The moment you have been waiting for is finally approaching…
You have made the investment to capture your families love story so you have precious memories of how you and your children were at this time in your life, but without good preparation, the process leading up to and during the shoot can be a little stressful.
I have written a post about how to prepare your children for a photoshoot, but now it is time to talk about how you can prepare so you feel your best self.
So, here is how to prepare for a family photoshoot.
5 Ways to prepare for a family photoshoot
- Self care
- Appropriate wardrobe
- Hair and make up
- Communicate with your photographer
- Have all the details ready
Self care
Being kind to yourself is the best way to have a positive mindset about things. It goes without saying that if you look after your mental health, then good things will often follow.
Your energy also projects onto your children so it’s important to be your best self for them – leading to a smooth-running family photoshoot. If they see you’re excited, happy and relaxed then they are more likely to mirror those same emotions.
Leading up to your session (and always!) you should do things that make you feel happy, whether that is getting away for 30 minutes by yourself to read your book or going for a walk – whatever it is that makes you feel good, make time for it.
Get yourself into a habit of doing this, because it is easy to put yourself last when you have children!
Appropriate wardrobe
Whether you decide to have your session in my Cotswold photography studio or in an outdoor location, you need to prepare for a family photoshoot as best as possible so there are no stresses.
A great way to ensure everyone is comfortable and happy with the outcome of the photos is to have an appropriate wardrobe! This means styling yourself so your outfits, including the colours, styles and patterns, complement each other.
You don’t need to worry about what to wear and here is why:
- I offer styling advice so your images are in line with the aesthetic we want to achieve.
- I offer a client wardrobe – I have a range of children’s outfits for ages 0-5 years old.
- For older children, I offer further styling advice with buying options from affordable high street brands.
- I offer a beautiful selection of women’s dresses and clothes in a range of different sizes, materials and colours.
- My wardrobe includes clothing made of silks, cotton and linen, to fit all styles and comforts.
- I have a full kitted-out changing table for your babies, including nappies, wipes, muslins, vests and baby-grows which means you do not have to worry if you forget the essentials.
Hair and makeup
How often do you get to sit down and properly do your hair and makeup as a mum? Probably not very often! So, having a family photoshoot is the perfect exuse to take some time to yourself the morning of your shoot and make yourself feel beautiful.
If you don’t want to do your own hair and makeup then you should consider investing in a professional to do it for you. It will all be worth it for those magical images that you’ll keep framed and treasured for a lifetime. If you’d like recommendations for makeup artists, nail technicians or hair stylists based in Oxfordshire then simply get in touch for more details.
Communicate with your photographer
Communication is key to everything! So, ensure that you have spoken to your photographer about what you can expect from a family photoshoot and anything you would like your photographer to know.
I take pride in getting to know my clients as best as I can ahead of your session, so we can both go into your photoshoot feeling relaxed and at ease.
A good relationship between photographer and client is really important for a meaningful and comfortable photoshoot – leading to a lovely outcome of natural, authentic images that tell your families story in an artful and honest way.
Would you like to have a chat and see if we are the right fit for eachother? Get in touch here!
Have all the details ready
The best way to prepare for a family photoshoot is to have a checklist and a note of all the key details.
Tick off everything you want to get done before the session such as:
- Practice self care the night before
- Iron and lay out all the outfits
- Prepare snacks and drinks for the children
- Decide on the hair and makeup looks
Then have a note of all the key details such as:
- The address of the location
- The time you’re meeting your photographer at the location
- Photographers contact details
- A list of any essentials you need to take
- Car parking address for an outdoor shoot
Are you ready for your family photoshoot?
Now you know how to prepare for a family photoshoot, so you turn up to the session feeling relaxed, confident and your best self it’s time to take this all into consideration.
Being a mum isn’t always easy, so these simple steps can make a big difference!
Ready to enquire about your family photoshoot? I am a Cotswolds family photographer and I’d love to chat.