Tips for preparing your family for your upcoming family photoshoot
As a mom of three, I completely understand the stress around getting ready for family photos. You have to try to find clothes that look good, work together and fit everyone properly. Then there is getting everyone to the location on time, clean and happy. Seems impossible right? It doesn’t have to be.
Here are a few tips that can help alleviate some of that stress:
Try and eat 1 hour before.
Have you ever tried to negotiate with a hungry child? If you know, you know. To avoid unnecessary tears and distraction, I always suggest eating a hour before. Depending on the time of your session, this might be on the later side. So it doesn’t mean you have to eat dinner at this time but providing your family with a filling snack or small meal one hour before the session.
Choose the outfits a head of time.
One of the simplest ways to minimize stress is to decide what you want your family to wear a few days before. By doing this, you will know well in advance if something doesn’t fit right or coordinate with the rest of the family’s outfits. It also gives you time to pick anything up you might needs like a hat or pair of shoes.
Bring dry snacks.
When it comes to children, it never hurts to have some snacks on hand. The thing is, you want to minimize the mess as much as possible. Therefore, it’s important that the snacks are dry. Some examples are arrowroot cookies, goldfish crackers, or bearpaws. It’s better to have the snacks available, just in case. They are easy to clean up and wipe off.
Nap later in the day.
If you have little ones that still nap, I always suggest having them nap a little later than usual. This keeps them rested and refreshed for your photoshoot. If they nap too early, there is a chance that they will become tired once the session begins. It don’t think children need to smile for every photo but I believe they should have fun - this can be hard if they are tired.
Don’t stress about the small things!
If your child wants to bring their favourite stuffy - who cares! If they refuse to put on the fancy shoes -don’t worry! These are small details that really don’t matter in the end. When you look back on your photos, you won’t care about anything else than love captured!
