I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again - really good portrait sessions happen when families can just be themselves. I’ve been taking portraits for over 20 years and I’ve seen a lot of different fads come and go, styles that seemed unflappable that became obsolete a year later. There is certainly space and time for scripted photos - something special and stylized - but far and away I’ve found that my clients are the happiest with their photos when things flow naturally during their shoot.

Below are my top “ingredients” for cooking up a session that is sure to create photos a family will love for a lifetime!

Ingredient #1: A Go with the Flow Attitude

It’s easy to feel the stress of wanting to capture a moment just as we envision it in our heads. But just like with so many other things in our lives - overthinking can wreck even the best intentions. With every session, I highly recommend coming into my studio (or we can set up a Zoom chat if you’d prefer!) so we can talk about what kind of images you’re looking for, how you want to use the images after the shoot, and things about your family that will help me create a better experience for you on the day of the shoot. These pre-sessions help me direct the session so you can relax and just be yourself with your family! When you come to your session with a relaxed attitude, your kids will pick up on that and have an easier time being themselves as well.

Ingredient #2: Let Them Play

Kids, pets, adults, teenagers - everyone could use some more playtime in their life! Play opens us up, it creates genuine smiles, it invites in our best selves. It also sometimes means scuffed up pants or a wrinkled shirt - but I can promise you 100 times over, these little details will only help you remember all of the wonderful small moments of your kid’s childhood adventures and silliness. I’ve had more clients than I can count who cherish these photos where there kids have muddy feet and happy faces over their more posed family portraits. The best part? You can have both!

Ingredient #3: Relax, and just have Fun

The biggest stumbling block that parents run into on photoshoot days is trying to over orchestrate. It’s easy to fall into this one as we all have expectations of “that perfect shot.” The good news? There is no such thing as the perfect shot. Often it’s the collection of images that make a photoshoot memorable. Kids jumping and playing. That sweet forehead kiss from one partner to another. The kids wrestling with the family dog. A more posed photo where someone is making a silly face. Often clients’ favorite photos are the ones they never knew they wanted or couldn’t possibly have envisioned because it was such a unique moment.

By coming into a shoot with a relaxed attitude, ready to have fun, your odds for getting photos that make you laugh, cry, and smile go up by 100%.

All of the images in this article are from my time with the Story Family. Robin, Ben and their kids were absolutely fantastic. The kids had the best time running around and playing! Their family dynamic was relaxed and game for whatever I suggested!

Ready to book a photoshoot for your family? Let’s talk! You can either book a session online by clicking the button below, or you can shoot me a message here and we can talk about more custom options for your session!