A Guide to Preparing Your Little One for their Photography Session

By Shan Cathey

As a mom of three sweet, sometimes moody little humans, nothing is more frustrating for a parent than a groggy, uncooperative child during a photo session. Let's be real, our little adorable angels can sometimes morph into little monsters when they're tired. Quite frankly, it's to be expected.  I'm not that nice when i'm exhausted either.  As a mom, I've experienced the ole "tantrum in the store" a time or two and trust me, it's no fun! I equate a tired child's feelings in a photoshoot to an adult coming home from a long stressful day of "whatever," only to have your spouse shove a camera in your face insisting you sit, stand, and smile on demand then attempt to accuse you of ruining "the shot" because you produced a cringeworthy half-smile photo.  Needless to say, the words to follow would not be "PG" enough for this article. So though our little ones may not nearly have as hard a day as us, in their world- they did!  As adults we tend to forget that our children are little humans with tons of feelings and emotions and they're still figuring themselves out.   Additionally, they simply may not be able to articulate feelings of anxiety as well as we do, which almost always results in their crying. Have no fear! As a family photographer I'm pretty great at handling even the most difficult children.  Things usually work out in the end. Below I have a few tips on how to prepare for a smooth family portrait session.

Nap time, Nap time, Naptime!

So above we briefly touched on this but I'll say it again!  If you want EVERYTHING TO GO WRONG during your family or child portrait session, bring a tired kid!  Otherwise, bring your sweet little angel well rested before the session so even if we have a temperamental child, we're not adding fuel to fire by bringing them tired.  Again, no nappy no happy! 

Get them excited!

Though yelling "Hey kids! We're booked for family portraits! woohoo!" may seem good enough, it may actually be doing the opposite.  Some children live for the camera, while others may shy away due to feelings of anxiety or even insecurity.  The best strategy we can implement to mentally prepare our little ones for their session is to communicate and even share our visual guide that we created during our planning session. Nothing is worse than having your kiddos walk into a situation not having the slightest clue as to what's going on.  Then, here comes this random lady walking up with a camera directing poses as their parents yell "smile!!!" in the background. If at all possible, take a couple minutes before the shoot to show them the visuals and even practice poses in the mirror.  Watch your kiddo blossom before your eyes as they exude with confidence during their photoshoot.

Feed Them!

So we've discussed the "tired monster" but haven't touched on the ​HANGRY monster (hungry + angry = hangry). Again, if you want EVERYTHING TO GO WRONG during your session, bring a hungry kid.  Otherwise, the rest goes without saying.  It's probably a great idea for your child to have a snack at least 30 minutes before their session.  Session times usually run between 45 minutes to an hour. The less things they have to worry about during their session, like a grumbling tummy-- the better!  Not only will they be in a better mood rested and fed, but they'll have the needed energy to be  in tuned to their session. As an adult, not even I would want to smile through hunger pains.

Bring a favorite Toy or Blanket

For younger children especially, having a toy or blanket may help them feel less anxious and more comfortable in front of the camera.  Depending on the object, parents may not want that particular toy or blanket in the photo, but it's a good back up to have in case little ones starts to freak out.  After all, the object is to get the best shots possible.

Change of Clothes...

Ok, so am I suggesting you run out and buy multiple outfits. No.  If you have planned outfit changes with your session then you'll have change of clothes anyway.  But if not, just understand that accidents happen whether running out the door or riding in the car we always want to be prepared for the unexpected.  So extra hair bows, socks, ties, pants, dresses etc...  

And lastly...phew!

Don't go Shopping on the Day of your Photoshoot!

Most times, not always, we tend to have last minute items pop into our heads that we suddenly need to get from the store to make the photoshoot perfect.  And that's ok! But before you go stop and think, how important is this item and is it easily attainable? Meaning, do you need to go searching store to store to find this item or can I run to the nearest so and so to get it.  If the answer is no to the latter, then forget about it.  Your little one will be adorbs either way.  Not only might you arrive flustered and on edge from rushing but you may also show up late to your photography session. 

Lay clothes out the night before!

Lay clothes out the night before...

It makes life easier....lol

Don't forget, preparation is key to an easy, breezy, photography experience so all that's left is laughter and fun!
Happy Shooting!

For questions message shan@cattyvisions.com

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