How to Prepare Your Kids for Their Portrait Session | Vancouver, WA/Portland, OR Children’s Photographer

Now you have a portrait session booked and there is a good chance you're wondering how you will prepare your kids. You have invested your valuable time and money into this experience and you want it to go perfectly. Here are a few tips on how to prepare your kids for their photography session.

I know you’re probably anxious about having kids’ photos taken. I’ve been there. Hopefully, I’ll ease some of your worries.

First, read my post about what to wear for your session HERE. This will help you in picking out the best outfits for your photoshoot.

Next, trust your photographer. I have been photographing seniors and children for over a decade. You may be sensitive to how your children act but I see right through that. My style of photography gives you the freedom to relax and let go of perfection. My job isn't to make your children behave perfectly and sit straight up on a stiff chair with a stiff smile. Au-contraire, my job is to show you that your children are absolutely perfect just the way they are. I know how to get almost every child to relax and allow me to capture them. You hired me because you love what you see in my portfolio. Allow me to turn your children into art. I promise I will.

Tell them what will happen. I am a firm believer in being very upfront with children. The days leading up to the session tell them that a friend, miss Tammy, is going to be taking your photos. Tell them that we are going to go to a really fun place and play and have a good time. Tell them that your friend will be asking them to stand and sit in a few different ways. You can tell them that it will be pretty fast. My shoots are usually 30 minutes to an hour.

Make sure that they’re fed and rested. During the summer months, I schedule sessions as late as 7:30 pm. I know that’s late for a kid but this can be remedied by putting them down for a late nap that day or if they don't' nap, clearing your schedule on photo day to allow them to rest before the shoot. Don't go on a hike or play in the park on the same day as your photoshoot. Make your photo session the main event. Feed them dinner or a big snack before the session so they aren't cranky. Kids that are hungry are cranky and never easy to work with.

Offer a little reward for putting up with Miss Tammy and tolerating the portrait session. Try not to sound frustrated when talking to them before the session. Instead, before the shoot say "we are going to go out for ice cream after the session is over." Or whatever sounds good. Just make the whole experience fun.

I will never, ever ask your child to smile. If they smile, it will be because they are actually happy or laughed at one of my corny jokes. I love authentic, unfiltered portraits of children. I also will never make your child leave your side if they don't feel comfortable.  I will capture them exploring and being who they are.

Show them a picture of me. Head to my About page and show them a photo of me so I’m not a strange face to them. This will make me seem more human and relatable.

My style is very laid back. I have had numerous parents tell me their kids actually said they had fun after my session and high school seniors too.

I hope you found this helpful and I can't wait to photograph your child.