Family photoshoots are a great way to bring your family together, commemorate milestones and celebrate moments in time. Not only will you receive gorgeous images that your family can cherish forever and pass on to future generations, but you get to experience the fun, laughter and connection on the day while spending time with your nearest and dearest.
As a professional photographer, I get asked a lot of questions from families about how to prepare for the photoshoot. Should you bring anything, what should you wear, how to approach the shoot with children of all ages… I get it, It’s perfectly understandable to be curious about what happens during a photoshoot, especially if you’ve never experienced one before.
So, to give you a bit of insight into family photoshoots, I’ve compiled 14 of my hottest tips to help you prepare your family for the big day.
1. Find the Right Photographer
Finding the perfect photographer for you and your family is one of the first tips I can give you. There are so many amazing photographers available to take your family photos, and finding the best fit for your family and the image style you want to achieve is a simple process.
If you take some time to browse through your local or recommended photographers online photo galleries, you can start to get a feel for their style and speciality.
As photographers, we all have our own unique style and operate in different ways. Some will be more formal, others are more candid. Some photographers will use an indoor studio while others prefer outdoor location shoots.
Even the way we edit our images can make a difference to the final image style. Some photographers like to add filters to their photos, while others, like myself, prefer a more clean edit that produces a fresh and authentic result.
While you are browsing photo galleries, you can also view the photographer’s reviews, testimonials and other information available to get to know the photographer and their working style.
If you’re not sure what styles will work best for your family, a Pinterest board is a great way to keep your ideas in one place and help you keep track of the galleries you’ve looked at.
2. Think About Where You Would Like Your Photoshoot to Take Place
Once you have a photographer or photography style in mind, you can start to think about where a great place for your photoshoot would be to take place. You may have a favourite spot that your family visits all the time, or you’ve seen a beautiful location that would make the ideal backdrop. It could even be your own home or neighbourhood.
Your photographer will likely have some suggestions as well or know of a few amazing family photography locations that are perfect for families.
A great way to get the family involved is to include them in the planning. Plan the day together with your partner and get the kids involved early on. Ask everyone what their ideas are and what they would like to do, where they would like to go on the day.
3. Plan Ahead. Consider the Day and Time for Your Family Photoshoot
Another tip to preparing your family for a family photoshoot is to give some thought to the timing, both the day and time, when booking the shoot.
Family photoshoots are unique in that there are more personalities involved and there are more people to organise. This can add to the fun and enjoyment on the day. If you have young children, they may be more energised, alert and responsive in the morning, while older children, particularly teenagers may appreciate a photoshoot later in the day so they can sleep in.
4. Share Your Thoughts With Your Photographer
One thing to keep in mind when it comes to family photography is to share your thoughts with your photographer. If any member of the family has special needs or may be a little self-conscious about carrying extra weight, for example, it would be great to share this information with your photographer.
The more your photographer can learn about your family the better. It will help them be mindful of any requirements and allow them to make all your family members feel as relaxed and as comfortable as possible.
I love working with families and have a knack for relating to people of all ages. I enjoy nothing more than seeing every member shine and look absolutely radiant in the final images, so it helps to be given any little titbits of family information that can help me put your family at ease and capture them at their absolute best.
5. Consider Your Outfits
What to wear is definitely one of the most common questions asked, and with family photoshoots, it can take a little extra coordination. But there is really no need to overthink it. The main goal is for everyone to wear something that they are both comfortable in and are confident wearing.
I often share these quick tips with my clients to help with outfit selections:
TIP #1 – keep the colour palette simple, choosing only three or four colours collectively.
TIP #2 – Choose your outfit first and if there are colours in your outfit, choose those colours for the rest of the family to wear.⠀
TIP #3 – Avoid clothes with logos and words on them. These clothes date your photos and instead of seeing the beautiful connections between everyone in the family, your eyes are distracted by the logos and words!⠀
I give some more outfit tips and examples over on my Pinterest page if you’re looking for extra guidance.
6. Embrace Sentimental or Meaningful Items
I love it when my clients have sentimental or meaningful items they want to include in their photos, or even develop a theme around. If your child absolutely loves Lego or has had a soft toy they’ve been inseparable from since birth, by all means, let’s include them in the photos.
Sentimental or meaningful items enhance the images and help bring out your family’s unique personality. Even the simple things such as including a piece of jewellery or favourite skateboard you wear every day can make your images all the more meaningful. It’s the little things such as these that can draw out emotions as you look back and remember your family at that time in your lives.
7. Don’t Forget Your Fur Babies
Anyone who has a family pet knows what a special part of the family they are and they hold a special place in our hearts. So it’s only natural to want to include them in a family photo shoot.
As our pets don’t have the same lifespan as we do, and we love them just as much as we do our other family members, including them in your photoshoot can be a great way to celebrate them and their time with your family.
One family pet I remember well, is Bruce, a very much loved family dog. I photographed Bruce along with his loving family every year. The first photograph was taken when he was a tiny puppy and the last one was taken 11 years later.
Sadly Bruce passed away a few weeks after the last photo, but his family, and I, were so thankful that they had so many photos taken with Bruce so they could remember and celebrate their time together.
8. Try Not to Change Your Routine Right Before Your Photoshoot
This point particularly relates to any beauty or personal care routines. I recommend not changing your routine drastically before a photoshoot. While everyone wants to look their best in photos, you also want to look like you.
My personal photography style is to capture your family in natural, candid moments. I focus on the connections between your family and drawing out your natural beauty, which you already are simply by being you.
Before photo day, by all means, organise for everyone to be well-groomed and looking fresh, but please don’t feel like you need to go all out and book any special beauty treatments. Now is probably not the time to try out a new shade of tanning lotion or go for a completely new hairstyle.
9. Eat and Drink Healthy Meals Before Your Family Photoshoot
The week before your photoshoot, particularly the day before and the morning, try to eat well-rounded meals and get plenty of fluids. This goes for both yourself and all your family members.
Clean and healthy foods along with lots of water make your skin glow, regulates moods and adds an extra sparkle to the eyes. It can also help to keep everyone’s energy up throughout the shoot.
10. Get Plenty of Sleep the Night Before
This can be a hard one, as everyone will probably be both excited for the next day, but I highly recommend you avoid any late nights the night before your family photoshoot. Make sure everyone, including yourself, gets a good night’s sleep and is well rested on photo day. This will make a big difference in how the day runs.
11. Bring supplies
Bringing supplies to your family photo shoot is a good idea.
Some supplies to think about include:
- Extra nappies and wipes for younger kids and babies,
- Clean snacks such as some crackers or bite-size (mess-free) pieces of fruit,
- Extra drinks
- Tissues or hand wipes
- A brush or a comb
It doesn’t hurt to be prepared and have everything you need just in case.
I don’t recommend bringing any iPads or electronic devices, as they can be a distraction for the kids. Our shoots are so much fun, they won’t need devices.
12. On Family Photoshoot Day, Give Yourself Plenty of Time
Give yourself plenty of time on photoshoot day so you all arrive relaxed, excited, ready to have fun and take amazing photos.
Your photoshoot may only take a couple of hours, but why not make a day of it? Family photoshoots are a celebration of your family, so why not plan a day together and spend time as a family after your photoshoot doing fun things together.
13. Let Kids Be Kids
One thing parents can be a little nervous about is whether their children are going to behave on the day. And the best advice I can give you is to simply not worry about it. Let your kids be kids.
Kids, by nature, are curious and inquisitive, and I have always been able to engage with children of all ages. (What can I say, they love my Dad jokes). Children are also quick to pick up on other people’s energy, so when mum and dad are relaxed and having fun, then it’s easy for the kids to relax and enjoy the experience as well.
I find that the most glorious family photographs often come about by simply letting children be themselves and allowing the photo shoot to be guided by the children as they discover and explore their surroundings.
14. Be Guided By Your Photographer, Relax and Enjoy
The hottest tip I can give you to help you prepare your family for the big day is to simply relax, enjoy and be guided by your photographer. I’m not going to leave you hanging.
From the moment you make the first enquiry call to the day your photos are taken and then collected, I am going to be guiding you through the entire process. You will never be left wondering what to do or what is going to happen next.
You’ll also have plenty of opportunities to ask questions and share any thoughts you have about your shoot.
It’s my job to draw out the best in you and your family and make you feel absolutely stunning in your images. And I have a few tricks and tips up my sleeve to make sure you and your family have the best experience on photo day. Your main job is to simply make a booking, show up and be your fabulous selves.
So, while I have outlined a few tips above for you to think about to help you prepare, you might be surprised to find there’s much less to do than you actually thought.
Are You Ready For a Fun Family Photoshoot?
Having a family photoshoot is a wonderful and enjoyable experience. And, it’ll be a moment in time captured forever for your family to look back on and savour the memories.
Are you ready to book your family in for a family photoshoot?
Give me a call today and let’s chat!