Let’s face it, the closer your session gets, the more stressed out you get. What should you wear? What can you do to prepare your kids? Well, here it is!  The answer to your photography session prayers! With these tips and tricks, your session will not only go smoothly, but will also give you everything you dreamed your images could be.

1.     Do: Match, but don’t be “matchy-matchy.” I always tell my clients to choose 3 colors: something that pops, something neutral, and something in between. Each person should have one of each color in their outfit. Let’s say you chose yellow, cream, and blue. Someone can wear jeans, someone else can wear khakis, maybe your daughter can wear a skirt. Ladies, use those accessories! Should you put everyone in the same yellow shirt, a pair of jeans, and a cream vest? NO! The days of the family photo where everyone wears the exact same outfit are gone. If you don’t want to look like the Denim Davidsons, put each person in a unique coordinating outfit that flatters them.

2.     Do: Treat the session like it’s a big deal. How often do you get to invest in a gorgeous family portrait? Probably not as often as you’d like. When you do get the chance, it’s ok to get excited about it! Get your hair done, buy a new outfit, whatever it takes to make you feel like the Belle of the Ball. When you feel good, you look good.

 If you have kids, treat the session like you would anything else that should be fun and exciting. If you are taking them to the zoo, do you say, “Ugh, kids get dressed, we are going to the zoo…” with as much enthusiasm as you would reserve for a root canal? Of course not! You want them to know it’s going to be fun, so you tell them excitedly about the bears, turtles, and zebras. Use that same enthusiasm to convey to them that this is going to be a fun experience, not one that they will have a pass/fail grade on.

3.     Do: Know what you want from the session. Where do you want to display your images? If your living room is purple, you probably won’t like a portrait of your family in orange to hang there. If you aren’t planning on redecorating your home any time soon, it might be easier to choose something that coordinates with your current décor.

4.     Don’t : Forget about the shoes. The last thing you want to do is spend all the time and money on getting everyone looking perfect for your portrait, then realize that your son wore his neon green sneaks. There’s only so many ways to pose that will not show the feet, so nip the issue in the bud before it causes you more headache than you need.

5.     Do: Know that kids will be kids. If your daughter is throwing a fit, don’t get stressed out. All it does is amplify the problem. Don’t be embarrassed. I guarantee any photographer who has done more than a handful of sessions with kids will tell you that they’ve seen a tantrum or two. It’s better to take a moment and let your kiddos relax and get back to having fun than to try to force the session. Getting stressed and anxious about getting your portrait will not help the situation. Yes, you are spending good money on this session, and you want the best portrait possible. However, if you are like most mom’s, you probably want to include your stubborn four-year-old. Tears aren’t going to help the session, so do what you need to. If you need to take a 5 minute play break, bribe them, whatever, we’ve seen it all, just do it.

These tips and tricks should give you the basis of the perfect session. Trust your photographer not to lead you astray, or be judgmental with how you handle your kiddos. Most of all be excited about the session, the last thing you need is something else to be stressed about.