5 Tips for a Successful Family Photo Session When Your Child Has a Case of the “Grumps”
Every parent of a small child has had their share of those trying days. The days where your entire existence is taken up by a cranky kid who is screaming and throwing tantrums in the middle of the grocery store when you are just trying to get a pack of bacon and some wine. It’s tough, I know. However, it is life. It is ultimately the nature of kids to flip out at the most inopportune, and embarrassing, times. Most of the time it’s really not a big deal. We just grit our teeth, put on a fake smile and not try to break down in the middle of the Fred Meyers frozen section for the SECOND time this month. However, when the topic of booking your Family Photo Session arises, the worries that our little bundles of joy, or in my case terror, will act a fool rise with it. I have even heard parents tell me that they WON’T book a session for fear of their child misbehaving and “ruining” their family photo session. Honestly that makes me super sad. Partly because they won’t hire Esmeralda and I, but mostly because they are missing out on the opportunity to document their lives so that their children and grandchildren can look back years from now and see their lives as they once were. That is an amazing opportunity and a gift that shouldn’t be taken lightly. The concern of misbehaving children “ruining” a photo session is a semi-valid one. However, it is also one that is easily mitigated by following a few practical tips.
Late naps- Often times photographers like to hold their sessions at or around sunset. This is known as Golden Hour and produces a beautifully natural warmth that lends itself amazingly to photos. For adults, this is perfect, for children not so much. Pushing your kids nap time to a bit later in the day will go a long way to ensuring that they are well rested and not cranky at the time of their shoot. Don’t worry too much about issues at bed time, if your photographer is anything like us they will be getting them to run and dance and jump and play to release as much energy as possible through out the session.
Don’t overdo dinner- You want to be careful on getting the kids packed full of food. They will likely get sick with all of the activity of the family photo session if they eat a big meal beforehand. Try to either have a smaller meal or eat a bit earlier so that they are well digested and ready to run by the time the session starts.
Snacks- Have some of their favorite snacks on hand just incase they need a little pick-me-up or a bribe. This works really well. Esmeralda and I always have candy on hand during our Family Sessions to use as bribes or to help pull an upset child back from the brink of collapse.
LET THEM BE KIDS!- Just like it’s important for you to be authentically you, the same is true for your children. Don’t worry about what others might think about your active children. Just let them be themselves. Let them run and jump and play. Your Photographer can handle it, I promise. (If they can’t and you are in the Pacific North West, come see us. We can handle it) Your photographer should be well accustomed to working with all types of children. Let them run around with your kids and capture all of those amazing moments. If they need a hand they will ask. If not, keep calm and enjoy the moment of rest before they give your kids back.
Trust your photographer- In the moment you may be looking at your kids being wild and free and you worry that the photos are going to come out horrible. Chances are, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Your photographer should be well versed in handling the dynamics taking photos of children. Just as you don’t stand over the shoulder of your landscaper questioning if he clipped the hedges correctly, you shouldn’t stand over your photographer’s shoulder questioning if they got the shot. There is a perfectly acceptable time to question a photographer’s ability, it’s BEFORE you hire them. Before you hire a photographer you should look at their work and make sure that what they provide is what you need. You should speak with them and make sure that their style and personality fits with yours and ask any questions that you have about working with your particular concern. Once you hire them it is their job to deliver a consistent product to you. So, assuming that you did appropriate research, trust the professional to manage the situation and get those amazing images!
So there you have it. 5 simple tips that can help keep the kids happy and energetic throughout the whole session. Just remember, they are kids. It’s okay for them to be silly and play. It’s okay if they stain their pants while playing or rip their coat on the playground. Those little details ARE the story of who they are at that moment. Those details are the ones that are worth capturing and holding onto. So, rather than allowing your stress level to rise at the sight of the stained pants or the ripped coat, just smile and know that your photographer has it under control and your images are going to be a perfect representation of who you and your family are.
Be honest, are you concerned about your kids behavior during a photo session? Has it ever stopped you from booking one? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
-Dan
