Family Photography: The Ultimate Checklist to be ready for your Family Photoshoot.

Family photoshoot are a special occasion for you and your family member, but sometimes it can be tricky thinking about everything you need before meeting with your photographer. For this reason, in order to help you and your kids having a great experience, I thought of putting together a quick checklist for the things you could need during your photo session.

Things to do before your Family Photoshoot:

• Plan your Outfit in advance:

  there are few general rules I like to apply for the choice of your outfit one it comes to take photos with your kids and these can be summed up:
  – Wear something comfortable;
  – Avoid wearing patterns that crash between each other and clothes with big brands or writings;
  – Do opt for accessories (such as bow tie, headbands, hats, scarves, etc…);
  – choose neutral colors that can compliment each other: my personal taste would go towards light and pale colors but sometimes bold ones could create a fantastic result if you know how to match them.

• Prepare your kids (and your husband) for a fun and lighthearted photoshoot:

  I recommend to frame the photoshoot as a positive experience, especially if it’s the first photoshoot done with a specific photographer. It is absolutely important to keep the session as friendly as possible, so address the photographer by the name, describe him or her as a family friend using sentences as “We are hanging out with our friend Julia on Saturday” or ” We are going to the park to play with Julia”.
  You could also recommend a treat before the session starts and remind of it during the session, and it could be their favorite cookie or simply watching their favorite movie.

• Choose some props and mementos you want to include in your photos:

  this could be a specific toy of your kid given by an important person, a family heirloom or an embroidered keepsake.

• Make sure everyone gets a great night’s sleep and is fully fed beforehand:

  I normally like to capture babies in the morning following their sleeping pattern, but it is absolutely important to include the feeding schedule into consideration when choosing the time slot. Starting a photoshoot following a good meal will increase the chances of having a happier kid throughout the whole process but if it may overlap, make sure sure to have snacks ready.

What to have ready during the session:

• Personal appearance touchup items:

  weather that’s outdoor in the park or indoor, having some personal appearance touch-up items can comes handy, such as a lipstick or hairbrush or wipes.

• Snacks, snacks, snacks:

  let’s be honest, snacks are the best way of bribing your kid into doing something. It will attract their attention and help them to focus, along with the perfect treat for a little break during the session itself. The only thing to keep in mind though, while choosing the snack for the photoshoot, make sure it doesn’t stain too much.

• Walkable shoes:

  this tip applies especially if you will have the photoshoot outdoor and far from home, but if you are planning to wear some shoes that could be potentially uncomfortable or you are afraid to ruin them, having some spare shoes will do trick when getting on location.

• An extra change of clothes:

  accidents can happen indoor and outdoor, whether it’s mud or chocolate, having an extra outfit for all of you will help out with the progress of the photoshoot.

• Their favorite toys:

  Toys attract kids attention, if they make some noise even more, o make sure to get those ready as I love to use them to entertain them. If the photoshoot will be in your house, though, some object could distract them, so if you know that your kid has a particular obsession in this specific moment, make sure to hide it from their sight.

• Nappies:

  this is important if your kid is still on the stage of wearing nappies, I recommend having some of them ready along with a full change.

• Props and Mementos:

  that lovie your kid use to sleep or the favorite teddy bear, but also a specific family heirloom will help out creating your family story, and your family photoshoot should reflect that.

And finally…

If you did everything you read in this checklist you are almost ready for your family photoshoot.

However there is one last thing that you need to do and is enjoying your photoshoot, and I really hope this checklist will help you out with that.