Tips for a Stressfree Photo Session

Family photos don't have to be as stressful as you think. Here are a couple of things I like to remind families before our time together!

1. Embrace the Chaos

In our experience working with hundreds of families, parents often feel stressed when a child is crying or refusing to play along, but we know this is a normal part of the process. We have seen it all, and we want to see the real version of you and your kids: the version with slightly messy hair in beautiful light, too-loud laughs, and the way your baby nuzzles into your neck when he's feeling shy. The more you can let go of how you think the session should go, the more you can enjoy the quirks and joys of being in an unpredictable, beautiful family unit. The fun of a family photo session is embracing the chaos, letting each family member be authentic, and trusting me to capture it with an artistic eye.  We promise we will find the beauty in the chaos- this is our special gift! With this in mind: a dirty shirt is far smaller a problem than a parent frantically trying to keep the shirt from getting dirty.


2. Bring Out Emotion Through Motion

Lots of families think they need to sit still to get good photos, but we love to embrace motion to bring out emotion. We will come up with games and ideas for guiding kids into play and poses that will highlight their personalities, but if you need a starting point, try spinning around with your child. Whether your child is a wiggly 1-year-old or a bored 7-year-old, motion always infuses life into a photo and keeps it from feeling stiff. If you find yourself feeling frazzled, don't be afraid to walk, spin, run, tickle, or hug it out with your favorite people in the world.


3. Focus on your Family completely
It’s easy to want to connect and get to know each other, but as your family photographer I want you to completely focus on your family. The way I see it, family photos can be an opportunity to be seen in the often invisible work of parenthood. The more you're able to lean into the fun between you, your children, and me, the more you'll be able to look at your photos and say, "That's so us!" and leave the stress behind.