Do you have an upcoming fall family photo shoot planned or are you considering getting family pictures done sometime in near future?
One thing lots of people worry about – or one reason they avoid getting family portraits done at all - is that they are concerned about being nervous or uncomfortable during the photo shoot.
“Where do I look?”
“What do I do with my hands?
“What if the photographer asks me to do something weird?”
These feelings and thoughts are totally natural before a photo shoot! But there are some ways you can overcome these worries!
Here are some helpful hints for having a super relaxed family photo shoot:
1) Find a family photographer who engenders trust in you and then TRUST them.
Notice how you feel when you speak with a possible family photographer on the phone or via video chat. Do they seem welcoming and open?
Check out their portfolio. Make sure you enjoy the style of family photography they do.
Do they reply in a timely manner to questions? (Keeping in mind that they cannot be available every minute of the day – but if they are replying within a business day, this shows they are conscientious.)
Are they open and transparent about pricing and expectations?
2) Find a family photographer that won’t rush you during your photo shoot.
Do they set a hard limit on session times, or do they purposely book clients with ample time to allow your photo shoot to flow naturally?
It can take a few minutes to get settled and “into” the session While you don’t need too much extra time, 15 minutes is a good expectation.
This is a good question to ask your family photographer at booking!
3) Choose a photo shoot outfit that makes you feel confident and comfortable and that looks put-together.
Pinterest is a great resource for photo shoot outfit inspiration. (Check out my board for family photo shoot clothes.) You don’t want to be fussing with your clothes or feeling like you must hold your body “just so” to look good in it.
This goes the same for other family members, too!
4) Approach your photo shoot as a TREAT not a chore.
And help kids or spouse – or whoever else will be in the photos - do the same!
A super easy way to do this is to plan a fun outing afterward – dinner or movie, maybe? You are all dressed up and looking fantastic, why not!
5) Make sure you have ample time to get ready and get to the photo shoot location.
It is hard to feel relaxed when you’ve been rushing around in a panic, so plan ahead by mapping out directions a couple of days prior to your photo shoot.
Add 5-10 minutes to that for your departure time and then set a goal of being ready 15 minutes prior to that.
6) Play some music!
Bring along a small Bluetooth speaker or just use your phone. Queue up a great playlist that suits the mood you are going after and enjoy yourselves!
Spotify has some great “mood” playlists if you don’t feel like making your own. Think about the emotional vibe you want in your family pictures and search for a playlist or music that matches that.
Need ideas? Search Spotify for happy, playful, romantic, joyful, or loving (and so on) playlists.
7) Be honest with your photographer.
Let your family photographer know if there are things that you aren’t comfortable with (some couples really don’t like PDA, that’s important for a photographer to know).
These are all things you can do to feel more relaxed, but there are things your family photographer can do, too. Check out this blog post: 3 Ways a Family Photographer Can Set Their Client at Ease
