Spring is here! Well officially it’s spring but here in Newfoundland it’s taking its good ol’ time to warm up - but in the spirit of a new season you may be thinking about updating your family photos!
Taking photos with your little ones is a great way to cherish memories with your family and for once you can actually be in the pictures instead of always being the one behind the camera.
We love photographing families! Thankfully with our backgrounds of working with children in other settings makes it come natural for us. And from our experience we’re going to focus on some tips to help you feel at ease going into your session with children under the age of 5:
1. Try to choose a time of day that works best for the child (so try to avoid nap time). We know it may be a bit tricky trying to schedule a time around your family’s busy life and your photographer’s availability, but if you have an option regarding the time of day, try to choose one that you know is generally a good time for your little one.
2. Be prepared to be flexible and go with the flow / mood of your child! If your little one is feeling independent and wants to stand on their own then we would go with that and pose the rest of the family around them. If they’re feeling like getting some cuddles from someone then start with them in your arms. There may be a few poses you were really hoping to get, but start with what your child is feeling and once they feel comfortable maybe then they’ll want to cooperate with what you had planned.
3. When choosing your location think about the possible distractions that may be hard to avoid. For example, we LOVE photographing our clients in their homes: they’re comfortable there, and we can get some candid shots of them simply living and being a family and it’s convenient for them. However, if you have a whole bunch of toys around or electronics that you know your child may insist on including in your lovely family photos, maybe tucking them away might be the best option for the time being.
4. If during the session your child begins to get tired and you can tell they are done with the photoshoot, that’s okay! Pushing them to continue may just make them even more upset and we want the experience to be fun for everyone. We take photos REALLY fast, so if your little one only makes it 20 minutes then that’s perfect! You will still get a lovely photo out of that time!
5. Most importantly, try not to stress about it! This is a keepsake for you and your family to have to remember this moment in time with your wonderful family! Enjoy the session, feel free to make each other laugh and have fun!
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