If you love family photos, but just don’t love convincing your significant other to be enthusiastic about them or worrying about the behavior of your kids, relax! Look forward to a stress-free family photo session with these 4 tips!

Save Time & Your Sanity

I’ve taken thousands of family photos since Leslie Meadow Photography first became a business. Family portraits are immensely important – whether to record milestones and family growth or for the perfect annual holiday card photo. While booking a family photo session each year may be a priority, sometimes the perceived hassle of the investment can lead to nervousness and … let’s face it … a bit of dread. Today I want to share some advice on making your family photo session enjoyable – I promise it’s possible!

1. Plan ahead. This is one of the main keys to stress-free family portraits. Where is your location? How long will it take you to get there? Work with your photographer to select a location that isn’t too far from home and fits your family’s lifestyle. Some locations are a bit further and adding that extra time into your plan for the day will lead to success! Some locations even have convenient ice cream stops for the ride home 😉 Schedule your session at a time when everyone is at their best (read: full bellies, not at nap time, etc.). Be realistic! If you have certain expectations, share them with your family and your photographer. If you have older kids, let them know about how long the session will be. If you have younger kids, be flexible and make sure the time commitment is age-appropriate for them. Also, bring snacks. No matter how full the bellies are, easy to pack and no mess snacks like fruit gummies go a long way!

2. Have fun! Forget about getting the perfect shot; let your photographer worry about that. Make this experience about each other, togetherness, and the memories these images will bring back to you years from now. Enjoy your (relatively) uninterrupted time together as a family. Relax! The picture that ends up being your favorite may not be the one you have in your mind at the time. Have fun during your session and your photos will reflect that fun. Remember, if you’re relaxed, your family will be relaxed.

3. Hire the right photographer for your family. To receive your best family photos, you’re going to need to make sure that the photographer you’re working with fits your family’s style. Of course I’d like that to be me (view my Families gallery here), but if it isn’t that’s ok. If you like posed photos, your photographer’s portfolio should reflect that. I love to do a mix of posed and candids. I know mom’s love when everyone is  looking at the camera and I love those too! I also love the in-between candid moments and incorporate both into your session. You can find a photographer to shoot any type of style, really, and the result will be your ideal photos of your family. It’s also nice to get familiar with your photographer before the shoot in order to ensure your expectations are in-line with your booked session. It’s very important to know your style before booking your session; every photographer worth their salt wants you to love your images!

4. Simple is best. Believe it or not, we photographers know that having your picture taken can feel like a lot of work. Work with your photographer to keep your session within a predetermined timeframe. This can be extremely helpful when it comes to the cooperation of your children (and maybe spouse!). Make the most of your time and ask your photographer if you can also take this opportunity to capture a few photos of just mom and dad, too – your kids will treasure these snapshots, as will you. I always make a point to photograph the whole family, as well as mom/kids, dad/kids, kids together, kids alone, and of course mom and dad together. It is so important to honor your relationship and your role as parents! I typically keep sessions relaxed and moving and they last about an hour. I chat enough to keep everyone distracted 😉

The family photo sessions I’ve featured in this post were taken in several scenic locations around the Anchorage, Alaska area. I have a few gems of locations that I love and I am also always happy to pick the location and take one less worry off of your planning plate 😀 I hope this blog posts helps ease some concerns!

For inquiries and booking, or need more information and questions answered, please click here to contact me.