You decide you want to have family photos taken. You look online and find a photographer you want to use (I hope I’m the lucky one!) You contact and book the photographer for your session. You plan what each member of the family will wear, often purchasing new items so it coordinates well. You make sure all outfits are laid out, wrinkle-free and ready to wear. You make sure everyone is clean and presentable. You make sure to leave home a few minutes early to make sure you’re on time for the session…
Truth: Getting family photos can be stressful. Lie: Getting family photos must be stressful.
It’s easy to get caught up in the details and preparation of the session and not feel stress-free when you arrive to your photo session, but here are a few tips to get your kids and husband on board for the session and make the session a wonderful experience, free of stress.
Prepare your husband
Your husband may think this upcoming photo session will be just like the ones he had as a kid, in a studio where he continuously had to smile and look directly at the camera. Have you husband visit my site to look at images I’ve captured of other families. Yes, there will be photos when he’ll look and smile but many of the images captured are of families having a good time. My goal of each session is that at the end of it even the dad will say he had a blast!
As you prepare your husband for the session, make sure he knows how important the session is for you. The more he’s aware of how special this is for you, the more he’ll be ready to smile and goof off to get spectacular images for the woman he loves.
Now that your husband is ready, it’s easier to get your kids on board as you work as a team.
Prepare your kids
One huge idea in prepping your kids for the session is to make it sound fun and exciting. Weeks in advance, start talking about the adventure you’re going to go on as a family and let them feel the anticipation of the session day.
When you arrive allow them some time to interact with me, so they get to know me and feel comfortable of me directing them to get great images. Don’t worry if Tommy won’t smile or Samantha keeps pulling on her bow, it’s my job to get great images and I have some surprises up my sleeve to get images that will be the talk of your friends and family.
Once the session is complete don’t let that be the end to the family fun. Plan to take a special outing or stop on the way home for a special treat.
I hope you will utilize these tips to get both your husband and kids on board to make your time during the session stress-free and better yet an enjoyable and relaxing time for you too. Drop me a comment of which tip you’re going to utilize as you prepare for your next session.
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