Bad weather, screaming children, unexpected food on clothes, and no one looking at the camera at the same time, are just a few of the problems families come across when it’s family picture time.
Image by press 👍 and ⭐ from Pixabay
This can make family portraits a small miracle if you manage to capture a beautiful picture. However, it is certainly still worth the effort, a happy photograph of a growing family can speak a thousand words.
The key to a successful day of family photography is the recognise the potential issues and minimise the risk. Some of the following tips should help:
Choose Your Location Carefully
It’s not ideal to be standing in the hot sun or be in the freezing cold for a family photo shoot. This means you need to time your shoot around the season. If you are shooting in the summer plan your shoot at sunrise or sunset when it’s cooler. In the winter you may want to shoot indoors, wrap up for a cute winter portrait, or choose a slightly warmer time of the year. It definitely pays off to have a plan B (indoor location) if the weather is less than ideal.
Bring The Right And Spare Clothing
You need to ensure your outfits match the season and are comfortable enough for the shoot. Family shoots can often overrun, especially if the kids aren’t playing. Your kids will be happier and cooperate more if they are comfortable. You may want to think about matching, if you are going to do this, make your pack a matching spare for everyone in case there are any accidental stains. The last thing you want is everyone matching except dad who ended up with grape juice down his shirt.
Prepare The Kids
This is the best tip you should take away for your family shoot. You should prepare the kids for the shoot, starting a few days before the shoot. Turn it into a fun activity that they are going to enjoy, you could even promise a treat for afterwards such as going bowling or for ice cream.
Anticipation is an important part of the day being a successful one, but so is on the day build up. Make sure your kids arrive with a full tummy, as hungry children aren’t usually happy children. If your kids still nap, make sure you time the shoot around the nap.
Keep The Kids Engaged During The Shoot
It a good idea to introduce your kids to your photographer before the shoot, or for a chat just before you start. It allows them to get to know them and feel more comfortable. There is also more chance that they will listen to them when they need to direct into a better position or to face the camera. Another great thing to do is to bring a snack for the kids and give it to the photographer to give to your kids if they get restless.
Above all else, remember that part of the excitement of a family shoot day is the hustle and bustle that comes with it. Try to embrace it and prepare as much as you can beforehand. Do you have any other tips that would help? Please share some in the comments.