Top Tips for a Stress-Free Family Photoshoot with Lepik Photography

Note: None of the families in these photos experienced any of the situations we described. They are just here to show you some family photos.

We have seen it time and time again. A family books us for photos, they put all this prep into their big day. Coordinating outfits, picking the perfect location and then the session begins with mom or dad telling us how stressed they were for these photos. Usually it comes down to a few reasons that can quickly and easily be mitigated. Today, lets talk about these and ensure you know exactly how to handle them

Kids are cranky

Kids get cranky for a few reasons. First, they are tired. Try planning your session during a time that they would normally be awake or just coming out of a nap. This helps not disrupt their normal flow. Talk to us before hand and let us know their schedule. We can always adapt and change up plans.

Kids are hungry. Often times we see the family not eating before the session and then the kids just complain how hungry they are the whole time with the hopes of food after the session. You don’t need to plan a full on meal before your session but be sure the kids get something to eat before the session. Even better, bring a few of their favorite snacks to the session so they could snack on them during the session. Snacks are a great way to bribe them and get their attention during the shoot.

Kids don’t pose the way you want

This is honestly a big one. Mom and dad yelling at the kids to smile better or don’t stand like that. Or better yet, when we are trying other capture them looking at the camera we have mom, dad, big brother/sister or grandparents standing behind us at different locations all telling the child to look at the photographer. They have 5 people, in 5 different locations telling them how to smile, where to smile. Their senses are overloaded. Here are a few tips. First, understand that we are good at what we do. We will get your child to smile. We will get them in the perfect poses. Children often respond to strangers better than family. Give us a little space. Have them go on a walk with us. Sometimes we get them in a moment of playing that just makes the best photos and ones you will be more happy with then the typical look at the camera and smile photos. If we need to get their attention you should stand behind the photographer on their level. This way the child is looking the same direction as EVERYONE and we are more likely to get the photo.

Spouse is not feeling the photos

Sometimes (not often), we get one spouse that loves photos and one that isn’t really in the mood. We get it. You have probably had a photographer in the past that made the experience extremely boring and just constantly told you to look at the camera and smile. We are not that photographer. We are going to play games. We are going to ask you questions and have you share memories with each other. Our sessions are not the typical session you are thinking about and often times (more times than not), we hear the spouse say “wow, that was actually way better than I thought”. We are not typical. We are not boring. If your spouse is not feeling photos, maybe explain this approach with them. Have them set up a call with us to discuss their concerns beforehand. Maybe your spouse just wants to get in and get out as quickly as possible. No problem. If your family does better like this, let us know. We can get you all in the poses, snap the photos and be on your way if quick and easy is your preferred style. We got you!

Things don’t go perfect

No session is the exact same. No session goes perfect. If you go into the session understanding that some things may come up that are not part of the plan and embracing them with grace you will be surprised how quickly your mindset changes. We have seen it all. We have experienced almost every situation you can think of in our 14 years of photography. Chances are we have seen it and have ways to work around it. Sometimes the photo session just goes completely off track. EVERYTHING goes wrong…. Guess what…. Most times we still get amazing photos. But in the event you just need a reset, let us know. We can always schedule the session at a different time. We can always go back out and capture moments later. These are family photos and there are 365 days in the year and one of them may work better. That is ok. Communication is key with us. We want you to be happy and we will find ways to make it work for you.

If you are ready to book your perfectly imperfect session with us, reach out today or use the link at the top to book your session. We got you!