Let’s face it, everyone loves having beautiful photographs of their family decorating their walls, gracing friends and family’s mailboxes at the holidays, and of course to use for profile pictures.  But for most people, when the time comes to take those photos, they STRESS! Getting everyone dressed and to the location on time without someone spilling food on their outfit or blowing out a diaper raises the blood pressure! Then you get there and feel like your kiddo is at their very worst behavior!  Luckily you’ve hired a pro and the images will absolutely be beautiful regardless of the situation! Even still, here are a few tips to make your next family session FUN!

1. Prep the kids. Your photo session should be fun! Let the kids know ahead of time this is going to be a blast! You’ll be hanging out together as a family, cuddling, tickling, chasing and playing games. Get your children excited for this special time you get to spend together. Avoid telling them to use their “real smile” or to behave. Words like that typically make children nervous and clam up. Those aren’t the pictures you’ll cherish! And it’s easy to see on camera when someone is genuinely laughing, smiling and having fun.

2. Prep for parents. Take a look at your photographer’s portfolio. Get a feel for what things you love and want to see in your own session. This also helps give you a feel for what you’ll be doing during your session and helps you relax a little! If you have any concerns, speak up ahead of time and let your photographer know! Before you get out of the car at your session, take a deep breath! You may think your kids are acting crazy but trust the professional you hired to capture your memories. 9 times out of 10 they’ve nailed those in between moments and perfect smiles when you blinked 😉

3. Plan for a reward. Yup, a good old fashioned bribe never hurt anyone! Plus, it will be really fun to go get ice cream as a family and celebrate after your pictures are all done. I would suggest keeping the bribes for after the session though. Red candy drool is a little distracting in photos 😉

4. Plan your outfits ahead of time. Lay out everyone’s outfit ahead of time. Make sure everyone has tried them on and that everyone is comfortable in their clothes! Itchy collars and too tight shoes take the fun away from your session. Moms, let Dad know who is wearing what and put him in charge of dressing the kids. Go take a nice shower and pamper yourself! Or even better, hire a pro for your hair and makeup! My favorite local ladies are Keegan with Steele the Spotlight and Candace with Dotted with Hearts. Need more advice on what to wear for your family pictures? Check out these posts:

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And my Pinterest board at https://www.pinterest.com/dearkatestudios/what-to-wear/

You are also always more than welcome to send me ideas you’ve got and I’m happy to help you pull them together!

5. Take a deep breath and just enjoy it! Make sure you get a picture of just you and your spouse while the kids blow off some steam! You probably haven’t had a good picture of just the two of you since your wedding 😉 And that time gives you a moment to connect and enjoy the family you’ve built together!

Ready to book you portraits for this fall? Click below!