Family Photo Session Tips from a Mom and Photographer

I am so passionate about preserving memories, which is why I’m a photographer in the first place. But let’s be honest for a second–getting your family ready for family portraits can be really overwhelming! My goal is to make your family photo session as easy as possible–as a Bay Area family photographer, I’ve been doing this forever, so have a few family photo session tips to share.

1. Respect snacks and naps

If you still have nappers in your house, please, for the love of everything that is holy, do not plan a family photoshoot right before naptime. Instead, shoot for after the afternoon nap! And pack snacks. Loooots of snacks. A well-rested, well-fed child is a happy child! Plus, a small, non-messy treat can be a great motivator for smiling at the camera.

2. Talk about it

Many of my families arrive to their session saying that they’ve been practicing taking photos at home! You can play a “photo shoot” game at home to get them comfortable with the idea of posing and listening to instructions.

Reassure them that there will be games, laughter, and fun!

You can also show them my about page ahead of time so they can see my face before we meet.

3. No matter what else is going on, be engaged and smiling

It can be tempting to try to get a toddler to stop fussing and look at the camera–but trust me, leave that to me! No matter what, smile and look at your kids with love and wonder. There are always magic moments in between the tears and complaints–I promise.

3. Relax, be flexible, and go with the flow

Out of all my family photo session tips, this is one of the most important. Your attitude is contagious! If you’re stressed, your kids will pick up on it. Go into the session with a relaxed, flexible mindset. Understand that not every photo will be perfect, and that’s okay. Embrace the chaos, the giggles, and even the occasional pout. Those are all part of your family’s unique story. The main goal is the capture your family as they are: authentic and full of love.

4. Have a treat planned for after the session

“We’re getting ice cream after this!” is a great motivator, even for the grumpiest of kids.

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