So, you’ve booked your family photoshoot! Yay! But what now? How do you make sure it all goes swimmingly!?
It’s all in the planning!
- Plan your outfits in advance – you want to be co-ordinating but not matching! Have them set out and ready the night before so everyone knows what they will be wearing. That should avoid any meltdowns the next morning if they can’t find their shirt or they don’t like what you have chosen… this can still happen of course, as we all know! Neutrals work well in all settings but think about your location when choosing. Bring layers for the weather and a change of clothes.
- Choose your location wisely – is it somewhere you all love to go? Don’t choose the beach if your little one hates sand! Is it easy to park? Are there toilets nearby?
- Get a good night sleep and drink plenty of water! And make sure everyone has had a snack before the shoot – including the adults!
- Don’t worry if your little ones don’t want to ‘perform’ or ‘behave’ on the day – your photographer will have some tips and tricks at the ready for exactly this! And it’s not the end of the world if you don’t get lots of posed shots you will definitely get plenty of candid shots. Some of the best shots are the ones where not everyone is looking at the camera!
- Bring extra snacks, wipes, water, toys… a beer – kidding! Kind of… it can help loosen up the adults and I’m definitely not against it!
- Take your phone, keys, wallet out of your pockets!
- Don’t say Cheese! Children are conditioned to say this when they see a camera… but they don’t have to! Your photographer will get them smiling naturally by talking to them and making them laugh!
- Laugh, play, tickle, cuddle… don’t try to pose (unless your photographer has asked you to!) if in doubt or you are feeling awkward just look at each other!
- Try to relax, slow down!
- Trust the process! Your photographer will (probably) have done this many times before, they will know the best angles, light and poses to use.
Category: Portrait Photography