1. Choose your clothing carefully.
Have your clothing chosen way in advance and make sure that your outfit choices are comfortable and attractive. What do your dream family photos look like? If they are soft and elegant? Choose neutral colors with soft, flowing fabrics…. think creams, very soft pastels, oatmeals, light browns, tans, grays, and slate blues. Want to showcase the fun and spunky side of your family? Choose coordinating colors (but not matchy, matchy) with bold accent colors, such as hues of gray with yellow or bright red accents. Adding fun accessories like scarves, headbands, hats, etc. can add a modern twist and sassy flair to your images.
2. Be well rested and well fed.
Be certain to schedule your child’s nap or meals around your session time. The best time for lighting is one-two hours before sunset and just after sunrise. If this is a bad time for your children, talk with us about alternate options and location changes that may need to be made to accommodate another time. Please don’t show up to a photo shoot on an empty stomach. We often meet families who come to a photo session with dinner scheduled at the end. If this is your plan, be sure to give everyone a healthy snack before the photo shoot.
3. Be sure to leave plenty of time to get ready.
Parents are often rushing around before a photo shoot, making sure that their family is dressed and ready. I always encourage mothers and older female siblings to consider having their hair and makeup professionally done. This will help mom and girls feel ready and realized at the session. When a family shows up to a family photo session rushed and disorganized, it sets the tone for the session and children often feel this stress and the session can go downhill quickly. Give yourself extra time so that you are ready before it’s time to head out that door.
4. Dads are encouraged to be cheerful participants.
Dads, please cheerfully participate. We know that many dads dread the family photo session or do not feel comfortable or “natural” in front of a camera, but fathers, please understand how important capturing your family is. These images will be left as a legacy, when your children are grown, with families of their own some day. Family photos are treasured forever and they are so important. Please, please, dads… cheerfully participate in your family photo session. Once you see your happy wife and amazing photographs, you will be so glad that you gave this time to your family.
5. Cheese is for crackers.
Please, parents… leave the “cheese” at home. Cheese is for crackers. So many times we have good intentioned parents who stand behind us and scream, “Say cheese to the lady kids!” Yelling and demanding young children to look at the camera to smile may stress your children out and will possibly result in strained, unnatural and often unflattering photographs. Be confident in the photographer yo have hired and relax in the background allowing the photographer to naturally interact and talk with your children. This will result in natural, gorgeous smiles. With careful direction of the photographer you may help the photographer capture the true essence of your child’s personality by talking with and coaxing out those smiles naturally and easily.
6. Have fun with your family.
On our session we will capture traditional posed images but we love MOST to capture candid real life interactions. Don’t be afraid to pick up your children and toss them in the air. Give your wife a sweet kiss on the check. Tell your husband how much you love him and appreciate him for being there for your family. Have fun. Laugh. Giggle. Joke. Embrace. Kiss. Snuggle. Play. Doing these things will allow us to capture the emotion and true beauty of your family. Show us who you really are, so that we have the opportunity to capture your love through our lens.
7. NOT everyone has to be looking and smiling at the camera at the same time.
The best photographs are often the ones where everyone is engaged or interacting with each other. Understand that not every picture needs to have everyone looking at the camera and smiling at the same time. If you are engaged as a family and loving on each other, your eyes will be on your family members and your smile with be natural. These are the photographs that you will cherish most because they depict your family connection and your love.