5 Tips to Take The Stress Out Of Family Sessions
Out of all the sessions that we do there is no session where clients tend to show up already stressed out more than our family sessions.
If you’ve ever had a professional photo shoot done of your family, then you know exactly what I mean. You search for the perfect photographer that captures your style, you figure out a date that works and then you start thinking through outfits. Who will wear what? What style should you go for? How many layers? How do you balance coordinating but not being “matchy”?
And then, after all of that, the day of the shoot comes and you’re running around your house trying to make sure everyone is dressed and not spilling their milk on their clean clothes and your daughters hair is done and you’re shuffling everyone out to the car to make it to the shoot on time. And now you’re sweating through your carefully chosen dress and your son is driving his toy car over your daughters hair and nothing has ever felt more chaotic.
If you relate to this- just know that you aren’t alone. Many of our family sessions start with stressed out moms, hyper kids and dads who are trying to keep everyone afloat. After over 7 years in this industry and having 3 kids of our own, we’ve learned a thing or two about ways that families can set themselves up for success before and during their family sessions.
Here are our top 5 tips you need to know before your family photo session to help your session go as smoothly as possible!
Choosing the right photographer
This might seem like a no-brainer but hear me out. There are many many photographers out there, ranging from new photographers just entering the industry to experienced photographers with years of experience. There are two important factors you need to consider before choosing your photographer: The first is whether they experienced with working with children. Taking photos of families and kids is an entirely different ball game than other forms of portrait photography. Kids are unpredictable and don’t always follow instructions. You need to choose a photographer that works with your kids personalities instead of against them. Your photographer needs to be creative and adaptable and personable to work effectively with kids!
The second factor you should consider when choosing a photographer for your family session is what their style is. If you’re imagining clean images with smiling kids and a white background, you should look for a photographer that offers in-studio sessions. In general, you will get images that are simple, posed and have great lighting. If you’re imagining natural photos with natural lighting, that may not be as pristine but will likely be full of character, you should look for a natural light photographer that specializes in capturing moments and steers away from poses.
Neither style is “better” than the other! It’s purely a matter of preference. It is important, though, because if you don’t choose a photographer that encapsulates the style you’re imagining, it will be hard for you to feel satisfied with your images.
2. Outfits all revolve around Mama
Listen, I know that this seems bizarre. It’s our natural tendency to find adorable outfits for our kids that we love and then easily grab a coordinating button up for dad. But then what? Often, moms choose everyone else’s outfits first and then are scrambling to find something that works with everyone else for their own outfit.
This is counterproductive though! Moms are way more unlikely to walk into sessions feeling confident. This is the sad but true reality we experience over and over again! Moms tend to be more insecure during sessions than kids or dads, so why do so many moms choose their outfit last?
Instead, I recommend that moms find something they LOVE. Find an outfit you feel great in and then coordinate everyone else around YOU. It’s generally much easier to find outfits for our kids that we love than it is for ourselves. And dads are usually the easiest member of the family to dress!
So before your next session, spend some time looking for an outfit you feel your best in and then find everyone else’s outfits.
3. Consider your kids personalities before choosing their outfit
Alright, you’ve chosen a photographer you love and you found an outfit you feel hot in-now it’s time to find the kids outfits. Here’s something to keep in mind- your kids will probably be more cooperative and “themselves” if their outfits feel like “them”. If your son hates wearing button downs and fights them every time you try to get him in one, consider whether it makes sense to choose that kind of shirt.
Maybe it’s adorable but if he’s grumpy the entire time because he’s uncomfortable, is it worth it? Probably not.
Another common mishap that I often see in family sessions is putting young girls in dresses. I’m not saying not to do this-my daughter is basically distraught in anything other than a dress so I get it. However, when you have a 2 year old in a dress, there is a big chance that your photographer will have to toss some otherwise adorable photos because 2 year olds just don’t know how sit for a photo without lifting up their dress. Even if they have shorts underneath, you aren’t likely going to print a photo with their dress up and their shorts exposed.
If you have a daughter that tends to be calm and is able to sit still during your session, then this may not be a concern for you! It’s just a point that I think most moms don’t think about and is worth considering!
4. Give yourself more time than you think to get
everyone ready
However much time you’re planning to get yourself and everyone else ready, make sure that you give yourself an extra 30 minutes than that. You will inevitably have an unexpected blowout or an accidental spill that happens right when it’s time to leave and nothing adds more stress to a photo session than knowing that you’re running late and losing the sunlight.
In our house, we get everyone mostly ready and then let them watch a show or something to keep then relatively calm and still while I finish getting ready. Then right before you head out the door, get everyone fully dressed and head straight to the car.
5. Adjust your expectations and go with the flow
Ultimately, the biggest tip I have for parents before a photo shoot is to take a deep breathe and be ready to adapt. A good photographer that works with your kids will take charge and will create beautiful images amidst total chaos. I usually encourage my parents during sessions to not worry about trying to get their kids to smile or stand in certain places, but instead to just focus on looking happy!
There are times when, even after what felt to the parents like a chaotic session, I end the session with plenty of beautiful images of the kids but many of them feature a stressed mom or an overwhelmed looking dad. If you’ve chosen a professional photographer, you can trust that even if things feel wild and chaotic, we’re capturing beautiful images amidst the chaos.
The best thing that you can do to help create beautiful images is to just be yourself and stay as relaxed and fun as possible. Enjoy the time with your kids! The more fun you’re having, the more fun your kids will have and the more genuine your photos will look!
I feel like I could list 100 more tips, but these are the main ones that I hope will allow your next (or first!) family session to go smoothly! Family sessions are so special to me and I think they are so important for documenting different seasons of your family’s lives! They don’t have to be stressful and I hope these tips take some of the stress out of them for you!