I’ve been photographing families for close to 10 years now, and I’ve learned a few things along the way. There’s not much I advise against when it comes to photographing your family, I want to capture who you are!!! Personalities and all!! But there are a few things I try to avoid, and I wanted to share them here since they can literally make or break your family photos.

#1: Yelling

Kids are kids. They are inevitably going to have moments where they get a little wild or don’t listen right away. But your mood is contagious, and if you let the situation get the best of you and yell at your kiddos, they’re going to get upset and we’ll have a hard time recovering. That being said, if they get too wild, I do need mom and dad to step in and give them some stern direction. But the tone of your voice makes all the difference. Instead of yelling or threatening punishment, be assertive but kind…or even bribe them with the possibility of a reward if they behave for a few more minutes. I am certainly not suggesting that I know how to deal with your child better than you do, I just know from experience that once we cross a certain line, it’s hard to get them back. So for the hour or so we’re together, I ask that the discipline be on the gentler side. Nobody wants family photos with a crying kiddo. Prepping them for what to expect ahead of time (if they’re old enough to understand) is also a great idea. We’ll be done in an hour or less, and it sometimes takes some effort to keep our own emotions in check when things seem like total shit show, but I promise we will get some great photos if we can work together to keep the kids happy, but in line.

#2 Toys

If we’re photographing babies or toddlers, its always good to have a toy on standby. But don’t bust it out unless we really really need it!!! Once they have that toy they love, they aren’t going to want to give it up (yes, this includes screens!!!). And I doubt you want that toy included in the family portrait. I’ve had situations where a kiddo gets a toy at the very beginning of the session, and then when I try to take it away so I can snap a photo, a full on tantrum ensues. Yikes! I have no shame while I’m working and will act like a total fool to get your kiddo to smile (or at least not be fussy). So let me try my own bag of tricks first. If I need that toy, I will ask you for it. Another pointer is if you think a toy will be necessary, try to bring one that is super minimalist. Wooden toys with no color are a great option, since they don’t really ruin the family photo. I’ll link a few of my favorites here for you in case you think it will be helpful on picture day.

Wooden Cars: https://a.co/d/cDxf9gS

Wooden Animals: https://a.co/d/aqie8ao

Wooden Camera: https://a.co/d/7mtkOlX

Wooden Rattle: https://a.co/d/4d5yox4

#3 Messy Snacks

I always ask parents to bring water and snacks to our sessions. Sometimes kiddos need a pick me up (don’t we all?). BUT, please don’t bring anything messy. Preferably, those snacks will be something you can hand over one at a time, like fruit snacks or puffs, instead of giving them something in the wrapper. Wrappers are pretty ugly if they end up in the shot, ya know? But if you have a pack of fruit snack behind your back and just hand over one at time as needed, it’s much more discreet. Most of the time, you won’t even know snacks were involved! Another thing to keep in mind is how those snacks will look IN their mouth. Goldfish are great, but they tend to stick around in their teeth for a bit. If they give me that award winning laugh/smile and there is yellow goldfish all in their teeth, there’s not much I can do about that in photoshop.

#4 Matching Outfits

Gone are the days of everyone showing up for photos with jeans and white shirts. I know it may be tempting, and if I’m being honest, my own parents have portraits like this from our childhood hung all over their walls. BUT, if you’re hiring me, it’s because you’ve seen my portfolio and you like what you see. As silly as it may seem, your wardrobe choices are a big part of that final result. There needs to be some contrast. Everyone matching will make for pretty boring photos, no matter how I pose you. So choose 2-3 colors that you like (that would look good on your walls at home), and have everyone wear something different in varying shades of those colors. Mix up patterns and solids, and definitely throw in some neutrals as well (jeans, khaki pants, a few cream or white pieces here and there). Trust me, you’ll thank me later! When families book a session with me, they automatically get access to my online styling website, which makes this part easy. You pick a few colors, you pick a style (boho/romantic, casual, preppy/formal, etc), and the website shows you a ton of clothing options with links to purchase those items directly from the vendor! You can even see everyone’s outfits side by side on the website so you know what everything looks like together!

OK! There you have it! It’s certainly not a long list since I want you guys to be yourselves on photo day, but these four things are game changers in my opinion. I hope it helps! Now, are you ready to book your photoshoot? AWESOME! Click the button below to get in touch and we’ll set it all up!