How To Get Your Family Ready For Family Photos
Family photos are a memory that freezes your family time to cherish for decades. If only people knew the hard work that goes into getting your family ready for the photo session, would they know to appreciate it more!
A 2-hour photo shoot can take weeks to prepare. So those photos of a happy, smiling family are a product of careful consideration and planning to get everything just right!
So how do you get your family ready for family photos? I’ve got a few helpful tips that will make you feel like one of the pros!
Tip One: Location, Location, Location
Are you interested in a studio session or outdoor session? This will also help you determine your attire, props and anything else you’d like to use in the photos.
Once you determine the location, you can move on to choosing the rest!
Tip Two: Check The Weather
What kind of pictures are you interested in getting? Maryland weather can be finicky at any time of the year and you’ll want to plan your outfits according to the season.
Snowy weather does not call for flowing dresses and tank tops, and summer doesn’t call for heavy flannels so it’s important to choose a season that will work with the type of style you want to wear!
Tip Three: Outfit Choices
If you search for family pictures you will notice that no one is “matching” but instead coordinating. Long gone are the days of jeans and white tee shirts or other matching outfits and as a photographer, we love to see the mixing of patterns and solids and outfits that truly represent each member of the family!
A good rule of thumb is to start with mom’s outfit first! You’ll choose a color palette and statement color that sets the tone for the rest of the family. Afterward, you can move to the children (girls first, then boys) and then Dad’s outfit can be chosen last since men have a lot of choices to pick from at department stores.
If you’re choosing your outfits from a website you want to make sure you allow enough time for the clothes to all come in and potentially be returned if they don’t fit.
Tip Four: Finalize The Fit
You do not want to get everyone dressed on the day of the session and realize that the outfits don’t coordinate.
2 weeks prior, finalize your outfits by laying them out a neutral color surface and see how they all look together. Include all the accessories you’ve chosen and even make sure the shoes coordinate!
Do this for every outfit change if you have more than one.
Once you have finalized the outfits, you can neatly put them away altogether so that they stay clean and perfect until it’s time to steam, iron, and wear them!
This will give you peace of mind that you’ve got it all ready to go and you won’t be scrambling day of to get everyone together.
Tip Five: Prepare For The Session
If you have infants or toddlers that are sure to get messy before they even get to the shoot, wait to dress them until the last possible minute. Pack their outfits ahead of time and put them in the car the night before so that when you’re getting everyone else ready, you know where the outfits are.
Bring non-messy snacks like cereal, pretzels, and water, and then save the messy snacks for after as a treat for a job well done!
Make sure to pack a backup outfit just in case of an accident!
If your littles need help with focus bring a toy that they love and a few that make noise to help us grab their attention. We’ve got a few tricks up our sleeves to get them to look at the camera, but a few extra attention-grabbing options really help!
Have a newborn you want to show off to the world, This tip is also extremely helpful for newborn photography sessions as well!
Ready To Schedule A Family Photo Session in Maryland?
If you’re interested in scheduling a family photo session in Maryland, call me today! I enjoy serving Potomac and Maryland area families to help them capture memories that will last a lifetime.
If you need more tips on how to get your family ready for family photos, I can help with that too! My years of family photography experience gives me the best insight, tips, and tricks to pull the session off without a hitch!
My “About Carrie” section of my website tells you my story and why I am passionate about creating stunning photos for every person that steps in front of my lens.
To see some examples of photos I’ve taken, browse my website, follow me on social media and read the blog page featuring articles like “When Is A Good Week For Maternity Photos In Maryland!”
Let me help capture those precious moments that you’ll cherish forever.