How to Prepare Your Kids for Your Family Session

You booked a family session with me or another photographer, and you want to have the best session experience possible. Here are some tips on how you can help prepare your children for your family session.  

In the days leading up to our session tell them that a friend is going to be taking your family photos.

• Show them photos of me on my About page. Tell them where the photos are going to be taken and that you will be going there to have fun and play together as a family. Your friend will be asking them to sit or stand in a few different poses, and that they may even get to get up on dad’s shoulders. 

Involve your children in picking out outfits to wear.

• Let them help pick out their outfit by giving them 2-3 choices to choose from. Click HERE to review the blog post of What to Wear For Your Family Session. 

Show them past family photos, even if they are just on your iPhone.

• They might be even more excited knowing that this experience will result in fun photos of themselves. 

Make sure they are fed and rested.

• Eat dinner or a big snack before the session so they are not hungry during the session. Keep your schedule on the day of your photo session low key, allowing for some rest time or even a late nap before your photo shoot.  

Offer an incentive for tolerating the session, not a bribe.

• Before the shoot (of after - you determine what is best) you can tell them that afterwards you’ll do something fun together as a family such as getting a treat, or watching a movie together when you get home.

Know that I will never force your child to smile.

• If they smile, I want it to be because they are actually happy. It’s also okay if your child wants to stay in your arms the whole session. I want them to be able to relax and feel comfortable enough to be their natural self.    

I hope this gives you some great ideas on how you can help prepare your children for your session. I truly want the whole family to be able to relax and just have fun during their session.

Have a question? Please don't hesitate to reach out.