So, you’ve booked your family photo session, but now that everything is arranged and confirmed with the photographer, the anxiety and worries start to creep in – what if my kids behave like complete maniacs during our photo session?? What if I’ve just committed to making this investment for beautiful family photos, and now I’m worried that my kids won’t even listen to the photographer and sit still for one second??
Take a deep breath, mama and let me ease your mind. I promise you, 99.9% of parents have these same worries – but I rarely have a session that goes completely sideways. To help quash some of those worries, I’ve put together a few tips and suggestions to help prepare your own brood of underage maniacs for their family photo session.
1.) Relax and have fun! First things first, I want you to throw your worries out the window that your kids won’t behave, listen or even want to be photographed at all. Trust me – I’ve photographed hundreds of kids and I’ve seen it all! From super shy kids to kids who won’t stop running around; from kids with the ultimate grumpy face to kids with a permanent Chandler-from-Friends grin; tired kids, wired kids, giggly kids, pensive kids – I have seen it all. And it’s my job to capture them at their best.
So, leave it up to me. Take a deep breath, step back and trust that you will get great photos. Don’t worry about telling them to smile or look at the camera – sometimes the best photos have neither of these two elements in them. Enjoy this time with them. Play, laugh, snuggle, tickle, but most importantly just relax. Your kids can often sense your nervous energy so just have fun and be present with them, in whatever mood they are in. Trust me, you’ll capture awesome memories this way!
2.) Do your best to make sure they are comfortable. Most kids wear their heart on their sleeves so if they are wearing brand new, uncomfortable shoes, or haven’t had their morning snack, or were up late the night before, or have an itchy tag in their shirt, we are most definitely going to hear about it!
I know that some of these things are unavoidable but we don’t necessarily want to cancel a photo session because your toddler only had a 45 minute nap when they normally nap for an hour and a half. But do whatever is in your control to make sure they are happy. Try the outfits on before your session to make sure they are comfy for your little ones. Bring (non-messy) snacks and water along with you and top up their tanks before we start our session. Plan enough time for a bathroom break before you leave the house.
Of course, we will roll with the punches at our session and I have a billion tricks up my sleeve to distract and entertain kids. But these are just a few tips to help us make our session as painless and easy as possible!
3.) Explain what this photo session is all about ahead of time. Tell your kids my name, or even show them my photo on my website. Let them know that you get to play together, snuggle, and hang out and that I’m going to take photos of your family having fun together. Tell them that I may ask them to stand or sit in a certain way, and that they may even get to take a special picture with them all by themselves. And last but not least, let them know that it will be fast! I try to keep my family sessions under an hour long, with most of them being 30-45 minutes – about as long as a toddler can manage!
4.) Bribes are a-ok with me! Almost every single family that I photograph has some kind of bribe or reward for the kids when their session is over. And almost every single family that I photograph seems embarrassed to admit this fact! But it is 100% ok with me – in fact, I think it’s an awesome idea! – to offer a fun treat for when your photo session is over, whether that’s ice cream, slushies, a Hot Wheels car, stickers, bubbles – whatever works for you and your crew! Just be sure not to hold it over their heads the entire session.
Instead of saying, “Stop it or there’s no ice cream!” try “Oh man, I can’t wait until we’re done and we can go for those ice cream cones together!” Keep the session vibe positive and I promise you, we’ll get awesome photos of your kids.
And lastly…
5.) Remember that we all have good days and bad days and even the bad days can be precious memories. If your child refuses to smile during your session, you will still look back fondly on these photographs in years to come. A grumpy expression or thoughtful face or tear-streaked cheeks will still flood you with memories of your child during this fleeting stage of their life and can still make for a beautiful portrait.
Eran Sudds is a Vancouver family photographer who specializes in capturing fun and natural moments for you and your entire family – kids included! She is available for maternity, newborn and family portraits, anywhere in the Lower Mainland. Visit the pricing page for more details.
Good tips Eran!