One of the biggest concerns I hear from parents before they book a session is “what if my kids don’t cooperate?” I totally get this concern! With kids going from happy to upset seemingly at the drop of a hat, it’s no wonder parents think about how they’ll behave during a photoshoot! Does this sound like you? I’m here to help!! Below, I’m sharing my top 5 tips on preparing your kids before the session to make sure everyone has a great time! If you’re curious to hear more about my take on kid-led sessions, you can check out Sydney’s Parent & Me Session where I talk about it more! (Don’t forget to come back and check out my tips for preparing your kids for your next session 😉)
Make sure you read to the end of the post to see how you can get more tips about preparing your kids for your next session!
Make sure they’re well rested & fed
Let’s get the obvious one out of the way first, making sure everyone (not just the kids) is well rested and fed before the session is crucial! This will help make sure they’re in a good mood and are up for meeting the photographer with their big camera that they may not be used to. Preventing hanger before it happens is one of the best ways to make sure you have the best session possible!
Prepare them for a big camera
Most kids are used to having their picture taken with a phone, but not many are used to the size of a professional camera! You can help get them ready for the session by taking some photos for fun on your phone, showing them to your kids, and explaining how you’ll be taking pictures with your friend (more to come on that later) with a big fancy camera! This way you can address any questions they may have in advance and prepare them for how big the camera will be compared to your phone.
Tell the photographer how they can connect with your kids
This is especially helpful if your kids are shy around new people! Whether they’re shy or not, giving the photographer tips on how they can connect with your kids at the beginning and during the session will help everyone feel more comfortable! The photographer will be able to get your kids to open up quicker allowing them to capture your kid’s personality in the photos!
Say you’re going to take photos with your friend
Telling them you’re going to be taking pictures with your friend helps ease some of the anxiety they may have around meeting new people and will help them warm up to the photographer quicker at the beginning of the session! In conjunction with my previous tip, doing both will help create life-long memories (not just photos) that you’ll be able to talk about for years to come.
Bring bribes
Lastly, bring bribes for the kids! You’d be shocked at how quickly I’ve been able to turn around a kid’s attitude during a photo session just by bringing up a little snack their parents brought for them; they’re truly life savers sometimes! Some of the best bribes to bring are mini marshmallows, fruit snacks, and gummies! (You’ll want to avoid anything with a coating or chocolate to prevent a mess.) Wait to bring these out until absolutely necessary, however, when you do the session will be saved!
Remember at the beginning of the blog when I mentioned more tips for preparing your kids for their next session? I have a BRAND NEW freebie created just for you! Currently with 8 tips, my ‘Goodbye Stress, Hello Memories!’ guide is live! To get the 3 additional tips as well as the 5 listed above in PDF format click the link below to sign up for my email list!
I hope this was helpful for you and that you feel more prepared for your next family photo shoot!
