of professional and fun photos of our family – including grandparents! Our 7 year old son is quite photogenic…I wonder where he gets that from? 😉 He’s been mommy’s model on the blog for several years, which definitely helps. Our 4 year old is our wild child and will give you all sorts of faces. This was one of our favorite family shots from the shoot. I invited the grandparents along too! This is our 3 generations picture with my dad. And here’s a fun shot with the boys and their grandparents. I was grateful to capture this for our memories since it’s the first professional pictures of all four of them. The beach backgrounds are pretty cool, right? I just love how the pictures turned out! We had so many great ones that it was hard to narrow down our favorites. Our package included several photo varieties, a calendar and photo book too. Grandma also ordered a canvas print. I love that you can take your photos home that day – yep you read that right! There’s no waiting. Your photos are printed in the studio and in your hands within 20 minutes give or take. The photo gifts like the calendar, photo book, and canvas arrive separately either to the store or for an extra fee you can ship them directly to your home. If you’ve been meaning to get family pictures done, I definitely recommend Portrait Innovations. Check out their special offers page here!