Tips for your Family Photoshoot-Pgh Family Photographer

August 25, 2023

Pgh Family Photographer-Tips for your Family Photoshoot/ Childrens Photoshoot .

Here are some tips from Pgh Family Photographer CTG Photography on how to prep for your Family Photoshoot. These tips are for Families and can also be applied to sessions just for children as well. Take what you need from the advice dependent on your session!

Rest and Relaxation: Make sure everyone gets a good night’s sleep before the shoot and arrives well-rested. A relaxed family will result in more natural and joyful photos.As a momma myself I totally understand this is unpredictable haha. But if you personally have tricks for a well rested fam try those out!

Snacks and Drinks: Bring along some water and light snacks, especially if you have kids. This can help keep everyone energized and in a good mood.

Props and Personal Items: If you have meaningful props or items that represent your family, bring them along. It could be a favorite blanket, a family pet, or a shared hobby.Talk more with me or your photographer about this so it can be incorporated well with your session. If bringing a pet be sure to have someone not in photos there to help with the pup!

Plan Ahead: Arrive on time or a little early to the photo shoot location. This allows for a smooth start and makes the most of the available light ( if we are shooting outside, especially close to sunset is when this is most important).I completely understand things happen. Emergencies, traffic, etc… Even I could get caught up in a situation. But planning to be a few minutes early can help if something pops up!

Communication with Kids: If you have young children, talk to them about the photo shoot beforehand. Explain that it’s a fun activity, and encourage them to be themselves. Children don’t want to sit and smile at the camera all the time.We will be doing playful, movement, prompts. You might want to control the situation. But the best thing you can do is smile and go with the flow. You would be surprised at the in between moments photographers will capture. I do aim for a few smiling looking at the camera style shots. But a bulk of what we will do will get the kids to loosen up and laugh with playful style images. Fun real moments come across in the photos much better than forced smiles.

Bring a Change of Clothes: Having a change of clothes can help in case someone gets super dirty a bit too fast haha. We can play off of that if you want real raw reality haha. But a backup is smart! Especially with the drive home.

If your outfits wrinkle a lot try to steam them before you come to your session and hang them in your car when driving.

Hair and Makeup: If desired, consider having hair and makeup done before the shoot. This can add a polished touch to the photos and boost your confidence.This isn’t a must by any means. But if you want some pampering before the chaos you do it up haha!

Weather Considerations: If shooting outdoors, We can keep an eye on the weather forecast and have a backup plan in case of unfavorable conditions.If your family loves to play in the rain this could be a chance to have a fun rain session! But I can always see if my studio is open ( I share with other photographers) and we could move it indoors. We could also move the session to an area outside that has coverage or an indoor location somewhere!

Patience is Key: Family/Children photo shoots can sometimes take time, especially when working with children. Be patient, and trust that your photographer will capture the perfect shots.

Relax and Have Fun: Family photo shoots are an opportunity to capture your family’s unique dynamics and connections. Relax, interact with each other, and let the photographer capture candid moments.

Capture Their Personality: With my style of photography I do a mix of poses. Some will be traditional smiling at the camera. We don’t need a ton of them! a good 5-10 max will do your gallery justice. A handful of other images will be natural, playful, interactions. Dont worry too much about always smiling and looking at the camera. I will let you know what and when I need certain things from you!