Family Picture Time!

Getting your family pictures taken is always on your To DO list. But do you ever get to finally cross it
off?

I have so many clients that say to me “Oh, I wish I had done this earlier! I can’t believe all the years I missed when they were little!”.

Don’t wait until the kids are older in hopes they can “sit still”. Pictures is about playing and having FUN! Don’t make it a time of photos, make it a time of loving on your family as much as you can!

Kids are good at having fun, and the usually smile a lot while doing it. 🙂

Here are a few pointers to help calm your picture day nerves:

{WHAT TO WEAR }

This is my MOST COMMON QUESTION, so I wrote you all a little blog post about it a little while back! Check it out: WHAT TO WEAR – the blog

 

 { SNACKS + DRINKS }

A full belly before the session is BEST whenever possible. Even non-messy snacks during the session can result in a chewing child, or one who wants to hold the bag (which we won’t want in the image), or one who wants “more” and is unhappy when the snack is finished.

“But can’t you just Photoshop those goldfish out?”

While little nicks and scrapes are certainly something I’m happy to take care of, whenever something can be perfect in person, that’s far better! A quick wipe of the nose to avoid two hours of intensive retouching is always a good thing. 

You are welcome to bring them some water to drink, but keep it in the car, or in a bag so they don’t get distracted by it.

 

{ HELP WITH KIDS }

Many kids are able to be themselves in front of the camera more easily when mom and dad are just out of sight; sometimes, they really do want you right there. In other words, we need to play this one by ear! Because your children and babies will naturally want to look at you, if you are nearby I’ll ask you to be REALLY nearby, as in no personal space right behind me nearby so that we can capture eye contact with the camera rather than “looking off to the side.” Also, while I love the help, if too many adults are talking and trying to engage the kids, they can get quickly overwhelmed and “done.” Oftentimes a silent moment, followed by a silly line from me, is when the magic happens! This is my job, and crazy is what I do. My favorite part of my job is getting to chase your kiddos around, playing tag and telling jokes to get them to REALLY smile. I am the one that should be exhausted by the end of the session, not you! 

 

{ MOST IMPORTANT }

Have FUN! Yep…that’s right. Ultimately it is not about what you are wearing or where you are. What it IS about is your FAMILY and the LOVE and FUN and LAUGHTER you share together. So let’s capture that shall we? Don’t make it a time of photos, make it a time of loving on your family as much as you can! NOW LET’S HAVE SOME FUN!!

 

I am looking forward to it!