What Should I Bring to My Family Photo Session?

Your family photo session is coming up! You’ve chosen your outfits, picked the location and added the date to your calendar. Now you may be wondering: What should I actually bring to my family photo session?

Your family photo session is coming up...the good news is that you don’t need to pack half the house.

A little preparation can make a big difference, especially when young children are involved. After more than 16 years of photographing families and children throughout the Lehigh Valley, I’ve learned that some of the smallest details can help everyone arrive feeling comfortable, prepared and ready to enjoy the experience.

Here are my best tips for what to do before your session, what to bring along and a few things you may want to leave tucked away.

Prepare Your Children Before Photo Day

One of the best things you can do happens before you ever leave the house.

Talk to your children about the photo session and what they can expect. Keep it positive and let them know that we'll be walking around, taking some pictures looking at the camera and having some fun together.

You can even show them photos from past sessions so they have an idea of what they'll be doing. Knowing what to expect can make a new experience feel much more comfortable.

Give your children confidence, too. Let them know how much these photos mean to you and that you know they're going to do a great job.

If possible, give them a little ownership over the experience. You might choose two outfits you're happy with and let your child decide which one they'd like to wear.

Try On Everyone's Outfits Ahead of Time

Don't wait until an hour before your session to discover that someone's pants are suddenly too short or a dress is itchy!

Have children try on their complete outfits ahead of time to make sure everything fits and feels comfortable.

Take a quick look for:

• Missing buttons

• Broken zippers

• Stains

• Clothing that is too tight or uncomfortable

• Shoes that no longer fit

Comfort is especially important for younger children. If something is itchy, scratchy or uncomfortable at home, it's probably going to bother them even more during the session.

Make sure you're also choosing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are always a great option for outdoor sessions because Pennsylvania weather can be unpredictable.

Make Sure Everyone Eats Before the Session

This one is important!

Feed your children before your family photo session. If the timing works with their normal schedule, make sure younger children have had a good nap as well.

A rested child with a full belly is usually much happier than a tired, hungry one.

You can also pack a small, clean snack or treat for the car ride or to use during the session if needed. Choose something that isn't likely to leave crumbs, stains or sticky fingers all over carefully planned outfits.

For younger children, having a special treat or toy waiting after the session can also give them something fun to look forward to.

What Should You Bring to Your Family Photo Session?

You really don't need very much. In fact, I prefer that families aren't carrying multiple bags of things around throughout an outdoor session.

A few items can be helpful:

• Water bottles, especially during warmer months

• A clean, non-messy snack for younger children

• A hairbrush or comb

• An extra layer when the weather calls for it

• A favorite small toy, kept hidden unless we need it

If your child is still in diapers and their outfit could potentially show the diaper, please bring or have them wear a diaper cover.

For outdoor sessions, think about the weather when choosing hairstyles as well. Wind, humidity and heat can all affect hair differently, so choose a style that will hold up well for the conditions.

Keep Favorite Toys and Phones Hidden

You are absolutely welcome to bring a favorite small toy or comfort item for your child. Just keep it tucked away unless we actually need it.

Sometimes we never do!

The same is especially true for cell phones. If your child loves holding your phone, please don't pull it out unless absolutely necessary. Once a phone appears, some children don't want to give it back, and suddenly the phone is part of every photo.

Cell phones will not be edited out of your images, so keeping them out of sight is the best plan.

Your Family Photo Session Checklist Before We Start

There are a few tiny details that are surprisingly noticeable in photographs.

Right before the session begins:

• Clean glasses. Smudges on lenses are much more noticeable in photos than you might think.

• Empty pockets. Phones, keys and wallets can create visible bulges.

• Remove hair ties from wrists.

• Remove Fitbits, Apple Watches or other items you don't want visible in your portraits.

• Remove temporary tattoos if you don't want them photographed.

• Take care of chipped nail polish when possible.

• Remove unnecessary Band-Aids.

• Check everyone's hair and clothing one last time.

These are all little things that are much easier to take care of before the photo is taken rather than hoping they can be fixed later.

Use GPS and Plan to Arrive Early

Even if you've been to the location before, I recommend using GPS and allowing yourself some extra time.

Traffic, parking, road construction and simply finding our exact meeting spot can sometimes take longer than expected.

Arriving a few minutes early gives everyone a chance to get out of the car, make final adjustments and settle in before we begin.

More importantly, you're not starting your family photo session feeling rushed and stressed.

Love on Your Family!

Once the session starts, you don't need to worry about knowing what to do. I'll guide you through it.

But one thing I will always encourage you to do is love on your family.

Give hugs. Give kisses. Tickle your kids. Snuggle together. Laugh.

I love creating beautiful, camera-aware family portraits, but I also want to capture the connection between the people in them. Some of those interactions create the images families love the most.

Parents, Be Prepared to Get a Little Silly

When I'm photographing individual portraits of your children or sibling photos, I may need your help getting a great smile.

Be prepared to sing, make silly noises or act a little crazy!

Your child will often smile more easily for you than for someone they just met.

When you're helping, I'll usually ask you to stand directly behind me. This is important because it keeps your child's eyes directed toward my camera. If you're standing off to the side trying to get a smile, that's where your child will look too.

Don't worry. I'll let you know when I need your help.

Keep an Eye on Hair, Clothing and Little Faces

I'll be watching the details throughout your session, but parents can help too.

If you notice hair falling out of place, a shirt riding up or clothing that needs adjusting, feel free to help fix it.

And with younger children, please wipe noses and faces as needed throughout the session. It's much easier to take care of those little things while we're there than to fix every image afterward.

Is Your Dog Joining Your Family Photos?

Dogs are family too, and I love when they're included!

If your dog is coming along, plan to keep them leashed throughout the entire session. You can also bring treats or a favorite squeaky toy in a small tote bag. I'm happy to hang onto the bag while we're photographing so it isn't sitting in your photos.

Having another adult or helper can also be extremely useful, particularly when you're combining a dog with younger children.

And remember that expectations may need to be a little different when pets are involved. We can absolutely capture beautiful posed family portraits, but walking shots and other interaction photos can be wonderful additions too.

What DON'T You Need to Bring?

You don't need to arrive with a Pinterest board full of poses.

You don't need to know where to stand.

You don't need to figure out how to position everyone's hands.

And you definitely don't need to spend the entire session worrying about whether your children are behaving perfectly.

That's my job.

I'll guide your family through the session, from the more traditional posed portraits to walking, interaction and connection images. We'll keep things moving, give younger children breaks when they need them and adjust based on your family's personalities.

Your job is simply to show up prepared, love on your family and enjoy this little bit of time together.

A Little Preparation Goes a Long Way

Family photos don't require perfection.

A little preparation simply removes some of the distractions that can make a session feel stressful. When everyone has eaten, clothing is comfortable, you've allowed enough time to arrive and you have a few essentials nearby, it's much easier to relax and enjoy the experience.

As a Lehigh Valley family photographer, my goal is to make the entire process feel comfortable and well guided from beginning to end. I'll take care of the posing, prompts and photography so you can concentrate on the people you're there to photograph in the first place.

Ready to update your family photos? Explore my Lehigh Valley family photography sessions and let's start planning a session that's perfect for your family.