Stress Free Family Photos

Family photoshoots always bring me so much joy. They remind me why my job as a photographer is so important. I always feel so accomplished when parents come back to me with feedback saying they love the photos and appreciated how easy going the photoshoot was.

Some parents feel anxiety leading up to their family session as they want the day to go smoothly and hope their children will behave for photos. If you’ve got children there is some planning that can help ease this feeling. Going into your session with an open and positive mindset is the first place to start! I’m definitely one to go with the flow and get children on my side before I take photos of them. Heres how you can have a stress free photoshoot.

PREPARE YOUR CHILDREN

Start talking to your children about the photoshoot a few days prior to get them familiar with the idea. Talk about it with excitement but also make it sound normal and fun, you don’t want to overwhelm them with expectations of how you think it will go. Tell them what to expect from your photographer. You can tell your children that your photographer is a friend, so they don’t seem like a stranger.

DAY OF THE SESSION

On the day of your shoot, make sure everyone is fed and not coming into the session hungry. Wait until everyone has eaten before changing into your outfits for the shoot. You may want to wait until you arrive at your location before changing younger children or toddlers into their outfits.

EXPECTATIONS

If you go into your photoshoot feeling stressed and nervous about how your toddler is going to behave, the chances are they are going to pick up on this tension. They might not want to sit still, look at the camera and smile. If you put pressure on them it might make it harder. My best piece of advice is to go with the flow and work with your photographer to capture natural moments together, these are often the best photos! You might need to make it fun and let your child play, be convincing that its fun!

LISTEN AND GO WITH THE FLOW

Toddlers will go through different stages and phases. They may only want one parent to hold them and getting them on their own isn’t going to happen without tears. The best way to work with toddlers is to not force them but to comfort them, they might be nervous! Work with what you can. Sometimes bribes can work, or perhaps they just need their favourite toy.

LIFESTYLE FAMILY PHOTO SESSIONS

My family photo sessions are fun, relaxed and easy going. I’ve photographed families with children of different ages and every session will be slightly different. I use all of the tips mentioned above in order to capture the best moments of your family.

What is a lifestyle photography and why is it a good idea to do newborn photos at home?

Have you noticed that I rave about doing your family and newborn photos at home! This style is called lifestyle photography. It’s an easy-going and more candid approach, different from traditional newborn photos taken in a photographic studio. These sessions capture a mix of unfiltered real moments while positioned and captured in a stylised way.

Why have photos taken at home

The images feel more relaxed and they look authentic being in the comfort of your own space. You’ll be able to look back at your photos in the years to come and your children will be able to see the home they grew up in. As a huge bonus to new parents, it also means I travel to you rather than traveling to a location or studio.

Preparing your home for photos

The goal is to capture authentic moments of your family in an everyday life setting. A home is made to be lived in and no one is expecting every room in your house to be clean or tidy, especially if you have younger kiddies! There is absolutely no pressure to prepare your entire house for photos but having one or two spaces ready to use is helpful, even if that means moving any clutter to the other side of the room. You get to pick your favourite spots in your home, it could be the nursery chair, so you get to keep some of those memories from when baby was little.

Unposed and natural photography

You’ll be wrapped up in looking at baby and each other, you’ll feel more comfortable with me being there. I don’t have any big lights or equipment so it feels like less pressure to pose for the camera. This style of photography is more about interacting with each other than smiling at the camera for every photo.

What to wear for newborn photos

You’re at home so you want to be comfortable and pick outfits that make you feel good. You can wrap your baby in a swaddle or have in them a one-piece so their feet and hands are free, or do both. My style isn’t to pose newborns in any unnatural sleeping positions.

The day of your newborn shoot

It’s ok if your newborn isn’t settled when I arrive. These sessions are usually 1 hour long which is always plenty of time to feed, nappy change etc in between shots. The best thing about these sessions is we can book them all year round with no restraints on outdoor weather forecasts!

Family Photos at Home - Wellington NZ

If you’re thinking about updating your family photos, have you considered using your home as the location? I always feel extremely grateful that I get to meet so many families and take their pictures. Being invited into their personal space brings another element into the session. If you have children who are a little camera shy and reluctant, being in their own environment could be an opportunity for them to feel confident and enjoy having their photo taken.

When Candice invited me into their home, everywhere I looked was something out of a magazine. I love the way they have styled the rooms! Absolute goals. Willis thought it was great because he could show me all of his toys and jump on the bed with Mum.

If you have a park or a playground near your home, this is another great location for photos with children. We all jumped in the car and headed to the park where we could run around with their dog.

Fun Family Photo Session - Wellington

Time to have some fun, let the kiddies run around and play. My family photo sessions are relaxed and easy going. This session with baby Bodhi, young Sofia, Summer and Joel was a treat! Bodhi has eyes that make your heart melt. Sofia loved showing me all of the flowers, this is why I love these family photo sessions. 

This month I’m running a special on mini portrait sessions. Due to interest, I'm extending the special to run through September as well. Get in touch before they get booked up! 

Petone Beach Family Portrait Session

Soon after Jane and Jake's wedding we got together again for a family portrait session at Petone Beach! These family photo sessions are fun, relaxed and easy! It's the perfect opportunity to do something fun with your loved ones, while I stand back and capture those moments for you.