The idea of trying to wrangle your entire family in front of a photographer can be daunting. I promise that your struggle isn’t what will be captured on film. There are also things you can do to make sure that your family session is a successful one!
Set up for success: Practice smiles, talk about how much fun you’ll have, and refer to the photographer as their friend to help get ahead of shyness.
Don’t stress: Don’t just tell your kids how much fun you’ll have, tell yourself as well! Kids pick up on your stress and worry, take a deep breath–it’s ok!
Involve the kids in prep: Allowing the kids to help will get them more invested. For example, one little girl got to pick out her dress and a special sparkly headband for her session, and her excitement to show them off took her photos to the next level!
Ask your photographer to do prompts, not just poses: Cute candids are usually not captured on their own. Ask the photographer if they have any games that help or movement prompts to help engage the kids and make your session more playful.
Bribe the kids: Smarties or mini marshmallows are great during-session bribes as they’re small and make no messes.
Be realistic: We’re there to capture your family, not some perfectly casted magazine models. Your family is beautiful and fun and real. Celebrate that.
Leave Dad at home: If Dad’s being a bummer, sometimes the best thing to do is leave him behind so he doesn’t infect the kids with negativity. I’ve done several family sessions without the dad and Mom gets pictures she loves with her kids.