I’ve been shooting family portraits for many years now and I have seen it ALL. Laughter, tears, tantrums, wardrobe malfunctions, total refusal to cooperate from people of all ages, grumpy toddlers, teenagers, and dads, and general bad behavior of all kinds. I’ve also photographed sweet moments, memories being made, families in locations with great meaning, multiple generations together for the first time, and more. As a photographer, I (of course) think getting family portraits taken is important - and as a mom, I know I want to remember all the stages of my family, even with the quirks that includes. Here are my tips and suggestions for great family portraits.
Relax
This might seem overly simplistic but seriously - I see so many parents, moms especially, really getting so worked up about portraits. Stressed parents - and stressed kids - don’t take great portraits. Please try not to worry quite so much about striving for perfection for your photos. It’s literally impossible - and doesn’t make great photographs anyway. True moments of interaction, real emotions, and even the occasional unkempt outfit or not-so-happy kid are great material for wonderful photos. I’m a mom, too, so not only have I seen every form of tantrum known to parents, I’ve seen my own kids throwing them - pretty much nothing phases me at this point. Parents: instead of trying to manage the entire process, let me worry about where I’m placing you, how everyone looks, and the pacing of our session. Just relax and be present - you’ll be so much happier with the images in the end.
Location…doesn’t really matter
Maybe that’s an overstatement, but really, location is not critical. I can take a great set of portraits while walking around the block in your neighborhood. I can also take a great set of portraits after an hour hike to the top of a mountain. We could also hike for an hour to find the mountain top entirely fogged in, with two kids in tow who are now exhausted, grumpy, and hungry. Yes, mountaintops are amazing. But for the vast majority of sessions, choosing a simple location that’s easy to get to - or, better yet, home! - will result in beautiful portraits with a lot less struggle on everyone’s part. Home is the absolute best location for portraits, especially for families and/or pets. Kids love to be at home, and they can show me things that matter to them - toys, pets, books, or natural areas - that allow us to connect and capture the real wonder of their childhoods. If you’re visiting the area, your rental house may work great, or I can suggest other options.
This photo is from an entire session shot within a one-block radius of the family’s home, mostly in their backyard.
Also note that the US Forest Service has asked photographers NOT to shoot in overused areas throughout WNC. By avoiding popular spots like Max Patch, Craggy Gardens, and Black Balsam, we are preserving these spaces to be enjoyed for generations to come. If you have your heart set on mountains in your photos, let me suggest some alternatives that are less overused and/or easier to get to.
Matching clothing also doesn’t matter
Do what works for your family, but you really don’t need to match each other. I suggest that you aim for coordination, but not matching. This isn’t the ‘90s (despite what my daughter’s high-waisted jeans may want you to think). I suggest to clients that they opt to match in their level of formality and coordinate (if they want) in terms of style/color family. Choose clothes you feel great in, not clothes that match your family (again, unless you’re into that).
Timing DOES matter
Morning and early evening are best for photos - in general, two hours after sunrise and two hours before sunset are best, so this exact time varies every day depending on the time of year. In the winter months, mornings are often cold, and early evening sessions are quite early because of how early the sun sets. In the summer, mornings are not only cooler but also often include a bit of cloud cover or mist, which can be great for lighting. Afternoons in the summer are nearly always rainy - we can avoid that afternoon shower by meeting a bit later and keeping an eye on the hourly forecast throughout the day. Please also keep in mind that post-processing of your photos takes time. I am always shooting new sessions, and I do all my own editing, so I always have a queue of editing to complete. When I shoot your session, I’m in the midst of editing previous client’s sessions. If you have a deadline for your photos for holiday cards or a gift, please keep that in mind when scheduling. Please allow 30 days for editing of sessions - and remember that editing times can vary seasonally (like in fall, when I’m extra busy).
Be yourselves
What do you love to do as a family? What are your kids doing or saying these days that you want to remember in photos? What joke makes the whole family laugh every time? I promise we will get some photos where everyone is looking at the camera and smiling (and if we don’t, I’ll use my photoshop skills to make it so). But if there’s an activity you can share with me, a book to read together, a garden spot to explore - these images will be so much more fun to make for all of us and will be the ones you really cherish.
Extended families are always welcome
I love extended family sessions - and clients often reach out to me to schedule when they’re all together, or when grandparents are coming to visit. Please let me know ahead of time if multiple families are participating, special pricing applies for larger groups.
Have a special request? Just ask (before your session)
Some clients reach out to me with multiple photography needs - which I love! I work with a lot of small businesses and I love that sort of work. If you’re a business owner AND need family portraits, I have some exclusive pricing I’m happy to offer to you. In most cases, it’s best to schedule business and headshot sessions separately from a family sessions (and you can even schedule your headshot session right through my website here). If you have a special request or an idea for your session, please share it with me! Want to involve your pets - please do! I LOVE sessions with pets.
No matter what you have in mind, it’s best to communicate specific ideas or unusual requests in advance of your session, so we can make sure we have time to accommodate it and we can be sure we choose a location that works for what you have in mind (or allows pets, for example). That also allows me to let you know if there’s any reason your request isn’t feasible. I know lots of other awesome photographers in our area and am happy to refer you if I’m not the right fit for what you have in mind.
Ready to book?
If you’d like to book a family session, you can book directly through my website here, or you can email me. If you don’t see a time that works for you on my booking calendar, feel free to get in touch as I can likely find other times that work (I provide limited availability on my online calendar to allow flexibility for existing clients).