How to prepare for your professional family portrait

1. Don’t be above a little persuasion (bribery :) I always tell parents that the hardest part of photographing kids is the ages when they’re too small to negotiate or bribe. If they’re hot, uncomfortable, shy, or whatever it might be then they just demand what they need… mostly mom. But as your kids get slightly older and, without a doubt, as they enter school, then everything becomes a negotiation. I’m the first one in line to say going down that road every day probably isn’t the best idea… sometimes you’re a dictatorship for good reason but during a photo shoot, if you really want best behavior and cooperation, I’d say let the rules slide just a bit and whether it’s candy, ice cream, or extra time on Xbox, it might be worth it.

Pro Tip: With little kids I love to have some Smarties candy on hand. They’re small, bite sized, not messy, and there’s like 20 chances to win in a pack.

1. Focus on looking good yourself and let the photographer work on the kids This is a big one, just because the kids look amazing in an photo doesn’t mean you or your husband are going to love it if you too don’t have your best angle and expression. During the shoot work on you, make sure your outfit is right, your smile is genuine, and as much as you can try to have a good time. If you don’t, you might get back images where everyone but you looks amazing.. not a 100% win. Trust me, in my 20 years photographing families, I can almost always get the kids to give me what I need but I hate when during the best of the best moments the parent don’t look 100%. I try to shoot in short segments to keep things from feel fatiguing but if I’m repeatedly shooting an image it might be because I’m waiting to get everyone firing at 100%.

Pro Tip: With kids it’s always great to have a game on hand… the simpler the better. Bring something to play catch- a stuffed animal can go a long way. Always make sure the game is directed right at the camera. The stuffed animal should attack him/her or they should be doing the tossing. That way all the smiles are right where you want them to be.

1. Know your priorities What is the most important image of the day? I always ask what the priorities are in terms of what is the most important images of a shoot because those should usually never be the first or last images taken. All kids (and adults) need a moment to warm up and certainly it would be a mistake to wait until the last setup to attempt the most important image. As you think about breaking down the shoot into different groups I love to do something active first, maybe of just a single kid and then move on to a sibling and then circle back to the extended family image, followed by smaller family groups. By working this way shy kids can see what is happening and get comfortable before we need them to perform a little.

2. Dress to impress but be cohesive - This is a big topic but my broad strokes would be this:

   1. Go dressy, go stylish, but within your style

   2. Worry about the weather, if you need to be in short sleeves to be comfortable- I’d rather do that then have you in a puddle 5 minutes in.

   3. If color is a concern- pick two that compliment one another (black/white, blue/red, yellow/purple, green/orange, grey/anything, for example) and let everyone wear shades of those colors. Any shade will do. That way you look coordinated but not matching.

   4. If you or your kids have long fine hair bring what you need to work with it during the shoot… that does double for outdoor sessions. We always want our clients to look their best and after dealing with little ones sometimes that’s a brush.

1. Know the style of images you like best I think there are two camps, unscripted, behind the scenes type images, and traditional smiling at the camera photos. Both should be taken at the same shoot but have a conversation about which way your preferences lean since a priority of time can be given to one or the other. Do you want a Christmas card where you are all laughing, walking, hugging.. a sort of natural moment? Or would you love to have one where everyone’s smiling faces are there and everyone’s clothes look great?

2. Go outside the box If you’re going back year after year to the same photographer don’t be afraid to ask them for new stuff that might be out of the box. I love it when a client gives me the permission to try a new location or idea. Once we’ve been working together for a while you might have a great collection of images and maybe you’re craving something fresh. By communicating I know your photographer will most likely love that challenge.

If you want to see more of our professional work head over to http://www.bigwallstudio.com