3 Tips to Prepare your Family for a Photo Session

We all want those great family photos to hang on the wall and also have a good time taking them! I also know how hard it can be to get your kids out the door, let alone out the door looking nice, ready to smile and take family photos. Below are my 3 best tips for how you can help prepare your family for your next family photo session in hopes of making it a little smoother!

Let your kids be part of the process

We all know kids love to have control and power and be a part of everything little thing we do. Depending on their age, you can have conversations with them and invite them into the process as much as possible. That could look like having them give input on the location or helping decide between two of your family's favorite places to go. You can choose 2 different outfits you are okay with and let them choose the one they wear for the session. Letting them be a part of the process will get them excited and give them some ownership in the photo session.

Share the expectations

Most kids, young ones especially, can have a hard time with the unknown and not knowing what to expect. Sometimes, they can get overwhelmed and shut down, making it hard to get their personality in the photos. To help your youngsters get comfortable, talk about the photo session a few days before it’s going to happen. Role play and show them what it will look like to have their picture taken and you could even have them take pictures of you! Sharing with them what it will look, feel, and sound like will help prepare them to have a great time at your photo session!

Relax and Keep it Positive!

The more relaxed you are the more relaxed your kids will be. Start getting ready extra early and make it as fun as you can so that everyone is in a cooperative mood. Try to keep the discipline at a minimum to allow everyone to be more relaxed and joyful. It can also be fun to make a whole day of it by including something fun the kids will love to do afterwards like going to the park or eating ice cream or whatever it is your kids love to do! Keeping it as positive and fun as possible will truly take your experience from okay to great!