Dear Parents: “Things to Know Before Your Family Photos” by Sarah Gudeman

Chris, Emma and Sarah are writing a series of Dear La Brisa letters to clients, photographers and anyone who is interested. Do you have questions/topics for us to consider? Go ahead and send them to DearLaBrisa@LaBrisaPhotography.com! Today, Sarah is sharing a letter to parents about things to know before their family’s Joy Session!

Dear Parents,

You’ve already conquered a huge task- finding time in your family’s busy schedule to have your portraits taken! Now that we’ve set a date and time, here are a few things I’d love for you to know before we begin…

Please don’t worry about perfectly matching outfits. How often does your entire family wear white shirts and khakis anyway? If you want your outfits to look cohesive, choose 2 or 3 coordinating colors and find outfits that work within that color scheme. Multiple colors and textures will bring depth to your images, especially when everyone is snuggled together!
Kids need opportunities to play and take breaks during a family session. Some of my favorite images are from these little breaks. I’ll take them having fun and making memories over acknowledging my camera any day!
Let me get your child’s attention. Trust me, only one adult needs to make a fool of themselves for the sake of genuine smiles… and that’s me. When we’re doing an entire family portrait please keep looking at me and smiling even if your child seems distracted. Without fail, the moment you point at the camera will be the exact moment they decide to look right into the camera and give the most genuine smile of the entire session. It’s like they sense it.
Think outside of the box. Can you think of a game that your family loves to play together? Bring it to your session! I want to incorporate everyday life activities that are memorable to YOUR family. Whether that’s playing a board game or dipping your toes in the nearby lake at the end of your session. Let’s make this fun and unique.
Children are imperfect. It’s why we love them. Roll with the silly faces or possible nose-picking that occurs during your session. Those “outtakes” may turn out to be your favorite images.
Bring snacks. They’re great for bribery… In all seriousness, I don’t know how many times a fruit snack or cheerio has saved the day.
Let your kids be kids. Trust me, it’s what you’ll want to remember. Their fascination with dandelions or that really neat trick they just learned will soon be a thing of the past so enjoy each phase while it lasts. Also, kids are great at sensing our energy and mood. The more fun we’re having, the more relaxed and comfortable they’ll feel during the session!