7 Family Photography Tips for a Great Session
You want those beautiful family portraits you can frame, share, and treasure for years to come. Your family’s growing, and you want to capture these fleeting moments together. But…the idea of planning and preparing for a photoshoot seriously stresses you out. Sound familiar? Don’t worry! I’ve got family photography tips to save the day.
Documenting Chicago-area families’ unique stories is what I love to do, and I’ve learned a lot over the years about how to make it a fun and productive experience. Here are my top tips for a great session!
1. Prepare & Plan for Your Family
There’s no blueprint for ensuring your family photo session goes without a hitch — or tear or tantrum! But, you can do a few things to help you and your kids have the best experience possible.
Hype Your Kids Up for Your SessionOne of the best family photography tips I share with parents is to help your kids get excited about your upcoming session. Talk with them about what you’ll be doing: That they’ll get to play and laugh and have fun while our friend/photographer Lauren takes photos. It helps to think of things that make them happy (like peek-a-boo or certain songs or jokes), so we can bring them into the session, too!
Pro Tip: Promise special or favorite treat as soon as the session is over for an even better chance at good behavior!
Plan for FoodWell-fed kids are happy kids, aren’t they? Depending on your session time, make sure your kids (and yourselves!) have had a good snack or meal beforehand. Just make sure you save getting dressed after everyone’s eaten, so you can avoid outfit disasters :) It doesn’t hurt to have mess-free snacks available, too, so you can quickly shut down any hangry behavior if it happens.
Allow Yourselves TimeI know how chaotic it can be to get everyone ready to do something as a family. Cut yourself some slack before your photos, and give everyone plenty of time to get prepared. If anyone needs some quiet or rest time, make sure to let that happen. When you schedule your session with me, we can talk about your family’s schedule and the timing that will work best for you. You’ll have a much better experience if you’re not stressed going into our time together!
2. But… Be Flexible
Does anything ever go perfectly when you have kids? If so, tell me your secrets! But really, one of my family photography tips for parents is to be flexible. Because it’s more likely than not, things will not go exactly as you plan for them to: And that’s okay!
Despite your best efforts, that perfect outfit might get stained. The weather might not cooperate (more on that later) in that location you’ve been dreaming about. Your little one might have a moment during your session.
Being flexible is key to finding the beauty in those moments with your plan. It’s great to have a plan and an idea of how you want things to go. But be ready to deviate from it if you need to: and know I’ll be there to guide you through it!
3. Plan Ahead for Your Wardrobe
Your clothes play a big role in the look and feel of your photographs, and I’m here to help you navigate your family’s wardrobe for the session!
During family photos, no one wants to feel constricted, itchy, or uncomfortable. That’s why choosing comfortable clothes is one of my most important family photography tips.
Go for neutral color palettes with accents of richer or darker colors. They photograph nicely, pick up natural light, and are timeless!
For women and girls, flowy dresses, skirts, and tops show up beautifully in photos. Not only are they feminine and pretty, but they show movement. This adds some life and dimension to your images!
When it comes to dads and young men, chambray tops, plain tees, and sweaters always look nice. The best part? You can find these styles in various neutral color palettes, making it especially easy to coordinate with the family.
Now for the fun part: Dressing your children! Your best bet will be choosing clothes you know your kids will be comfortable in. Aim to dress them in the palette you’ve selected for your family, and then add fun pops of color or playful accessories. Hats, vests, scarves, bow ties, belts, suspenders, etc., are always adorable.
Don’t forget the details! You might want to make sure everyone’s nails are trimmed and cleaned, teeth are brushed, and the guys get a haircut the week before your session.
In my style guide, you can get more of my family photography tips for your wardrobe.
4. Consider Your Location
Whether you choose to have your photos taken indoors at your home or at your favorite outdoor spot, I have a few family photography tips to help us get the best images and create a great experience!
Family Photography Tips for Indoor SessionsIf you opt to host your session in your home, we’ll want to take advantage of whatever natural light is available. That means we’ll focus on setups near the windows, so consider clearing those spaces.
You don’t need to deep clean your home for our session, but you will want to tuck away any items from tables or counters that you don’t want to show up in your final images. I’m happy to help move things around when I arrive!
For photos we take in bedrooms, I always recommend having a white or neutral duvet cover available if possible. You might even use a duvet insert or a light blanket or quilt. White and neutral fabrics do a beautiful job of reflecting light on your faces, creating a bright and timeless look!
Family Photography Tips for Outdoor SessionsEven if you don’t think your location will require a hike, it’s best to plan for potentially rugged outdoor settings!
Depending on where your session takes place, we might need to walk a little way to reach the best location. That’s why it’s a good idea to bring comfortable shoes you and the kids can change out of if needed! And if we’re near or in the woods, bug spray can be good to have in your bag!
You never know when we might encounter a muddy spot, so it’s always good to have wet wipes on hand (Also great for runny noses, and baby spit-up!). Speaking of dirt, a big throw blanket can be an excellent option for setups where you’re sitting on the ground.
For little ones, as I said before, I always suggest coming equipped with their favorite snacks for when they need a break (or a bribe!) My daughter knows she gets M&Ms every time we head out for pictures. Marshmallows are also a great non-messy treat. Favorite toys, loveys, and books are always great to have ready if some comfort is needed, too.
Kids aren’t the only ones who should feel comfortable and happy when we go outside for pictures! Bring the things you need to feel your best - whether that’s lip gloss, a hairbrush, or even an additional accessory to throw on.
Worst case scenario, I’m always happy to reschedule if conditions won't be good for our session. I want you to have beautiful photos as much as you do, so I’ll be stalking the weather the week before to let us plan as best we can!
5. Embrace Toddler Led Sessions
No matter how well you prepare your kids for your family photos, kids will be kids. When that’s the case, I’m here to help!
Toddlers can have a tough time understanding what’s happening at a photo session, or behaving accordingly :) And that’s just fine. I try to follow your children’s lead to make them comfortable while at the same time getting beautiful and natural photos of your family. Compassion and patience go a long way with little ones! Well, that and snacks!
Kids don’t usually respond well to posing, so I encourage them to play more than pose. I’ll sneak in some posed setups between moments of play: It works well! As your family plays and explores together, I’ll give you simple prompts, too.
I do my best to capture everything in a flexible but timely manner so no one gets burned out.
6. Share Your Story
For me to get the best, authentic images of your family together, it helps me get to know who you are and your story. Before our session, I suggest starting a note on your phone to write down the things that matter to you. Share with me what you enjoy doing as a family and where you find your happiest moments!
Maybe there are rituals and routines you want to capture, especially with newborns. Maybe there’s natural light in your home that makes you happy, or games your kids play that put the biggest smiles on their faces. Or it might be those moments of togetherness you share with your spouse as your take in the joy and chaos of having a young family.
Whatever those special pieces of your story are, tell me about them!
7. Focus On The Fun (The Most Important Part!)
I know it can be hard not to get your heart set on those picture-perfect family photo moments. But the best family photos are the ones that capture your unique family and the life you’re creating together! So, as we move through your session, don’t forget to have FUN.
Don’t hesitate to crouch down to hug and play with your kids. Give your partner a smooch. Laugh at your kids and embrace the joy of these fleeting moments. I’ll be there to give you any direction we might need, so you can focus on living in the moment and having a great time with your family.
Let’s Plan Your Next Family Photo Session!
Ready to book your family photography session and capture this season of your lives? Contact me to learn about my services and how I can help you document your authentic story!
Pre-session Check list
