Family Photo Session season is HERE! These 13 family photo tips will insure that you are getting great pictures PLUS it won't be total torture!
One thing our family has a ton of experience with? Family photos. We work with photographers to take most of our blog pictures. After countless photo sessions, we've got the whole process down to a science. I wanted to share a few simple things to keep in mind for family photo sessions…..I promise, they'll make your life (and your photographer's life) a lot easier!
Family Photo Tips:
- Timing is KEY: Think about your children's daily routine. Scheduling a family photo session during naptime? Probably not going to go well. For us, morning or early evening photo sessions tend to be the easiest. (9 am or 4-5 pm).
- Take Breaks: It's ok to take breaks during family pictures. Have your photographer take a few parent only pictures, you'll be happy you have them and your kiddos will get a short break.
- Candids are the Best: If your goal is to have perfectly posed pictures with everyone smiling and looking at the camera….you're most likely going to be stressed and frustrated. Young children (generally) have a very short attention span and can be hard to wrangle. Let the photographer shoot your kids playing, laughing and making silly faces. Those pictures are always my favorites!
- Pick a Family Photographer: Be sure to pick a photographer who is accustomed to working with kids. Trust me, this will make a HUGE difference. They'll be patient, understanding, and your children will be way more comfortable.
- Bring Props: Balloons, umbrellas, huge lollipops, a favorite toy, bubbles…..give your young children something to interact with. They'll be happy, and you'll get better pictures.
- Ask Your Photographer for Direction: Utilize the professional eye that your photographer has. They can suggest poses, general ideas, ways to stand, even angles to shoot from.
- Check the Weather: One of my biggest rookie mistakes when we started working with professional photographers? Shooting in 102 degree heat with a toddler. The photos were adorable, but it was ABSOLUTE torture.
- Clothing: Casual and simple. When picking outfits, lay them ALL out together and stick to a color scheme. No logos, no super bold graphics and (per my photographers advice) NO WHITE. White blends in to many backdrops and is very hard to shoot.
- Location, Location, Location: Pick a location that reflects the style of picture you want (ie bright colors? Pick a local carnival or amusement park. Traditional? The beach or a local park.) Not sure? Ask your photographer for suggestions. Some of my favorite family photos are taken in casual clothing in the family's homes.
- Have FUN: Trust me, your photos will show if you are angry or stressed. Is your kiddo not cooperating? Sometimes just have to find the humor in the situation. What else can you do?
Want more family photo tips? Check out:
// to pose or not to pose / what to wear in family photos / how to take great holiday photos //
Figuring out what to wear for family photos is so stressful! One of my favorite suggestions is to look at the colors in your house (or what you’d like to see in your home!). Ideally, these are photos you’re going to hang on the wall, so you want them to look good in your home. This fall, we were initially thinking of navy, mustard and maroon. Upon second thought, those aren’t colors you’d EVER find in my home. So, we’re changing it up to blues, grays and a hint of lavender. Much more our style.
We’ve yet to have a professional photo shoot with our family. So often, I don’t plan ahead for things like that, so we’re stuck trying to figure ways to get all of us in a photo together! It can be stressful and happens much less frequently than I’d like. I love these tips though, I think they work great even just hanging around together or visiting family! 🙂
I loved reading your tips for family photos. Our family loves taking annual family photos but I must say, in the beginning when the kids were tiny, it has taken us a while to get the type of photos we really like.
I relate so much to your tips of finding a family photographer and having fun. I think when the photographer knows how to work with the kids and how to make them relax, the outcome is so much more candid and beautiful. When the kids have fun, they feel natural and the photos reflect their personalities that much better. Great post! XOXO, Elif