Six Tips for Your Family Session

“Family pictures” the two words that can generally send at least one member of any family into tears. This saddens me because I love photographing families! Not only can it be a fun experience for you and your family, but it also professionally documents where your family is at right now. So why do people react so negatively to family sessions? Whatever the reason, I am here to assure you that family photos are not something to be dreaded. Here are six of my favorite tips to help you and your family enjoy your family session together.

1. Everyone should wear something they are comfortable and confident in.  

So much of the stress experienced by Mom’s when it comes to family photo sessions is because they don’t know what everyone should wear. How does everyone match, while still being comfortable, and brining out people’s individual personalities? The truth is what to wear is always made into a much bigger deal than necessary. My favorite thing to see is when families dress in a combination of colors and patterns. One example of this would be putting the boys in pattern with the girls in a solid color that complements the colors in the pattern. Another example would be to put Dad and the kids in a solid color with Mom in a pattern.

2. Do not make promises to your kid you cannot or will not keep. 

I cannot stress this one enough! I still remember a family session that my family did when I was about nine years old. We went out to dinner beforehand with the intention of getting frozen yogurt for dessert after dinner and before the session. Unfortunately, dinner took too long, and we ran out of time to get dessert. To make the situation even worse the frozen yogurt place would be closed by the time our session was over. Honestly, those are probably the worst family pictures we have because I was an emotional wreck in all the pictures. I literally had tears brimming in my eyes, which of course stressed out my parents and made it so they couldn’t relax for the pictures either. So, if you learn anything from this blog post… Do not make promises you cannot keep.

3. Be on time.

Being on time not only benefits you and your family as everyone will be less stressed. But it also does wonders for your photographer’s mental health! However, being on time starts before you get in the car to head to the session. Being on time means that meals are eaten, naps are taken, and everyone starts getting ready with plenty of time to spare so there is no desperate rush to get people to the car. If you show up on time but with hungry and cranky kids, or with Mom distressed because she had to finish her makeup in the car, then really you didn’t save yourself any stress. The whole session will go smoother if you are on time and arrive with everyone in relatively good spirits. Now for the secret every photographer wants their clients to know… if you as the client are late it cuts into the session time that your photographer has strategically laid out. Meaning, they are now responsible for trying to get you the same number of images, with good lighting and without rushing you, but in a shorter amount of time than they had planned. Save yourself and your photographer the stress and just be on time. 

4. Bring snacks for the kiddos! 

Snacks are literally the best bribe ever, and as a photographer I fully support bribery. Bringing a few bags of gummy beers so the toddlers can have one every few images to encourage them to smile is literally golden! And I have seen few things cuter than a toddler with a little bag of their favorite treat in hand. The grins that these treats can produce are adorable. So, I always recommend that you bring a few servings of your child’s favorite, not to messy, treats. Most gummies are great for this. Minnie M&M’s and hard treats such as teddy grams also work. Just try to avoid anything that is going to take the child very long to chew, and anything that will leave an excessive mess on their hands or face. Regardless, of what snack you choose I also recommend that you bring a pack of baby wipes with you so that as the child does get dirtier it’s easy to clean them quickly. 

5. Bring a favorite activity. 

Do your children love to play with bubbles or streamers? If so, bring them! Some of my favorite pictures that I have captured are kids playing with bubbles. Not only does a fun activity give your child a break from having to “cheese” but it also allows for more candid photos where their personalities really shine through. I would recommend bringing any easy to pack activity that your child participially enjoys and bonus if it’s something such as bubbles or streamers that creates movement.

6. Roll with the tantrums, don’t fight them. 

Aw the dreaded tantrum. I hate to break it to you, but at least one is bound to happen during your session. I have yet to do a session with a child where a tantrum does not occur. But that’s okay. Kids have big emotions that are trapped in tiny bodies, and they are just trying to express themselves. A tantrum has never ended a session for me, and I have always gone on to get great photos after the tantrum occurs. So, when a tantrum erupts at your session, as it undoubtably will, respond to your child normally and then just wait for it to pass. Don’t add stress to yourself or the situation by thinking you need to squash this disruption immediately. The tantrum will pass faster, and with better results after, if you just handle it as you normally would and move on. I come from a family of four and am already an auntie to six. Trust me, your child’s tantrum is not going to faze me and I’m not going to judge you. 

I hope these six tips can help put your mind at ease as you plan for your next family session. As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or want to book a family session with me, feel free to reach out.