Tips to Help Family Photos Go Smoothly
Over the years, we have had lots of family pictures taken, and I thought it might be helpful to put together a post that includes tips to help your family photos go smoothly.
If you feel anxious about the thought of doing a photo session…
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Or if you get them done from time to time and it feels like a stressful experience, this post might help.
Taking Your Own Photos vs. Hiring a Photographer
I enjoy taking photos of my family. In fact, snapping photos of my kids is one of my favorite hobbies.
However, sometimes it’s nice to invite someone else to capture your family for you.
A photographer can oftentimes bring a different perspective to your images, and this can be really special.
You may also find that your family responds better to them than they do you when you’re trying to snap photos of them. 😉
How to Find a Photographer You Love
When my kids were little, I decided I wanted to find a family photographer I could trust with our family photos for years to come.
So I scoured social media, gathered recommendations from friends in the area, etc. and narrowed it down to three photographers in our area who seemed to be a good match to our style, price point, etc.
Over the course of that year, we did a session with each one, and the photographer who stood out as being the best fit for our family was Tara Oliver of Tara Marie Photography.
Since then, Tara has captured so many special moments for our family.
- birthday photos
- Aubrey Day Snapshots
- sister pictures
- whole family shots
- images for our adoption profile book
- photos of the kids with their grandparents
- homeschooling pictures
Take Photos Often
If you love photos as much as I do: As often as your budget will allow, schedule a session.
We try to do a few different sessions throughout the year, and this definitely helps to take the pressure off during the shoots.
Gone is that feeling that things have to go perfectly because it’s been an eternity since family photos were taken.
Perhaps a photography session doesn’t go as well as you had hoped – maybe the weather wasn’t great…or the kids weren’t very cooperative…or you didn’t like how the outfits came together…
No worries, you had a photo session not long ago and you will be doing another one soon.
Oftentimes, photographers will offer specials, bundle packages, etc. if you work with them often.
This can be helpful, but also remember, they are doing creative work for you that you will cherish forever – so treat them accordingly!
Psst…not sure what to tell the grandparents you want for a gift? Suggest a photo session – You know I love a good clutter-free gift suggestion! ha!
Try not to stress about the outfits.
Friend, it truly is okay for your family to wear outfits you already own.
There is no need to purchase all new clothing for your photo shoot. Doing so can oftentimes become more of an expense than the session itself.
If planning and purchasing new items is a special part of the experience for you, go for it.
Just know that it is not necessary – and you can oftentimes find already-owned coordinating pieces that will look nice in your images and possibly highlight a more accurate snapshot of who you are as a family.
Relax – Don’t worry about the perfect pose.
If you’re expecting to get perfectly posed portraits every time, you might be in for some disappointment – unless your photographer is willing to do lots and lots of editing for you.
Honestly, my favorite images have been the candid photos that have been snapped during the session – oftentimes when we were completely unaware a moment was being captured.
Especially if children are involved in your session, don’t spend the entire time barking at your kids, demanding they look at the camera.
In fact, allow the photographer to direct your family as they continue to snap, snap, snap – your job is to relax and enjoy the session as much as possible.
An Example of Relaxing for Photos: Our Easter photos have always included these silly glasses – it started when my oldest kids were babies and I didn’t want to be stressed on Easter morning. I just wanted all of us to have a sweet morning together…the glasses have stuck around, and these will always be some of my favorite photos.
Get creative about the photos you’d like to have!
- Would you like to have photos of your kids playing at their favorite park or playground?
- Are you a homeschooling family, and you’d like to have pictures of you and your kids doing your daily routines?
- Do you have a family pet you’d like to take casual photos of/with – in their space…doing the things they love to do with you? Playing catch…taking a walk…you get the idea.
- Does your child play an instrument, enjoy a sport, do a specific activity you’d like to capture in photos? We’ve taken photos of piano practice, new guitars, chess playing, baking treats together, all kinds of things!
- Is there a location you’ve always wanted to take pictures? For so long, I had wanted to have photos taken of the girls at The Confetti Hearts Wall in Charlotte, North Carolina. Joss G. Photography made this happen for us!
Joss G. Photography is another fantastic photography team in the Charlotte, NC area.
They are friends of ours who offer photography services in the Charlotte area, and we highly recommend them as well!
Don’t worry! Their team knows about Tara Marie Photography and Tara Marie knows about them – no competition. Just fun sessions with both!
Schedule a session.
Sure, I’ve loved including some photos of ours here, but the purpose of this post is to encourage you to schedule your own photo session and to have fun with it this time!
- Tara Marie Photography – Charlotte, NC *Available for travel.
- Joss G. Photography – Charlotte, NC
