Family photos can be super stressful. I have never ever heard a family say “yay! Time for pictures!!” And the stress already begins. All the way from what to wear, to just general crankiness about the entire thing. My best advice is to come and just have a good time. You already know that I don’t love pose-y portraits, that my favorites are the ones that reflect your family like the real human beings that you are. And real human beings interact with each other, you laugh, you giggle, you hug. And that’s what we’ll do when we’re taking pictures.
- Let go of expectations
The best family sessions are the ones where the parents show up and just go with the flow. Yes, I know as a mom, you have certain shots that you really want to have. And I understand this. Sometimes during a session, we get this shot, and sometimes we don’t. Focusing your energy on one particular shot can create tension, no one has a good time, and it’ll show. Let the session unfold naturally. We might not get that shot that you had in your mind, but when everyone is relaxed, and being themselves, magic happens. Kids laugh, dads have a better time than they thought they would, and you just might get an image that you love so much more than the one you thought you wanted.
- Plan
Yes. Have a plan. Think about what everyone will be wearing ahead of time. Check with all the kids, (and the adults!) about what they want to wear and make sure they make sense together. That’s one less thing to think of on the day of.
Bring snacks. There is nothing worse than being ½ way through the shoot and someone gets hungry or hangry, and then the entire mood shifts.
Just these couple of things planned ahead of time can alleviate a lot of stress when you show up to take pictures.
- Be Silly
Like I said above, in a family session, I want all of you to be the beautiful, fun, amazing humans that you are. Crack jokes, make funny faces, make funny noises, get your kids giggling and laughing, hold them upside down. Everyone will have a good time, and your pictures will be real, full of love, and a true reflection of how you interact as a family.
View my previous post: How I photograph newborns.
View my wedding photography: erikaparkerphotography.com
share this: