10 Tips for Perfecting your Family Photoshoot

When Erin was two years old, we paid for a family photoshoot, heading out as a family to capture some candid shots of us outside as a family of three. It was such a lovey experience; and something that I am keen to recreate now that we have an extra member of the family. Before the day arrived, I had loads of questions and no real idea what to expect. There were a million and one questions spinning around my mind including “What should I wear for a family photoshoot? What should I take with me? Where should we go for the best backdrop?

If you’re thinking of an outdoor / lifestyle family photoshoot in 2019, here are my tips for making the most of the experience.

Choose your photographer wisely

Some photographers charge a very low fee for the session itself, and this can be very tempting; drawing you in and making you feel like you are getting a really good deal. Inevitably though however, they only include a small number of images; meaning that if you want to purchase more, you pay (often very high) fees for the additional photos. Chances are after any photo shoot you are going to want to buy the images taken (especially when they are done well), so this approach can work out expensive. Instead, I would recommend looking for a photographer who quotes a price for the family photoshoot INCLUDING the images taken. Our photographer had a very reasonable fee that included a copy of edited images on disk (we had over 25!). This worked out much more cost effective!

Pick the outdoor venue for your family photoshoot carefully!

Photos need some inspirational scenes to work with and the more pretty or interesting visuals the photographer has to work with the better and more range of pictures you will receive! We chose to go to one of local gardens, which had a wealth of flowers, plants, walkways, ornaments, and lots of areas for Erin to explore, climb and hide behind! I love the architecture of the older buildings, and there were some lovely wooden doors and brick archways that looked amazing in the black and white frames. Your local park might be pretty, but there is less likely to be such a range of suitable backdrops. Your photographer may also recommend a particular location based on where they have had successful shoots in the past. In the West Midlands, we are a bit spoiled for choice for family photoshoot locations – Earlswood Woods is a great place for inspiring backdrops, as well as the Confetti Fields in Perhsore. I also love Wooton Wawen bluebells which make an appearance in May, as they create some truly stunning colour backdrops!

Pick a weekday for your family photoshoot if possible

Not only is the photographer more likely to be available during the week, but the venues are likely to be much quieter! The last thing you want is to have to wait for every frame until some random stranger has moved out of the way, so I would recommend arriving early and making the most of the time you have.

What about the weather?

Keep an eye on the weather forecast – a dry and non sunny day is actually ideal – as too much sunshine can make glare, shadows and squinty eyes and a little challenging for little ones. A little drizzle isn’t going to hurt (unless your hair is like mine), however if it is absolutely torrential rain, many photographers will allow shoots to be rearranged if required.

Think beforehand about what you want from the photoshoot

Look on Pinterest and find some of the image styles you like – you can advise the photographer of these beforehand so that he/she has an understanding of your preferred approach, and even share your board with them in advance. Some people prefer framed shots, others prefer more natural. For me, I wanted the shoot to look like a paparazzi had just followed us having fun as a family, and not too many posed pictures.

Bring any props you wish

Despite not wanting too many posed pictures, I really wanted a photo of Erin with a giant pink balloon so we took this along with us. In theory you could bring anything you like, perhaps your child’s favourite teddy, a book, a balloon, an I am 2 sign, or if you’re announcing a pregnancy perhaps a little blackboard prop! The opportunities are endless! I love the way the balloon shot turned out, even if my other half did feel like a bit of a plonker walking out with it from the car!! Ha ha! 🙂

What to wear for your family photoshoot

This was the one I struggled with most – which sounds ridiculous, but when you’re having a whole heap of photographs taken, it does require a little planning. In the end I took the photographers advise on this – “Wear something that you feel comfortable and natural in, you will be less relaxed if you are all trussed up and in something you wouldn’t normally wear.” We wore exactly what we would normally wear to a visit to the park, only perhaps with a little more attention paid to my “bad hair day” hair!! Do however think about the colours that you are wearing and how they compare to your background. For example, if you are going to a place with lots of green grass and foliage, green is probably not the best colour to wear! You also should think about avoiding clashing colours, so ensure that your colour scheme is relatively consistent as a family.

Allow the kids to play

Capturing some of your child’s genuine joy and laughter makes a MUCH better photograph than a pinned on CHEEEEESE smile – which is something my daughter does on almost all  the photographs I take myself. By playing and messing around in the outdoors, our photographer managed to capture some shots of genuine pleasure and these are soooo lovely to look back on. Allow them to run, enjoy being themselves and do what feels natural to them. Some of the best shots are the ones that you weren’t even aware were being taken!

What time is best for a family photoshoot?

We started our shoot early in the day to make the most of the sunshine – but more importantly, try and ensure that your children aren’t going to be tired or hungry (somewhat a challenge when you have more than one I appreciate!)By the end of the shoot they are likely to be exhausted – but at least you get a quiet afternoon! 🙂 When Erin was 2, she was used to having an afternoon nap, so we went mid morning and managed to get a good session in before she started to get a little tired and hungry.

RELAX and enjoy the session!

Some of my favourite photographs from the day are the ones where me and Mike were just having a laugh! Try, if possible, to forget that the camera is there, and spend the shoot enjoying time with your family – the photos taken on the day will be precious memories for many years to come.

 

Photo Credits – Chris J Turner Photography.