Tips for Family Pictures with Little Kids

Tips for Family Pictures with Little Kids.

Happy Friday girls. Raise your glass  to surviving yet another week woot woot.  I shared with you all this week a sneak peek of my family photo session. My inbox was immediately flooded with messages praising this “perfect” picture. If you have been following me for a while, you know I like to keep it real. So I wanted to share with you girls the “real” experience behind taking family pictures with little kids.

Yes, some of our pictures turned out pretty good, mostly because our photographer has mad skills. But here is a low down of our day:

• I decided to wait till the day of to make the final decision on everyone’s outfits. What was I thinking, right? I had outfits in mind prior to that day, but after loosing hours to Pinterest I changed my mind about the theme.
• John was not into it… is anyone’s husband ever into taking family pictures? He was kind of moody , but went along with it because he loves me… Also, while most men do not care about the outfits, my husband was not thrilled with my dress or Reese’s faux fur vest. Haha I am laughing hysterically writing this… bc I can only imagine what we would be wearing if he was the stylist of the Monterio family haha
• Grant and Reese were both excited bout their new outfits and pictures, so I was hopeful!
• Well, once we got the the location, it was freezing! Ever tried convincing a child to pretend they’re not cold for the sake of a picture? Once we got started, Grant was well behaved. I brought some gummy bears just in case I needed to bribe him. But quickly, he lost interest, he did not want to take any pictures with Reese or us. What he was interested in however, were all the rocks and sticks he found in the wooded area. I am pretty certain he had one of the biggest meltdowns of his life that day. All because we did not let him bring a 3 ft long stick into the family portrait. When Grant lost his cool, so did John. Even he could not fake good attitude for the camera. I was the only one with big cheesy smile on my face, because I was determined to get that one shot for us #makingmemories haha
• Anyways, we ended up cutting the session short. There was just no way for us to continue this misery and hopes of getting any more good pics were slim to none.

I have learned few valuable lessons that day. So, I wanted to share some tips with you  in case you’re planning a family photo session in the near future.

Tips For Family Pictures with Little Kids

1. Just go with it. Sounds easy… well it’s not. But having positive attitude and open mind will definitely ease some of the stress. We can’t control our kids behavior or mood completely, we can’t control the weather. Chances are things will not go as planned, but since you made the financial and time commitment… seriously just go with it!
2. Hire an experienced photographer. We got so lucky with Gina. She was able to capture great shots, despite having very few opportunities to do so. When you shoot with kids, you won’t have too many opportunities for that “perfect” shot. Get someone who is a pro behind the camera, someone who has experienced shooting with kids.
3. Candid vs staged. That is one of the things I definitely regret. We opted for a staged session this year. Hindsight, I probably should have had a chat with the photographer about maybe getting few candid/ natural shots of our family. I think that would make things maybe a tad less stressful.
4. Do your research. What kind of pictures are you going for? Formal, casual, holiday themed… What kind of shots you want captured, etc. I was so caught up in Grant’s tantrum, I didn’t think about asking for pictures with my kids or John individually. Next time, I will have a better plan.
5. Plan the outfits ahead. And then plan for back up. I had an idea in mind on what I was going for. But then a day or two before, I was online looking for more options. That is why I was shopping the day of the shoot. Don’t be like me, be smart. Plan ahead, have a back up and stick with the plan.
6. Do not schedule the session around nap time or mealtime. Pretty much make sure your kids are not “starving” and rested.
7. While the outfit choices are endless, one thing should hold true… comfort. Make sure whatever your kids are wearing is comfortable for them. You don’t want to hear how itchy, tight, loose, big, etc. something is…. kids do not need any more excuses to whine or complain. Remember even the cutest outfit won’t look good, if your little ones face is frowned 🙁
8. Bring snacks and drinks with you. Just in case…  But do not tell your kids about them. You do not want them asking for food or drink breaks. With most sessions time slots are pretty short, and there maybe another family lined up right after. And let’s not forget time is money haha.

That’s all I have for you right now. If you have any tips that worked for you and your family, please share.

And here’s few more pictures from our session. I have linked everyone’s outfits. This post may contain affiliate links.

Family Outfits

Mom

Dress (on sale), Booties, Earrings, Bracelet

Dad

Sweater (similar), Pants, Boots, Shirt

Reese

Skirt, Shirt, Vest, Booties

Grant

Shirt, Sweater, Pants