Preparing your kids for family photos | San Diego Family Photographer

San Diego Family Photographer, Tristan Quigley, explains how to prep your kids for a great family photography experience!

Hi! I’m Tristan. Your super-fun San Diego family photographer! So you are thinking about booking a family photography session? Read on for some great advice.

Moms, we have all been there. You start planning your family photography session with so much excitement. And then it hits you. Will my children behave? What if they have a meltdown or refuse to smile? Do I need to bribe them? What should I tell them before the session? Preparing kids for family photos doesn’t have to be hard. As a San Diego family photographer with over 10 years of experience and six kids of my own, I’ve got you covered!

Good news for you, I welcome silly behavior and kids being kids. We want their true personalities to shine through. Maybe they are shy. Maybe they are super outgoing. Either is ok! You will have plenty of photos you love in your gallery. Repeat after me. Family photos can be fun! Let’s take the pressure off. Here are five simple ways to get your children prepared to have some fun during your family photography session.

1. Full tummies

A full belly is a happy belly! One of the easiest ways to prepare kids for family photos is to make sure they have a full tummy before heading off to the session. I would also come prepared with a snack to have just before if you will be in the car for a bit.

My advice: Choose non-messy snacks, like fruit snacks. You don’t want chocolate milk on the beautiful white dress right before photos. Snacks should be small treats they can eat quickly.

2. Pep Talk

Introduce the photo session plans to your child ahead of time. Like most people, kids feel more comfortable when they know what to expect. Additionally, they take cues from your mood (more on that here and here) If you show you are excited about our session, they will be too! When talking about the session, talk about me like a friend. It’s helpful to use my name. “Hey, my friend, Tristan, is going to hang out on the beach and take photos of us while we play!” instead of “the photographer lady”. I will answer to both though. Haha! For younger children, try playing “photographer” the week before the session. Have them set their dolls up and take pictures with your phone or an iPad. This helps them connect photography with playtime and fun. It becomes a game, not a source of stress.

3. Comfort Is Key

If the outfit is uncomfortable, it could easily derail your session quickly. It’s just not worth it. Scratchy fabrics or stiff clothing—no matter how trendy or cute—will leave kids irritated, pulling at their clothes, or just gets them off on the wrong foot. Instead, find fabrics and styles that look put together but still are soft and comfortable. Whatever you pick out for them, do a test run well in advance. Check the fit and sizing. Sit, jump, twirl. Make sure everything moves properly. There’s nothing worse than trying to fix wardrobe hiccups while your baby has a meltdown! I am here to help too. I have partnered with a styling service to take care of coming up with ideas for the whole family including links on where to find it. It doesn’t get much easier & it takes the guesswork out of it!

4. Bring A Lovey

It’s always a good idea to have a special toy or blankie on hand. Hopefully, we won’t need it. However, it can definitely help a young child feel a sense of security. Secretly keep it in the car and keep it as a backup. Sometimes this simple comfort item is all a child needs to warm up. Ideally, this item will make a brief appearance, if at all, and then go back to a special resting spot.

5. Nap

(But Please Avoid A Car Nap On The Way)

Family photo day is not the day to skip the nap. It’s definitely. important to alter your schedule if possible. Most outdoor sessions occur later in the evening during the summer especially to get that gorgeous “golden hour” glow. The hour before sunset is best. That means in the summer a session might not even start until 7pm. A bit of nap altering that day can make things easier on everyone!

If you have never done family photos before, prepare ahead of time. Things can get rather crazy as you prep outfits, load the car, get food in bellies and attempt to get everyone set to go. A huge part of preparing kids for family photos is keeping things as normal as possible and keeping your cool.

Rest For Everyone

During the day of a session, it’s a good idea to try to stay home as much as possible. This allows for proper rest and avoids having an overstimulated child who has been out and about all day. Furthermore, do not let your little one sleep in the car if you can help it. Babies can wake up quickly and be happy, but toddlers need time to adjust to their surroundings after a sudden wake-up. Waking a toddler after a short car nap is not a fun activity!

Family cuddles always bring out the best smiles!

6. Bring Something You Love To Do Together

What makes your child smile? Do they love reading with you, kicking a soccer ball, or playing hopscotch? These are all great activities to incorporate into a family photo session. It really can bring out some great candid moments. Pull out a favorite activity when your child is starting to lose steam, and they will quickly be ready to participate once again. I love this because it brings out the genuine smiles and authentic moments that make your family special. A lot of times these images end up being favorites. They are often the best representation of you and what ties your family together.

In case you missed it, check out my other post which goes into detail on how to prepare yourself for your photography session as well!

I can’t wait to capture some gorgeous memories for you!

Tristan Quigley Photography is based in San Diego and travels to surrounding areas including Encinitas, Carlsbad, La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Sante Fe, Cardiff, San Marcos, Oceanside, Carmel Valley, Coronado and other surrounding San Diego areas.