I hear it all the time... what if my kids don't cooperate? How do I get everyone happy? How can I make my family photo session a fun experience... I get it, family photo sessions can be tough, not only for your family, but for your photographer as well.
But I'm going to let you in on a few little secrets- after almost 15 years as a photographer, there ARE things that you can do to make your session go smoothly.
1. Think about the time of day you are scheduling your session!
Yes, preparing to have a perfect family photo session begins well before the session itself takes place... it begins when you are scheduling that session. When considering the times to book your session, avoid booking the session during nap time, lunch time or dinner time... sure you can use McDonalds as positive reinforcement when the session is done, but the reality is that a hungry child (or parent!) does not make for happy photos. When it comes to choosing a time, the most notoriously beautiful time of day for photos is in the 2 hours before sunset, yes, it's beautiful. But, if your 2 year old goes to bed at 7, a sunset session in June when the sun sets at 9pm, is not likely going to work in your favour, and all the beautiful light in the world will not make up for an upset child in the photos. Let's talk about a time that will work better for your family.
2. Put thought into what everyone is wearing!
We have all seen the beautiful coordinated family photos, the beautiful palettes of soft pastels, or the flowing white dress... I encourage you to really think "Does this fit my family?" If your daughter is a soccer star and hates wearing dresses and strappy sandals- is she going to be happy and cooperative during the session when you put her into that? If your son absolutely loathes the restrictive feeling of blue jeans (yes! I have two kids like this!!) then look at other choices- shorts, khaki pants or simple well fitting black leggings or track pants. Choosing a palette of coordinating colours and working within that colour palette with what everyone is comfortable in, will make for a much more enjoyable photography experience for everyone involved. Adding fun accessories is an easy way to dress up the session and add touches of colour in the palette you choose. (fun hint- I help with clothing choices and colour palettes when planning sessions if you want the help!)
3. Bring snack and treats
But... Christine, you just told me to make sure my family is well fed before we come for photos? Yes, I absolutely did... but snacks and treats can go a really long way in a session. My absolute favourite is mini white marshmallows- they don't stain, if they are in teeth it's not visible, and they are a clean little treat to encourage smiles during the session. Again, hungry kids do not make for happy faces
4. Come to your session for FUN
Coming for a photo session can feel like a big deal, but it really doesn't have to be. Everyone in the family will feed off each other, good or bad. So let's go with good! Bring some bubbles to blow for younger kids, let your teen be in charge of finding some good memes or videos to get everyone laughing, make a playlist of favourite songs that we can play... better yet, bring along an activity that you enjoy doing together as a family. The more calm, relaxed and enjoyable the experience, the better the outcome will be. Let you kids goof around and have fun, your photos are being capture to showcase your family, and that's what I'm here for. I am, by nature, a bit of a goofy person, and I love nothing more than working to elicit a big goofy smile and deep laugh... from everyone! Help me do that job well by coming to your session with a lighthearted, fun attitude, and share it with your kids!
Want to book your family photo session? Shoot me a message and get booked into yours now!
xoxo
Christine