Family Photography Tips – How to Feel Confident in Your Family Photographs

You know you need to be in the photographs; 20 years from now you want your kids to have amazing family photos to look back on – with you in them! And you’re excited about your family photography session, in theory.

But the more you think about it, the more your mind starts racing with all the what if’s. What if I can’t find anything to wear? What if I start feeling like I have that fake permagrin on my face during the session? What if I just don’t love how I look in our family photographs?

Deep breath, mama. I’ve heard it all. And I’ll tell you the same thing I tell each and every mama…

Family Photography Tip #1 – Give Yourself A Break.

Let go of the idea that you need to look amazing every second of the session, you won’t. There will be blinks, there will be awkward smiles (at the beginning) and there will be moments when you’re talking and your mouth is open kind of funny.

Do the math with me for a minute. It takes 1/250th of a second for my camera shutter to click. I typically show each family 25 – 30 images from their session. So, for 30 images, my camera is only actually ‘clicking’ for less than a second of the session. Out of a typical 75 minute photo session, that’s only one second you have to look great.

Maybe that’s a little (or a lot) tongue in cheek but all I’m trying to say is that you don’t need to stress about how you look every moment of your session.

Family Photography Tip #2 – Have Fun and Play With Your Kids.

The best way for me to photograph natural, authentic moments of you with your littles is for you to have natural, authentic moments with your littles. If I need you to move your hand or turn your head, I’ll let you know. You just focus on the playing, laughing and loving.

Your face changes when you smile at your little ones. Your face softens when your husband puts his arms around you and gives you a hug.

You want to feel confident about the way you look in your family photographs? Rest in the knowledge that your family loves you, and they are pretty darn amazing. Think about that instead of what you should or shouldn’t be doing.

And give it some time. There’s a reason why you likely won’t see any images from the first 10 minutes of your session at your viewing appointment. Most people are a little awkward at first; know that’s probably going to happen and don’t let it bug you.

Family Photography Tip #3 – Prepare.

Being well-prepared for your session is half (or even 90% of) the battle.

Think about how confident you are when you put on that amazing outfit you know looks good. That’s why I put so much time into helping you choose the perfect outfit for you and your family.

And because we’ve done the work at your planning session, you don’t need to stress all week about what you’re going to wear or frantically be emptying your closet out onto your bed desperately searching for something that looks okay as I’m ringing your doorbell.

Knowing that you have the perfect outfit (since you’ll have tried it on and walked around your house in it for at least an hour earlier in the week) gives you a huge confidence boost.

Want our full guide on how to look great in your family photographs – including when to schedule haircuts and what you need to do the night before your session? Sign up below and the guide will be in your inbox in minutes.

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P.S. Weekend appointments are all booked up for June but we have 2 left for July – Saturday July 12th and Saturday July 19th. Want one of them to be yours? Call the studio today and we’ll schedule your session.