How to prepare your family for your photo session

As a wife and mom to two little girls, I totally understand the stress of preparing for a family photo session. There are so many things to think of and you don’t want your investment to go to waste. First, I want to give you some quick lists of ways you can prepare that will relieve your pre-planning stress. Second, I want you and your crew to know what to expect on picture day so that you guys can relax and have fun as I do the heavy lifting for you!

1. Make sure you are intentional about the date and especially the time you schedule your photoshoot for. If you have little ones that have consistent sleep schedules, make sure they will be well rested and well fed. We don’t want a tired or hungry baby. Let’s be real - most adults don’t want to smile in front of a camera for an hour if they are tired or hungry. Let’s make sure we choose a time that works best for your family!

2. Plan your outfits at least a week in advance. I have another blog post about what you should wear that I highly recommend you check out! The basics that I want to include here is just that you pick out everyone’s outfit - from head to toe - at least a week in advance. That way if you need to run to the store to buy your kiddos some new shoes - you have time! Side note: if your little one tends to spit up or cause chaos in the car, you can always pack their outfit so you can change them once you arrive!

3. Prep your kids a little bit. This one should be pretty simple and the effort needed will really depend on how social or adventurous your kid is. Just make sure you have a conversation or two where you let them know that they get to meet a new friend that’s going to have some fun with them. If your child isn’t great with new places, show up a little early so they can have some time to get adjusted. You know your kid best and what will work for them - just make sure you take a moment or two to figure out what you need to do to help prepare them.

4. Get ready to be flexible! I don’t want you stressing the entire photo session that someone’s outfit is out of place or your kids aren’t doing what you think they should be doing. I want you to pretend you are the grandparent during your photo session! For this hour you don’t need to parent, just have fun with your kids. I will give you guys directions so that you can take a deep breath and enjoy this.

5. This is a fun bonus tip… brainstorm any special types of images you want captured and let me know! I love when families with little ones bring their favorite stuffed animal along.

These are just a few of my favorite tips for helping your family prepare for their family photo session - but if you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m here to help! Click here to get in touch!

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