Felicita park family session

5 tips to prepare kids for a photo session with your san diego family Photographer

I recently had our family photos taken done by another talented local San Diego photographer and we had the best time! Being on the other side of the camera helps me understand that the process of family photos can be quite daunting. But there are ways to eliminate that stress! Most importantly, it makes such a difference when the kids are on board and know exactly what to expect.

Here are 5 tips to prepare your kids for your next photo session

1. Comfortable Clothing

It’s important that kids are comfortable and can move freely in their outfits. If they are unhappy about what they are wearing, it’s going to show in the photos. If they don’t normally wear hair bows, hats, etc. and refuse to keep it on, ditch the accessory. Happy kids > perfect outfits. Also, dress according to the weather. We want to make sure that the kids aren’t too hot or cold. For beach sessions, I always encourage bringing blankets to wrap babies in and/or extra clothes/ towels in case we end up in the water at the end (which is almost always!)

2. Happy tummies / bring snacks

Make sure that everyone is well-fed and tummies are full before the photo session. It will be very hard to please a “hangry” child. I recommend bringing plenty of dry, non-messy snacks and water to stay hydrated. Breaks are always welcome as needed. In fact, I rarely stop photographing during these in-between moments.

3. communication

Hype up the photo session! Talk to your kids and let them know that a friend will be taking their photos at the location that you have chosen. Give them a heads up of what we will be doing and emphasize how much fun it’s going to be. I do my best to try and connect with the kids and introduce myself to them first without my camera.

4. bribes/ treats

If you are up for it, you can promise a special treat after the session to help keep kids motivated and follow directions. Candy, ice cream, lollipops, a new toy, etc. are great examples.

5. positive vibes

Set the tone of the session by keeping things fun, light and positive. Kids will feed off of your energy. But let’s keep it real… kids will be kids and we never know what to expect. With that said, please keep your expectations low. Everything doesn’t have to be perfect, all that I ask is for you to love on your family. My goal is to capture your family exactly as you are today. Remember that time is fleeting!