3 Steps to a Relaxed Studio Family Portrait Session

I absolutely love when families visit me for a studio portrait session. I love the energy you bring, getting to know your family, and capturing all of life’s special moments for you.

And I want you to love the experience, too. It's easy to feel stressed leading up to the big day, but I can share a few tips to help lighten the load. Here are three steps to a relaxed studio family portrait session.

1) Leave extra time for getting ready.

It's no secret that if you plan to leave the house at a particular time with the kiddos, you'll most likely be later than expected!

Make a timeline to help things go smoothly on the day of your session. Work backward from your session start time and include all the steps between waking up and getting to your session. Account for the time to park and unload, the commute time, and the time it takes to get everyone out the door and buckled in.

It may seem like a lot to think about now, but trust me. It will be worth it when you arrive at your session with time to spare and without stress.

2) Let go of expectations.

While I love seeing smiley, happy family portraits posted on social media, they are not always an accurate portrayal of how the day actually went.

Sometimes, social media lies. The photos of little kids happily smiling at the camera may have been a brief moment during the session. The truth is, it probably took several photos to get that one great shot.

I've found that letting go of expectations makes everyone more relaxed and produces more smiles and genuine happiness from your kiddos.

3) Enjoy the experience.

I have been a professional photographer for more than 15 years and have learned how to get the best portraits of all types of families.

The common denominator between all the sessions that went well is that they enjoyed the experience.

Your job is simply to enjoy and have a good time with each other. I'll take care of the rest :)

Be sure to check out Preparing for your Studio Portrait Session for handy info to help you prepare for your session.