So you’ve booked a photoshoot with your favorite lifestyle photographer. Your mind is probably going through a handful of details to get ready for the day. What are you going to wear? What location will you decide on with your photographer? Will your toddler cooperate? Don’t stress. You’re not alone in these thoughts.
Here are some helpful tips once you’ve booked your family session:
1. Choose your outfits wisely.
This is the number one topic that clients bring up once they book a session. I will always offer styling help if you need it. The number one mistake that families make here is thinking that everyone needs to wear the same thing or color. If you don’t want to all look like you have floating heads, you need to mix it up a bit. Instead of focusing on matching, focus on a color palette that works for everyone in your family. For example, neutrals usually look great on everyone. You also want to consider your location. Are we shooting on the beach? in green grass? downtown? Look at the weather and bring layers if needed. The most important thing here is that everyone looks cohesive, they’re comfortable, and they don’t look like a walking advertisement with logos. You want your faces and interactions between each other to be front and center in your images.
2. Leave the cheese at home.
We’ve all done it. You see a camera, and everyone says “cheeeeeeese!” with a teethy grin. My cheeks are cramping up just thinking about it. lol. Lifestyle photography isn’t about poses and awkward smiles. We are here to interact with each other, and get some candid shots that evoke emotion. Which reminds me! Not everyone has to look at the camera with a smile. I promise your favorite photo will not be the posed group photo with everyone looking at the camera and smiling. It will be the one of your kids all hugging each other or giggling at the youngest because he just filled his diaper. They always find the perfect time for that right? Back to my point… as a lifestyle photographer, I will prompt you here and there. We will have conversations, we will laugh, and we might have some quiet sweet moments. I want you to smile because something makes you happy, and I want you to laugh because something is genuinely funny.
3. Give yourself plenty of time to get ready.
There’s nothing worse than showing up all flustered and rushed. And as a mother to two kids, I know anything can happen right before heading out the door. Showing up late to a session is frustrating for everyone. Photographers are sometimes at the mercy of the sunlight, and we don’t want to cut your session short because we run out of daylight. So give yourself plenty of time. Pretty simple right?
4. Make sure your kids are rested + fed.
This one seems pretty obvious right? But, again, as a mom I know things come up. It goes hand in hand with giving yourself plenty of time to get ready. Don’t cram too many things into this day. Rest + Fed. Say it with me. lol. Don’t be afraid to bring snacks to the shoot if you have little ones too. You want to make sure they aren’t messy snacks. Stay away from chocolate, suckers, etc. Good ideas are gold fish, dried fruit, and small items that they can hold in their little hands and eat quickly.
5. Enjoy your family and have fun.
This really is the magic combo right here. Odds are something isn’t going to go perfectly. Don’t let it ruin your shoot. Sometimes the imperfections are what makes a photo. Be yourselves and just be in the moment. This is a time to let all things adult related fall by the wayside and just hang out with your people.
I hope these tips were helpful, and please remember I’m here to help!
Ready to book your lifestyle family session? Click here to book your next session.
