For some reason, there seems to always be a little bit of stress around booking family photos. That’s okay! But I’m here to remind you - the whole thing doesn’t need to be stressful. To help yourself avoid some stress in planning your family photoshoot, here are some important things to consider:

When booking a session consider golden hour timing.

So here’s the thing - everyone wants those perfect, golden family photos and us photographers want to give those to you. What is the most important thing in order to achieve this? For them to be taken during golden hour.

What’s golden hour? It’s the hour right before sunset or the hour after sunrise. When booking your family photos the first thing you should consider is what time the sun sets during that time of year. If you have young kids who don’t do well staying up past their bed time, then you likely should book in the fall when sunset is around 5:30-6pm. But if you have teenagers or kids who love going to bed late - summer is great time for you. Learn more about the best timing for family photos.

Also, if you have early risers (like me 🙋‍♀️) then you might want to consider a sunrise session. I mean you’re up anyways! Having you session during golden hour can really elevate your photos, it’s something I don’t often waiver on. So be sure to consider it!

Decide on the type of location you prefer for pictures.

Once you’ve figured out if golden timing matters or not, it’s important to decide what type of location you’d like. Would you prefer photos at the beach, maybe you like the look of a park or are you hoping for all the trees from conservation area. This is important to know. Because if you are hoping to be dipping your toes in water while the sun sets - then you likely will want to book in the summer. There are many options you can choose from.

When it’s warm and the sun is very golden. But this means, your session will have to be later in the evening (golden hour - it’s the golden rule). But if you are more into the idea running around a park or embracing the changing leaves - a conservation area might be better suited for you. And in this case, you might want to start your session a little earlier before the sun dips behind the trees. Letting your photographer know your preferred type location ahead of time is very important!

What is your preferred wardrobe for photos with your family.

This might seem silly but it is actually quite important. If you envision you and your daughters wearing fun dresses and cute sandals - then you don’t want to wait until the fall for photos. Might be a little chilly and kids can get grumpy if they are cold. If you like to wear tall boots, layer with sweaters and maybe include a couple cute hats - then spring or fall make the most sense for you! (Tips on what to wear for fall photos)

Stop and consider your vision for these photos, how you hope your family will look and choose a time a year that best suites it.

But don’t wait, book as soon as you can. Photographers fill up fast during the summer and fall - you don’t want to miss out on the date you want!

If you want first dibs on my upcoming dates - jump on my mailing list! Link below.

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