It’s family photo season–time to get those fresh, new-school-year photos before the Seattle rain sets in for good and in time for holiday card printing. In case that sounds stressful, read on! Today, we’re offering you six family photography tips for eliminating the stress of a family photo shoot.
1. Schedule the shoot at a time when your kids have their best/happiest energy.
We realize that this is not always predictable. And, sometimes not even possible. But, this is the goal, so do what you can when it comes to this point.
2. Bring some favorites with you to the shoot.
This could be toys, snacks, or even people (nannies, neighbors, extended family). You know who or what can really get your child giggling or turn a situation around. So, if possible, bring them with you.
3. Make sure your kids are comfortable.
New clothes that have never been worn may have itchy tags or something that just doesn’t quite feel right. This can become a huge issue at a photo shoot. If possible, give new clothes a trial run (and allow enough time to change directions if needed).
4. Plan fun activities for the shoot.
To get photos of your kids having fun, we start by getting your kids to have fun! Think about good ways this happens naturally for you as a family and consider planning your photo shoot around these activities.
5. Ask for ideas and input from the kids.
Kids have great ideas and love to be a part of important things. They’re more likely to be on board if they’ve helped with the planning.
6. Plan incentives AND communicate them in advance to your kids.
If time doesn’t allow for the incentives immediately following the photo shoot, make sure your kids know that there is something great coming as a direct benefit of completing the shoot. Some may call this bribery, but we prefer incentives.
[Can you figure out what the incentive was in this photo shoot? These savvy parents planned ahead and this shoot finished with some very happy kids!]
Do you have other ideas? Share them below!
And, if you haven’t yet, give us a call to schedule your photo shoot!