Have you booked a family photography session with a photographer to get your family photos taken? If so, I applaud you! Wrangling your family together to get your photos taken isn’t always easy, but they will be worth it! If you’re still on the fence about booking a family photography session, I encourage you to check out my blog post about why family photos are so important. If you’re feeling nervous or unprepared as to how to prepare you and your family for your photos session, keep reading! I’ve been a Spokane Family Photographer for four years, and I’m sharing five tips to prepare for your family photography session that will help ease your stress and help you to have a fun time at your session.

Find your outfits ahead of time

There’s something so stressful about rummaging through everyone’s closets the day of your family photography session and throwing outfits together that may or may not match. One way to help minimize your stress on the day of your family session is to choose outfits at least a week ahead of time. This will give you enough time to make sure your family’s outfits go well together, go out and shop a new outfit if needed, and ensure that everyone is wearing something that flatters them and makes them feel confident. Sometimes your photographer will also help you make outfit decisions. If you’ve booked a session with a local Spokane & Coeur d’Alene family photographer, make sure to ask for a style and outfit guide if you haven’t already received one!

Coach your family on what to expect

Before you folks show up to your family session, it might be helpful to brief your kids (or your reluctant spouse) on what they can expect. This might mean telling them that you’re going to hang out in the fields and give hugs and smooches to one another or visit a friend (photographer) who is going to take a few photos of your family playing together. You also want to set the tone for having a fun family photography session by coaching your family and talking about the photos in an excited and happy manner.

Bring your kids their favorite snacks

One of the best ways to encourage kids to smile, play, and have a good attitude about getting family portraits taken is to have a small bribe ready. One of the best little bribes is a favorite snack. You can bring along the snack to give to your kid after the session, or depending on your photographer’s flexibility, you might even be able to give your child the snack throughout the session to create a happier mood. Or, if your family photography session is with me, sometimes I love to bring the kids’ favorite snack so I can create some safety and rapport with them; this helps me to go from stranger-family-photographer status to friend! 

Plan something fun to do after

Another fun way to convince your family to be excited about your family photography session is to plan a fun activity to do after your session. This way, your kids are excited about the day, and you can make the most out of your well-dressed and happy family. Be careful not to sell this point too much, as you don’t want your kids to complain at the session because they want to go to ice cream NOW. 

Make a day-of plan

Because people usually take family photos only once or twice a year, they can be especially important yet stressful days. Creating a plan for your day (ex. packing the snacks, getting the kids dressed, doing hair and make-up, piling into the car, etc.) will help ease your mind knowing exactly what you need to do and when.

Hopefully, these five tips will help you feel at ease about getting your family prepared for your family photography session, and help you have a good time when you get there. Family photos are so worth taking, especially as the kiddos grow older and older, and taking them doesn’t have to be overly stressful!

If you’re looking to book a stress-free family photography sessionwith a Spokane family photographer, I would love to work with you to document your family through a storytelling lens and help you preserve this chapter in your lives. Contact me by filling out this form, or send me an email at taywhitephotography@gmail.com. I look forward to meeting you!