Here I’m sharing a few tips on how to prepare for your family portrait session. Keep these in mind for session day and make your family photos as magical as possible!
5 Ways to Prepare for a Family Portrait Session
Family photography sessions may be few and far between. To make your session as magical as possible, there are a few ways I recommend preparing for them in advance.
1) Eat Something!
Hanger is a thing, especially for little kids. Make sure to have a square meal before heading out, so we can have all the energy we need. I do have snacks on hand just in case, but in the interest of keeping your outfits crumb-free, try to get your calories in ahead of time if you can!
2) Let’s talk clothes.
This is just as important as sustenance. Maybe more! Since you’ll be looking at your family photos for years to come, take the time to get clothes right. For more details on great clothing choices for family photography sessions, check out this related post. Or, ask about my Client Closet!
And since we’ll be running around the great outdoors, plan to clean the family up after. Not worrying about dirt frees us up to take some seriously stunning photographs out in nature. Remember, I have a Client Closet partly for this reason. You keep your clothes looking nice, and you can get my clothes dirty instead! Now is the time to get those true childhood photos, dirt and all.
3) No one is in trouble.
Generally, I have a hands off approach and will take candid photos of you simply interacting as a family (these are by far my favorite!). If needed, I may also offer a few suggestions for things to do or areas to check out. If your kids choose not to do those things and have an idea of their own, that’s okay! We will get more natural grins when they explore the way they want to explore, versus getting in trouble for not listening to the photographer lady.
4) You will get breaks!
Don’t stress that you’ll need to be “on” the whole time. This family portrait session is not traditional portraiture. Not everyone will be in every frame, so you can plan on having some down time during the shoot. Relax! Have fun. We can even bring a beer or cocktail if you want (if permits and regulations allow, of course!).
5) Look at each other.
Not at me! It might be a tough habit to break, especially when there’s a big lens near your face. But family photos aren’t about your connection with the photographer. They’re about your connections as a family. Instead, look lovingly at your partner, and look tenderly at your children. These photos will have so much more meaning.
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Outdoor Adventure Photography
New to enjoying nature, or need a refresher on hiking safety? Read these quick tips before we hit the trails!
If you have an adventurous soul and want to invest in professional photos for your family, you can book your family portrait session here!
