You have finally booked your family photography session and now you may be wondering how to prepare. I have got you covered with 5 tips to help you get ready.
1. Choose Your Location
Here in Northern Virginia, we are lucky to have many different choices for photoshoot locations. You can choose from urban spots such as Alexandria city streets, historical spots such as the Manassas Battlefields, or picturesque garden spots such as Meadowlark Gardens. You can find my top 6 locations in Fairfax County here.
2. Plan Your Outfits
There is no such thing as too dressy for your photo session. Dressy photos always stand out and you will never be disappointed that you took the time to dress up for your portrait session. But if you are a more casual family do what makes you feel comfortable. The only caution is to avoid being “matchy-matchy”, such as the whole family where’s the same patterned shirt and jeans. Also, pick 2 – 3 coordinating colors instead of having everyone wear the same color. This will create contrast and depth in your photos allowing you and your family to shine, not your clothes! If you need ideas for outfits, head on over to my Pinterest board here.
3. Make Sure Everyone is Fed and Well Rested
A happy family will make great photos. One key to that is making sure everyone has been fed (We don’t want hangry kids!). The other key is to make sure everyone is rested. If you still have toddlers (or even teenagers) that need naps, try not to overschedule your portrait session day to avoid skipping naps.
4. Allow Plenty of Time To Get Ready
I get it, Mom, you are busy running around trying to get everyone else dressed and ready for the shoot. Remember to leave plenty of time for yourself. Maybe even splurge by going to get a blow-out and your makeup done! Allowing plenty of time to get ready will mean that you don’t feel disorganized once you arrive at the photoshoot. The feeling of calm will really translate in your photos.
5. Have Fun With Your Family
This is the most important piece of advice I give to all families. The family photo session isn’t just for getting that perfect Christmas card pic. Take the time to just enjoy hanging out with each other. The photos you get will be so much better and remind you of taking the hour out to just be with and have fun with each other!
