My Stress-Free Family Photography Tips

Family photography can be stressful and A LOT of work. Trust me, with three kids and one on the way, family photo sessions sometimes feel like more work than enjoyable.

With holiday and family photoshoots in full swing, I thought it would be a good idea to bring back this post and re-share some of my top tips when it comes to family photoshoots.

I’ve learned when it comes to motherhood or life in general, you either get smart, or you suffer… that actually sounds like something my dad would say?? My point is, when it comes to family photo sessions, I’ve made my mistakes, and I’ve learned from them! 

With having this little space of mine here on the web, I get to have tons of family pictures (and I treasure each shoot so much). Without fail, every time I share our family pictures, I get asked how we manage to get so many adorable photos and how we manage family pictures

So today, I want to share with you my tips for a fun and stress-FREE family photo session.

PLAN AHEAD.

This should be a given but, plan EVERYTHING from outfits, to haircuts, to whatever else that will help make the day smoother. Outfits should be figured out a week before the shoot- DO NOT WAIT LAST MINUTE! Work closely with your photographer to get everything ironed out, as well as with your spouse. Make sure you and your spouse have the day blocked OFF. Or if shooting in the AM, have the AM blocked off. If shooting in the PM, have the afternoon blocked off.

KEEP THE DAY CHILL.

Usually, the day of pictures is a chill day for us. We are not running errands or with a jam-packed busy schedule. We make sure the kids get good sleep the night before and get naps the day of. Tired kids= a stressful session. 

GIVE YOURSELF TIME & LOTS OF IT!

We have 6 people in our family; it takes pretty much all day to get everyone ready (okay, maybe not ALL day, but 3 hours at least). I get everyone ready first and myself last. I also do not get dressed until I am prepared to walk out the door. I also avoid dressing the kids in their clothes until we get to the location. Murphy’s law- if something can happen, it will happen. 

SNACKS

AND LOTS OF IT. Dry snacks though so you’re not messing up anyone’s outfit. Also, if you can avoid snacks, try to make sure everyone is fed before you leave the house. 

LEAVE THE HOUSE 30 MINUTES EARLY.

If you’re anything like us, we have to plan to leave 30 minutes before to actually leave on time. Again, Murphy’s law, something always happens. 

HAVE FUN.

Remember a few things, kids feed off your energy! If you’re stressed out, annoyed, or flustered, they read into that. Have fun during the photoshoot. Don’t worry about having staged photos where everyone is smiling and looks perfect. THE BEST pictures are the ones where you can see the love and affection you have for each other. This leads me to my next and final tip…

HIRE A PHOTOGRAPHER YOU TRUST.

When you’re confident in your photographer, you’ll be able to rest at ease and know that they are capturing the right pictures at the correct times. Also, let them do their jobs- you hired them for a reason!

Images by: Captured By Candice

What are some of your tips for a fun family photography session? Share them below! Thank you so much for stopping by, have a great day!

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