Family portrait day is by all accounts a stressful event, particularly for parents. Between trying to wrangle the kiddos out the door on time, making sure everyone looks just so, and getting the whole family to sit still for a collective 30 seconds, it can be a major undertaking. In the spirit of making the whole process a little less taxing and a whole lot more enjoyable, we have a few helpful hints to help you make the most of family portrait day.
Be Prepared
Have some good-looking outfits in mind for your brood? Have them cleaned and ready to go the day before so you won’t have to scurry around looking for Samantha’s favorite sweater ten minutes before your appointment at a studio. Think of any particular shots, backdrops, or props you might like to include in advance. This can save both you and your photographer many headaches on the day of the shoot.
Be Yourselves
Those matching red vests might look devastatingly cute on paper, but it’s going to be a real struggle getting your teenage son on board with the idea. Why not save yourself the pain and consternation and let the guy wear what makes him comfortable? After all, a family is comprised of individuals and a portrait is a great opportunity to showcase everyone’s unique personality. The idea is to look like a family, not a disgruntled group of red vested clones.
Have Fun
Remember those old family portraits from the Civil War you saw in your high school history textbooks? Don’t be like those people. They lived in an era plagued by disease, hardship, and cameras that took many minutes to produce an exposure. Today we’re blessed with lightning fast digital cameras, antibiotics, and general anesthetics that aren’t whiskey based, so we might as well enjoy ourselves!
In summation, a family portrait should never be something you dread. Be prepared, but don’t be too committed to one vision or another. A family portrait shoot should always have at least a small a degree of spontaneity. Be at ease and embrace the unexpected. You never know what the lens might capture.
