Photographer secrets to picture perfect photos!

You breath a sigh of relief and pat yourself on the back… You have finally found the perfect photographer to capture your precious family photos! You are already dreaming of the Christmas cards that you will send out to all of your family and friends.

Unfortunately, that sense of relief is fleeting as the reality of outfit selections, hair options, and makeup flood your mind. What will I wear? What will the kids wear?? There are so many things to think about when planning a family photoshoot.

Take a deep breath and keep reading to get some tips and tricks to get the whole family ready for this photo filled season of life!

1. Choose your location

If you are more comfortable shooting close to home or have a favorite spot for you and you family then communicate that with your photographer. Most photographers come prepared with location options to help take something off of your plate but we would much rather capture you and your family in a place that makes you happy. Trust me, you will like the pictures so much more if you like the location.

2. Choose your outfits

Once you choose your location, it becomes much easier to coordinate your wardrobe. A super casual outfit doesn’t exactly blend well with a swanky country club setting, just like a ball gown and full glam doesn’t pair well with a relaxed morning shoot at home cooking breakfast.

Mom, start with your outfit first! The old saying, “When you look good you feel good” will never ring more true than in photos. Wear something that you look good and feel good in and those feelings will shine through in your photos. You will have a much easier time mixing and matching outfits for your family once you have your “anchor outfit”.

I always recommend utilizing Pinterest and Instagram as inspiration for outfits. You can easily find photos that you like, in similar locations, and use them to coordinate outfits that work for your family. If you really feel like you’re in a rut and can’t find anything that works, I highly recommend reaching out to a stylist to help coordinate looks for the whole family. Local stylists have great prices for outfit coordination and some are willing to work with you on pricing since it means that their work will be captured by a professional!

Last but not least, ask your photographer!! Send pictures of your outfit ideas to your photographer for their input. We are here to help you and its part of doing what we love!

3. Snuggle in close

When posing for your photos make sure that you snuggle up to your partner and those sweet kiddos! You want to avoid gaps and spaces in your photos so make sure that you get nice and cozy. Think about it this way, the closer you get the better the photos will look in the end.

Turn inward and face your partner/kids. Honestly, you don’t even have to look at me! Physically turn your body inward and focus on your family. Focus on connecting genuinely with them, rather than smiling directly at the camera for every photo.

Always be touching or having some form of physical interaction. It never fails that a member of the family inevitability turns into Ricky Bobby and thinks, “I don’t know what to do with my hands!” during the photo. We suddenly become hyperaware of our upper extremities and we aren’t exactly sure where to put them. The perfect solution for those flailing arms is to wrap them around your family!

4. Have fun and be playful with your children

Interacting playfully with your children is the trick to capturing those sweet smiles on camera. A few ideas for how to bring out those smiles and a whole lot of giggles: sweet kisses, hugs, nuzzling noses, whispering secrets, twirling your little ones around or tossing them in the air!

5. Change your mindset

Don’t think about your photo session as another box on your checklist. Instead, think of this as an opportunity to freeze these moments in time because we all know that they go too fast. Take a minute to breath and enjoy the quality time with your precious family. How often do we actually have the time to stop and just enjoy each others presence?

It isn’t easy to shift your thinking but I promise the result will be genuinely beautiful images that you will treasure long after your little ones are grown and starting families of their own. This is a great opportunity for you to have fun with your family and actually enjoy your photo session!

So, that’s it! I truly hope that you enjoy reading my tips as much as I enjoyed putting them together for you guys. If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment or reach out to me via email!

XOXO,

Brooke

P.S. – One more tip! Don’t forget to eat something before your photoshoot – no one looks good hangry haha!