Today I want to share with you the secret to a stress free photoshoot.
As a Mum of three young children myself, I know how hard it is to do… well, anything! Just trying to get out of the door in the morning is like trying to get through three rounds with Mike Tyson! Add on a Dad who hates photos (sorry Dads!), sunset being the worst time of day for tired, hungry children and a Mum who desperately just wants beautiful photos with her children, and you feel like giving up before you even begin!
So, what’s the secret to a stress free photoshoot?
- Talk positively about what you are going to do! We’ve all been there. Anxiety gets the better of us and before we know it we are dishing out threats before we get in the car, promising our children the earth to behave and yelling at our partners that we JUST WANT NICE PHOTOS!! I don’t know about you, but I know that’s always going to result in the complete opposite. My advice is to talk excitedly about it. Tell them you are going for a play on the beach/creek/your location of choice and Lizzy is going to take some nice photos and you won’t even realise it because you’re having so much fun.
- Let them have a say in their outfits. I know what you’re thinking. You don’t necessarily want them coming dressed as spiderman! (Or maybe you do) But to still have control over what they wear but with involvement from them, give them two options. This dress or that one.These shorts with that top or the other one. Children love to feel in control just as much as we do and this gives them a sense of feeling important and listened to.
- Tell them the steps. Have you ever been somewhere and felt completely nervous out about what will happen? The same happens to children. Explain the steps to getting to the session and home again. Something like: ‘We will spend the day at home playing with our toys, then after we’ve had a snack we will get you dressed in the outfit you’ve chosen, get in the car and drive to Clifton Beach. Lizzy will meet us at the beach with her camera and she is going to play with us on the beach with her special camera. It will be so much fun, we might even get to have a paddle in the ocean! We will take a special picnic dinner in the esky to have when we are finished having our family photos, then we will drive home for our bath and a story before we go to bed’. You could even get them to draw a picture of them playing on the beach to get them excited!
- Bring dry snacks! ‘I’m hungryyyyyyyyy’ are the most spoken words of a child! Bring along some snacks like muesli bars and crackers to keep them going if needed, and don’t forget bottles of water. We are blessed with warm weather all year round here in Far North Queensland, so water is a must!
- Whatever you do, DON’T get cross! This is my BIGGEST TIP OF THEM ALL, and definitely the hardest. I warn all my clients that family photos feel chaotic. At some point you will feel like quitting and going home. (Oddly though, the most chaotic sessions always produce the best photos!) But, you can’t show your stress to your kids. It’s literally a case of grin and bear it and just keep a smile on your face at all times. Children are in a different environment, they likely feel overstimulated, they are tired and hungry and having lots of fun. I promise two things: that your children will be safe, and that you’ll get amazing photos! I also find they tend to listen a lot better to me because I’m new and exciting. This is the perfect chance for you to switch off, and let me handle the chaos 🙂
I hope those tips helped alleviate some of the anxiety for your family photoshoot. Ultimately, I’m all about playing and having fun. I want to help you create wonderful memories with your children and have them captured for you forever.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
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