Preparing your Children for a Photo Session
Let’s get real with our talk today. Who has ever dreamt of having the most beautiful family photos only to begin stressing the moment you book the session? This girl right here has!! Yes, that’s right, a professional photographer, mom, and former teacher stresses about getting family photos taken….and for good reason. Let me take you back a few years ago to when my oldest son was almost three and my youngest was just around one year old. We managed to book a coveted slot with a very popular Santa and photographer in the area. We were so excited. And then the worry began. How should we dress them? Would anyone cry? My oldest hadn’t sat on Santa’s lap to that point in his life without tears. Would we even get a single good photo to use on our holiday card?! The list of questions and potential challenges seemed endless.
I’ll cut to the chase here and say, as you might have guessed, we picked adorable pajamas, my oldest son LOVED Santa and we got some adorable photos of my youngest son wailing in his lap. Was it perfect? No. Did the pictures show exactly who they were at that time in their lives? Yes. And that’s exactly why I love them, even despite the teary photos.
I tell this story because, whether your kiddos are active extroverts or are super camera shy, capturing children’s personalities is what I strive to do during my sessions. I want you to look at your final gallery of photos and feel I’ve accurately and beautifully told the story of your family. However, because I know parents put a lot of effort into making their photoshoots happen by choosing the best photographer, selecting just the right outfits, etc., I’ve put together a few quick tips that will hopefully make the day less stressful and help you get the most out of your session.
1.Spend some time completing the questionnaire
When you book a session with me, you’ll receive a detailed questionnaire to complete. I want to get to know you and your family a bit before we meet since our time together is limited. Your responses help me understand what you hope to get out of your session as well as how to best connect with your children. If your child loves Baby Shark, tell me and we’ll play it during your session. If your child is particularly active and requires lots of breaks, that’s great for me to know so I can be sure to keep the session moving. If your child is historically shy around new people I want to know that too (as well as the answer to the next question which asks about his/her interests) so I can quickly find some common ground and make a gentle connection.
2. Select your session date and time with your child in mind
This tip is geared especially toward families with young children. Just like you’d prepare the night before an interview by getting a good night’s sleep and eating a solid breakfast in the morning, you want to approach the preparation for your photo session in the same way. If your child naps in the afternoon and is generally cranky afterward, let’s work together to identify a time in the morning to meet when she is at her best. Likewise, if your schedule is like mine and your children participate in sports or other extra-curricular activities, be mindful when scheduling your session so your little one doesn’t need to quickly change from a sweaty soccer uniform to nice dress clothes for photos.
3. Choose wardrobe pieces that will make your child feel his best
I provide all of my clients with a detailed styling guide that includes tips on dressing each member of the family. Be especially thoughtful when choosing wardrobe pieces for your children. While adults can push through smiling in uncomfortable shoes, children can’t and generally won’t. Therefore, plan your child’s wardrobe with plenty of time to try things on and exchange pieces as needed. It’s best to know your baby won’t leave your favorite bow on her head when there’s still time to select something else that makes her look awesome and is also comfortable! Genuine smiles occur when we look and feel our best. This applies to our littles just as much as adults!
4. Practice for your session
This tip is one I took from my years as an elementary school teacher. Historically I spent the first week of school every year focused on introducing and practicing routines and expectations. You can do the same thing in preparation for your photo session. A week or so in advance get everyone dressed as though you were going to your session. Head out to the backyard, pretend you're the photographer and engage your children in some simple following directions exercises. You don’t need to come up with any special poses (I’ll handle ALL of that during your session), just practice giving simple directions and having them follow your cues. The more they practice, the better they’ll be on the actual day of your session!
5. Bring allllll the snacks- Sometimes children need a little extra motivation to cooperate throughout our time together. Before your session pack a SECRET bag (yes, secret, don’t spill the beans to them!) of small snacks that can be eaten with a mostly closed mouth. Some great options are fruit snacks, smarties, goldfish, puffs for babies, or other little candies. I’d discourage you from bringing chocolate as that can quickly become a sticky mess. If needed, we can break out the bribes in a particularly challenging moment. Not only will the kiddos think you’re the best parent ever for bringing along their favorite foods to snack on, but we’ll also likely get those smiles we’re looking for!
Whether your kids run wild or are super camera shy, it is all a part of who they are and capturing their personalities - which is what I always strive for during my sessions! We will make the best of it together and send you off with photos that you and your family can treasure for years to come.
