10 Tips to help you prepare for your Family Portrait Session

When you love people and photography, how could you not do family portraits?  I would love to share 10 tips to help you prepare for your family portrait session!  

Show all the love you have in your heart!

My favorite photographs are those where you can see and feel the LOVE! Focusing on the love you have for your children and each other is the key to success. In the end, it's not about the best location or best outfits, but rather about capturing the present moments of love and kindness. We find this warmth through snuggling, playing different kinds of games, singing songs, and sharing your honest feelings with your family.

The goal is to create treasured memories and pictures that will stand the test of time and pass from one generation to the next. To help break out of the mold of everyday interactions, we try different prompts that are playful, childlike, innocent, and create genuine interactions that often generate happy, laughing photogenic expressions! I might ask your child about their favorite animal, and then get him to show us how that animal runs, eats, hugs, and sleeps. If you have a big family, we might end the session with a gratitude circle where each family member shares something for which they are grateful.

#1 Questionnaire: First, I will share a pre-session family questionnaire. It’s an integral part of my booking process. Your answers will help us both to get a better sense of what kind of session we are looking to create.

#2 Date and Time: I try to schedule one session per evening. I highly recommend booking your session towards the beginning of your stay so we have a wiggle room in case of rain or other challenges. Two or three hours leading up to sunset provides gorgeous light and atmosphere. The light is absolutely magical at this time of the day, and its the most flattering time for portraits. Our start time will depend on the season since the sum changes throughout the year and sometimes it depends on the weather. Morning sessions are also available upon request. I usually don't schedule sessions at midday because the light is too harsh unless it’s a cloudy day.

#3 Arrive on time: It is quite essential to arrive on time and be ready to start your session.  I am a natural light photographer and all sessions are scheduled according to the golden hour of light.  Please keep traffic and parking constraints in mind, especially if your session is scheduled in Menemsha or Edgartown. It's best to arrive a bit early, find a parking spot, and not feel rushed or late, etc.  

#4 Location:I suggest a couple of my favorite locations on Martha’s Vineyard. (Link to the blog post: here) We can go with your choice or decide together on the best place. We can shoot outdoor or at your home/summer rental.  I have many outdoor locations with authentic Vineyard landscapes where I love to photograph regularly, but I am always open to any new places which you have in mind. I recommend choosing a location that fits your style and personality. I am here to help you.

#5 What To Wear: Wardrobe should be comfortable and reflect who you are. I do not recommend matching but rather coordinating. See the family portrait portfolio for a slight guide for what to wear and for an idea of what I am talking about. I am happy to share my suggestions on a wardrobe or recommend a local personal stylist if you are interested.  I do not generally use props during my family sessions, but if you have a toy or object which is meaningful to you, please bring it!

GENERAL TIPS

• START WITH ONE PERSON It’s way easier to visualize the whole puzzle once you know what one piece looks like! Try starting with mom or daughter, since women’s clothing tends to have more colors and prints.

• COMPLEMENT, DON'T MATCH The day of all white shirts and khaki pants are long past! We want colors that generally complement each other: so for instance, soft colors (light blue, gray, blush) or warm colors (brown, orange, burgundy)

• STICK TO ONE OUTFIT Don’t make things more complicated than they need to be! All you need for an awesome family session is one outfit for everyone. Changing outfits will take time away from your shoot and can put your kids in a grumpy mood.

• PLAN FOR THE WEATHER Nothing is worse than being miserably uncomfortable in a perfect outfit. If you’re planning an outdoor session in November, think about coats, gloves, and hats. In the summer, dress in layers that you can easily take off if you get too hot.

• TRY ON YOUR CLOTHES WELL IN ADVANCE Check your outfits from all possible angles in the mirror, not just the one you like best. Try sitting, squatting, leaning forward, etc. The kids’ clothes should work well in motion so that we can play during your session (think flying, tickling, and hanging upside down).

• LET THE KIDS HAVE INPUT If your daughter hates wearing dresses, don’t force her to wear one for picture day. If your son thinks that bowtie is uncomfortable, ditch it. Happy kids make for happy photos!

SAY YES TO

• COMFORT Above all, if you feel good, you will look good! Choose clothing that gives you freedom of movement, keeps you warm/cool, and won’t require a lot of maintenance throughout your session.

• TEXTURE Add some visual interest to your images with unique fabrics. Some examples: lace, cable knits, chambray, tweed, herringbone, chambray, faux fur, wool

• PATTERNS Don’t be scared of patterns and prints! They can work great in moderation. Try one statement piece (for instance, a colorful floral dress for mom) and one subtle pattern (maybe tiny polka dots for baby girl), and then keep the rest of the family more simple.

SAY NO TO:

• FORMAL CLOTHES Let your clothing match your  surroundings. A tuxedo or formal dress will look out of place in the woods.

• BRIGHT WHITE If you love white, try off-white or ivory instead.

• NEON COLORS These create skin tone/color cast issues.

• LOGOS & TEXT Words will draw attention away from your faces.

• TRANSITION LENSES If you wear glasses every day, please wear them in your shoot! However, lens glare and shaded lenses will keep your eyes from being seen. You can have anti-reflective coating added to your lenses or wear just the frames.

• TINY PLAID & COMPLICATED PATTERNS These don’t always translate well in-camera.

#6 Your Children: Let your children have fun, relax, run and be active! Most of the images you see on my site were photographed while the kids were playing, exploring or having a conversation with you or me. 

#7 Snacks, water, nap: To get the most out of your session make sure that your little ones have rested and have had adequate snacks and water. Bring non-messy snacks with you as well.  Children should arrive with full bellies! Hungry children can be unhappy children. If they still nap, make sure they get their full nap on the day of the shoot. You can tell your kids that a friend will be taking some photos of them, it's best not to completely surprise them. Make it a “BIG” event for the day.

#8 Meeting: When I first meet your family for a shoot expect me to spend five to ten minutes getting to know you and your kids. I'll ask simple questions like What's your name? Do you have a hobby? What's your favorite game? We all will introduce each other and maybe share a couple of fun stories.

#9 Bribes and rewards: I don't recommend bribing your child before a portrait session. It almost never works because by offering a reward before a portrait session you send the message that this is going to be hard. The idea that, "If you  behave well",  they will get a toy or candy or time to play video games rarely fully works. I believe that children under the age of 5 don’t understand delayed gratification, and they feel like these promises have been turned into threats.  The best you can do is say, “We’re going to go see Mila today. She’s going to play some games with us, and join us for a couple of pictures while we are hugging and telling each other stories. It’s going to be so much fun! 

#10 Bring a hair tie, bobby pins or make a french braid if your session is scheduled by the water. It can get quite breezy on the beach!

Relax! Family portraiture can be artistic and intimate.  I encourage you to relax and enjoy your family sessions.  Explore the deep love and connection that is present in your family, and discover the beauty of these emotions.

If you are planning too many locations or too many outfits, it might end up being a more unpleasant experience for your family and children. It works for an intimate engagement session, but for family sessions, it becomes too much. One outfit and location change at most and remember that creating organic images is more enjoyable and will produce a better result than putting all the effort into re-creating a photograph from Pinterest.

It's all about finding the balance between candid and posed photography. I'll help your family get into places and positions first, and then we will encourage different kinds of interactions and genuine, fun expressions. Get ready to chat with me and your family members, play, and snuggle! Dads might even end up getting a bit of a workout with piggyback or airplane rides!

The most pleasant compliment of all is when people tell me that the session was fun and when kids want to keep playing and enjoying quality family time! I have been asked many times if I babysit or have my own kids. The answer is that I worked as a first-grade teacher assistant for a few years and love children unconditionally! I would say that the two things I am the most passionate about in life are photography and early childhood education!