Tips for Family Photo Sessions

This time of year, I get to document some great people’s families! I love being the one to share those sweet moments with my clients, and helping the preserve those memories of themselves and their children. It’s seriously one of the favorite parts of my job! And then seeing them on their Christmas cards and in their homes, oh man! It’s the greatest!!

One thing that tends to make me sad is when I can tell the mom (or dad) is frustrated, or irritated, during family sessions. Whether it’s because she isn’t quite happy about her outfit, or her kids are a little too crazy that day, or even her and her husband had a fight in the car on the way to get pictures (because of having to take pictures, GASP! It happens all the time.), it makes me sad.

MOM (and you too dad)!!!!!! Sometimes you just have to RELAX. When you’re stressed or anxious or furious with your kids, I can tell. I can see in the photos during and after, and I know you aren’t going to be happy with that look in your photos. Here’s me putting on a happy face, even though I probably really wanted to throw in the towel because of how unruly my child was being during my own family photos.

PC: Terra Nyce Photography

Dads!
Here’s what my mom always told me growing up…. “Sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to do.”

I know, and your wife know, that you don’t want to take family photos. It’s embarrassing. It’s awkward. You may not be happy with your “dad bod.” You have to wear weird clothes. I get it. But when you have a bad attitude about it, the kiddos can tell. Try to just have some fun with it. Just be you. Tickle your kids, or your wife. We’ll get some great photos in the process.

Back to you mom.

I’ll end with this. Kids are crazy. They’re unpredictable. They don’t like to look at my camera.

There’s like this strange force-field between their eyes and my camera. EVERY.SINGLE.TIME. It’s not just your child. Trust me. BUT when they have six people trying to get their attention and make them look over to them., one out of a two things happen. They either look at the person whose being the craziest, or they totally ignore everyone. This makes my job kind of difficult. For one, they don’t generally look at me. I can be crazy, but not too crazy with a camera in one hand. If you want them looking off at you, that’s totally fine.

But if you want a classic portrait, let me take the reins. 🙂 I like to make it fun for the kids. Sitting in one spot and “CHEESE”-ing is hard work, especially when all you want to do is run and around and be crazy. (Side note: telling your kids to say “Cheese” makes for almost painful smiles). I love letting the kiddos run around and be crazy. I get some of the best photos during that time. Don’t worry about it. I like to have them interact with me. Don’t worry that they just aren’t sitting there like a statue. I promise we’re getting some great shots! 😀

Lastly, just have fun with it. This year, taking family pictures with my almost 18 month old was a nightmare. She didn’t want to be held. She wanted to play in the dirt in her cute outfit, and eat the apples that our photographer had brought, and it was just by chance that she ended up looking at the photographer in some frames. But THAT’S OK!

That’s real life.

And I trusted that our photographer would give me the best images with what she was given! And we got this! 😀 And I love it! And it ended up on our Christmas card this year.

PC:Terra Nyce Photography

Some of the best photos around, and the ones that tend to go viral, are when kids just act like themselves because that’s real life. Sure it’s nice to have a great family “formal” portrait, but with kids, that doesn’t always happen. Just relax a little bit, have some fun with it, and I promise we’ll get some amazing pictures of you all together!

Wow. That may have all seemed a little harsh, but I promise it comes from a place of love! I just want you to get images you are going to love forever, and with these tips for family photo sessions, it’s bound to happen! 😀

So now I want to know, what’s the worst/craziest moment you’ve had during family pictures?