It’s that time of year when you are starting to think about holiday cards and family photos! Some of us love it and some of us hate it. We have become experts in how to best prepare for the day. Let us share with you some of our tips to make this experience as enjoyable as possible.

Photo Combinations: Think about what kind of photo combinations you might want.  What is important to you?  Each child individually? Each child with individual parents? More whole family photos? 

Location: Ask the photographer for suggestions for locations and give them your ideas. We always tell our clients that the most important thing when shooting is the lighting. Good light is so important to get the photos you will want. Shade, Shade, and Shade!

Wardrobe: Plan out your wardrobe in advance.  Planning the night before could be dangerous. 😉  This part can be so incredibly stressful for some. Hop on Pinterest or on other photographers websites and see how families have dressed. We wouldn’t recommend being too matchy-matchy (unless you want to dress your kiddos the same…we are guilty of this ourselves and it’s so cute!). Select complimentary patterns, colors or even different shades of the same color. Don’t overthink it too much! The focus is on your faces. Take a look here at our Pinterest Style Guide. 

Mom Tip: Find an outfit you LOVE on yourself first and then plan the rest of the family.

Kids: Your kids are just kids! They are not professional models who are going to do exactly what you want. It’s the truth! We have taken thousands of pictures of our own kids and some days it seems like they are the worst at getting their picture taken. They don’t know any better! Meltdowns may happen. Embrace the craziness and make the best of your session. There is always time to take a quick break while we do break out pictures if we have a crabby little one! No worries! 

Time: The best tip for small children is to pick a time when they are in their best mood. For us, it’s usually in the morning. We will not say names, but one of our children is absolutely CRAZY after her nap! After naps is a no-go for us.

Food: Make sure everyone has a full stomach. Bribing your child with food is totally okay at a photo shoot! We just don’t recommend you pull them out immediately otherwise little Johnny will want fruit snacks in his mouth for every picture. Most of the photo sessions we have done, we have parents bribing for ice cream after the session is done or giving them goldfish along the way. It is totally okay to do!!

Props: Are there any props (balloons, chairs, signs, etc.) you want to incorporate? Think about that and start preparing those. Let your photographer know about these ideas in advance so they can be prepared.

Relax and have fun! Try not to get overwhelmed with the little ones looking at the camera or smiling when they are supposed to. Candid photos can be some of the best photos.

We hope that these tips have been helpful!

You’re The Best!

Emily & Erin