Preparing for Your Family Photo Shoot

So you've finally decided it’s time to book a family photography session (that’s a great idea) and you can’t wait to see how it all plays out. You want photographs that capture your family’s personalities (where your children are smiling real smiles, not those cheesy fake smiles) and that’s exactly what you’re going to get, as long as you’re prepared. Are you worried that your children won't be their best selves during the session? Maybe you’re worried about the little ones not cooperating. Put all of those worries away, lock them up and throw away the key because as a family photographer, I'm used to all of that, and more, and know exactly how to beautifully capture your family.

Preparing Babies and Toddlers for a Photography Session

The most important thing for babies and toddlers is to make sure they had a good meal and a nice rest before the photography session. You should definitely take your toddler’s normal routines into consideration when you schedule the shoot. For example, it’s probably not a good idea to schedule a baby or toddler’s photoshoot during their normal nap time. If you absolutely have to schedule it where the photo session overlaps with a regular meal-time or nap time, try to move it forward the nap or meal to right before your shoot so that the children can be well-rested and fed beforehand. If you’re worried about your children becoming thirsty or hungry before the shoot, by all means, go ahead and bring some snacks and drinks along with you. During the shoot, if you feel that your little one needs to take a break, just ask and we'll take a break. I recommend bringing snacks that are tidy. For example, Cheetos probably isn't a great session snack, but fruit snacks are.

Preparing Older Children

If you have older children, then you may want to let them know in advance about the photoshoot, this way, they can be prepared for it in a positive manner. Let them know the name of the photographer, show them a picture of the photographer that will be doing the shoot (many photographers have a Facebook page you can show them). Explain to them how long the shoot is going to take and what is going to take place while they’re there. You could also talk about a treat that you will give them after the shoot is done. Just as with babies and toddlers, before the shoot, make sure your older kids aren’t thirsty and hungry. Even with older kids, you might want to bring along some snacks and drinks just in case they get thirsty or hungry while you’re there. Investing in professional family photographs is something you may have been considering for quite some time not, so making sure all of your family members are prepared on the day of the shoot is important. You want your children to be on their best behavior so that the photographer can capture their true personalities. If you’re ready to book your next family session, contact me today.