How to prepare for your family photoshoot
Congratulations! You’ve booked your family shoot, you’ve put together the outfits, chosen the location and now all that’s left is to actually do the shoot. I’d love to offer you some simple and practical tips for ensuring you have the smoothest session possible, especially when it comes to preparing our little ones.
LET KIDS BE KIDS!
First things first - let go of the idea of kids on best behaviour. It’s just not required with me. I want your children to feel comfortable and happy to be there. How do we do this? We relax. They’ll often feel our tension and act accordingly. So we’re going to encourage them to have fun, to be active, to play and have some seriously present time with their parents. This is your time when you get to really just focus on them and your family. There are no phone calls to take, messages to answer, emails to respond to. Just children to love on, play with and give all the cuddles to.
I do have some practical and important tips for ensuring success though:
BE ORGANISED
Have all clothes ready and ironed well before the day of your shoot. This will remove the stress of getting ready and help you to run on time. I know all too well how hard it can be getting out the door with little people, so set yourself up for success by having clothes arranged and leaving with plenty of time to get to your shoot. Low stress levels will give your family a much better experience. I suggest arriving at your shoot 15 minutes early and allowing your kids to travel there in play clothes, particularly if you’re offering snacks in the car. You can dress them when you arrive and remove the risk of accidents on their chosen outfits for the shoot.
SLEEPS
If your little one still sleeps, please ensure they’ve had their nap as much as you possibly can on shoot day; potentially pushing it later if we’re shooting after their bedtime in summer. If they don’t sleep and might drift off in the car on the way to the shoot - No problem! But allow some extra time before your shoot starts to factor in that sleep and allow them to wake up calmly, get them dressed and excited for the fun. We don’t want to have to wake kids and immediately start shooting as it might not be the best start for them. If they miss their nap, don’t stress! I’ve had many families arrive worried due to a missed nap time and honestly, most times the kids cope just fine! Sometimes we have to let go of our regular routines for these special, one-off occasions.
EAT, EAT, EAT!
One essential thing on shoot day is to ensure the kids are well fed BEFORE the shoot. Try to leave the snacks and food in the car once you arrive and not use them as rewards during the shoot, unless you’re happy for those to be in your forever photos. Promises of ice creams AFTER the shoot are very welcome here! : )
Same goes with toys. By all means - if it’s a favourite teddy that’s like another child to your family (yes, I’m speaking from experience here too) then they belong in your photos. That’s a key part of your family and child’s story. However, we don’t need the latest trinket they’re not even that fond of turning up at the shoot. Bringing less means less chances of tantrums trying to get rid of the toys. A lovely one for small kids is to bring bubbles if you feel you need something. They make for beautiful images and can be brought out if spirits need lifting.
BRING EXTRA WARDROBE
In colder months, always bring extra layers to keep children warm. As adults we can brave the cold, but for the kids - it’s the quickest way to see them become uncomfortable. Think chunky knit jumpers, lovely coats and even beanies where necessary, as they actually deliver super cute images.
In warmer months, why not throw the swimmers in if you’ve got ocean lovers? If you don’t fancy swimmers, think carefully about outfits that will be ok with frolicking on the shore line. Perhaps some cute shorts or shorter dresses for the kids. Or let’s just embrace them getting wet and go with it! The worst thing is to try and restrict them in their joy, as it makes for beautiful keepsake images. Again, just ensure you bring something to dry them off to keep them warm and comfortable afterwards.
HAVE FUN!
Finally, you’ll be surprised by just how well your children will do being outside, out of routine, and loved on by their family. Most children have an amazing time and don’t want the shoot to end from experience. I encourage stick finding, rock throwing and sandcastle-building at all times. Let them play! And let me do the hard work. I’ve got a list below of great games you can play with your kids which result in beautiful images.
GAMES WE CAN PLAY
Piggy back races and spins - take one child each or have one parent chase the other. If you’ve got big siblings, it’s beautiful to get them to piggy back their younger ones.
Chasing mum and dad - get the kids to chase you and see if they can catch you.
Whispering family funny words - got a joke that never fails? Whisper it quietly and watch those giggles. And yep - all humour is welcome with me.
Throwing in the sky - a beloved favourite with the dads. How high can we go? High enough to worry mum I’m sure.
Flipping upside down - always guarantees a laugh.
Running up behind mum and dad (seated on the ground) for a bear hug - kids love surprising you.
Mum or dad popping out from behind me with a silly dance or animal sound - always a winner!
Tickles - siblings tickling each other is a great way to get them bonding and have shots together.