Its the time of year! When we stress out about color coordinating outfits and stock up on all the sweet bribes! Yep, family photos time! I love taking our photos while traveling abroad (see our photos from Paris and Italy), but the last couple years have been crazy with having new baby and moving, we haven’t been able to do much traveling! We are taking our photos next week in Houston, and this year, we’ll have two littles ones so I can only imagine how that is going to go (pray for me!). So I’m tying to mentally prep myself and hopefully prevent some of the chaos.
I have compiled a list of five tips I have for other families to help make your photo shoot run smoothly!
1. Communicate with the photographer ahead of time
Kids have short attention spans, so the longer you’re trying to pose them and decide what you want to do with the photographer, the more impatient the kids will get (and, let’s be honest, your husband too!). Tell your photographer they have to be prepared for anything and be efficient as possible.
2. Coordinate your clothing well (and keep an extra set for any accidents) and add props
While you may be inclined to pick colors that are brighter, depending on the season, make sure it won’t look too vibrant in the pictures. The best colors are softer, neutral, and not too tight fitting. But for the holidays, don’t be afraid to add a pop of color like reds, and even sequins. You can also incorporate props like wreathes, balloons, plaid blankets or Christmas ornaments. It adds a fun flare and keeps the kiddos interested as well. You want to feel comfortable in your clothing, and make sure the colors you choose look good with the whole family’s skintones.
3. Plan around naptime
The worst idea is to plan a photoshoot around your children’s naptimes. Even though the afternoon might be a convenient time to schedule a shoot, the kids will just be cranky and tired, which does not call for good pictures. My favorite time of day is the morning. Odds are the kids will be in better spirits.
4. Not everyone needs to be looking directly at the camera
In my opinion, I love candid pictures. I love it when my kids are laughing or looking at my husband and I, rather than perfectly smiling and posed at the camera. While you may want to get a few pictures that are posed well, don’t stress out about forcing the kids to stare into the camera.
5. Make sure you have ample amount of time
I’ve seen families so stressed out about getting ready in time. Make sure you start ahead of time, especially for getting your kids ready. Especially as the mom, having your hair and make up done will make you feel confident in the pictures, which will rub off on the kids.
Bonus tip: This won’t come as a surprise to most moms, but have plenty of snacks. I usually keep a few more halloween candy for precisely this time. You can guarantee a few smiles with this method.
