Time Management is key for great family photos
Family portrait sessions capture a unique moment in your family’s history. They provide a lasting visual to be shared through generations. Good Time management can be the key to capturing beautiful family memories. Bad time management can make your photo session a disaster. A family portrait session is an investment that requires planning. Here are some tips to help you best manage your prep time leading up to your session.
Get family buy-in. That means express to your adult family members that this event is important to you and valuable to the family, now and in the future. Build excitement in younger kids so the photo shoot becomes a fun participatory activity, not just a command to sit still and smile.
Plan ahead and don’t rush from one activity to another. Make the photo shoot your primary activity for the day. If you have a business meeting or have to get the kids to soccer practice on time, then your portrait session could start to feel like a chore and not the important investment you have planned.
Don’t choose your clothes the night before your photo shoot. If you purchase a new outfit or a piece that you plan to pair with something that’s already in your closet, be sure to try it all on a couple of days before your shoot. Make sure it fits, looks great together, is pressed to remove wrinkles and all the new tags are removed. If you’ve shopped in your closet for your photo outfit, carefully examine the clothing to make sure that there are no stains, frayed collars or cuffs, holes or missing buttons. Sometimes you have an idea of what you want the perfect “look” to be, but that idea doesn’t work specifically work for you. Choose clothing that accentuates your good features and minimizes flaws. Coordinate your clothing with that of your family.
The night before your shoot, make sure everyone gets enough sleep so everyone will look rested.
On the day of the photo session, allow time for a good breakfast for everyone, and depending on the time, a good lunch or snacks for the kids. Cranky kids who are hungry or over-tired can ruin your much anticipated picture time. Don’t schedule your session around nap time for the little ones.
Give yourself plenty of time to get the kids washed, dressed and groomed. Make sure you budget enough time for you to dress, do your hair and make-up. You don’t want to look rushed, unfinished and disorganized. Enlist the help of a family friend or relative to make the process easier.
Plan enough time for travel, especially if you booked a time when there is likely to be heavy traffic. Aim to arrive to your photographer a few minutes before scheduled. Transportation stress can definitely show on your face and in your photos.
Stress happens. It can strip away your fun and ruin your big day. Don’t let that be the case. A quick pause can help to change your mood and lighten up the family atmosphere. When you arrive at your destination, don’t jump out of the car hurried and stressed. Take a few moments to calm yourself and help your members relax. Take a few deep breaths and think of something that makes you happy and peaceful. Share some happy memories with the family. Laugh, joke and reminisce. You are about to make family history through pictures.
