Family Session Flow

Jun 20

One of biggest questions I have when I am booking a photographer for my family is , “what will the session be like?”. Really what I am asking is, “I don’t have to be in charge, right?”.

As a parent, and business owner, I find myself in charge a lot. And don’t get me wrong, sometimes, I love to be in charge. But I also love when I can hand the reigns over and let someone else drive, think, and direct.

So let’s talk session flow. But first, drop your shoulders, relax your jaw, and take a deep breath…from here on out, I’ve got you.

All I need from you is to show up at the right time, and be clothed! (unless you are under one, then bellies and bums are allowed)
Upon arrival, we are going to decompress & ground before we take any photos. I know what it is like to convince two tiny humans to get dressed, not drop applesauce on their clothes, and not wipe snot on your sleeve. This is the only challenge you will face, I promise. My goal is to get to know you a little bit, break any tension, and get into play mode! From there the whole session will feel like a big hug!
I will generally start by photographing the kiddos. Parents get a little breather and I show the kids how to follow my lead. I know it is hard to hand over the reigns when it comes to your kiddos, but the more you let me lead the show, the better the session will be!
Once I have made some fart noises, talked about boogers, you know, your general slapstick comedy, we will get the whole family together. I also play music during the session! I will place you exactly where you need to be, down to the hands, heads, and eyes. Just follow the sound of my voice and direction.
From there we will follow a little bit of a pattern. I will pose you, snap photos from various distances and angles, getting closer as I go. I may give you little things to change here and there as inspiration strikes. And this part is key, for most of the session, you won’t be looking at me! The session is about the bond you have as a family, so we are going to focus on that!
I do leave a little time at the end of the session to get creative! I like to try 3-4 more artsy things once I know I have all of the shots we need. These usually turn out to be my favorites! *This is always pending how the kiddos are feeling
And that is all folks! If you trust me, you will receive a gallery of connected and gorgeous images like the one below. And what I hear most at the end of a session is, “Wow, that was so fun!” I will likely do a happy dance upon hearing those words, so prepare yourself or join in :)