Tips to creating a fun & enjoyable family photoshoot: Life Portraits tells you their secrets

A family photoshoot can be very daunting for most and it is our jobs as photographers to guide you through this process making you feel comfortable and at ease while having fun. 

The process of creating a seamless, fun and enjoyable family photoshoot starts with planning, clear communication and idea generation. Here are some tips below as part of our process:

• In your initial enquiry...

  • We supply our range of portrait packages which meet the needs of all clients: digital, albums and a la carte for wall art and beautiful keepsakes for the home.

  • We provide our full pricing booklet, there are no hidden costs or hidden prices with LP, we like to be upfront and honest with our clients
    

• In the planning stages...

  • We communicate with you and get to know your family and how we can customise and personalise your photoshoot to your family

  • We secure a date that works for us both

  • We send a welcome PDF that explains our processes; how to be prepared for the session; clothing styling; using props in your session to customise the photoshoot; and tells you more about Andy & Em.

  • We then discuss your location and what clothes to wear to match this scene, time of day to get the best imagery and lighting, and show you example imagery to make you feel more comfortable with posing
    

• The photoshoot....

  • Now comes the fun part, your photoshoot! On the day, we get to know you as a family in person, we have fun with the kids (without the camera in hand sometimes for them to get to know us), we let go, we have fun and you as a family get to relax and enjoy yourselves.

  • It's all about being yourselves and forgetting that we're even there! We are there to document moments within your family and the fun and love you share.

I had so much fun with Brenda, Drew and Christina on their family photoshoot recently and their family photoshoot is the epitome of what Life Portraits values are: Capturing precious moments in a candid photography style to really capture true emotion. See for yourself below! They are just the most beautiful family and we had great fun, such naturals. They relaxed so much that it was like I wasn't there <3

Em 

The MUST-KNOW tips to prepare for your photography session

A photoshoot is a daunting experience for any person which is why Life Portraits makes it a fun, easy and enjoyable experience. Your session, whether it be an hour or a full day wedding, is meant to be fun and unique to you!

Being prepared for your session is very important as this assists the photographer in creating something amazing and making your ideas a reality. Things you should consider before your session:

• Clothing/styling

• Location

• Props

• In what format do you want your images displayed - digital, wall art, book, table art

WHAT TO WEAR
Your clothing is a very important part of your photoshoot. It creates tones, moods and is a representation of the style of your family. It is ideal to match a tone of colours rather than the old favourite of jeans and a white shirt. The best way to choose the clothing for the session is to pick one outfit for one of the family members that you love and base the rest of the families clothing around that one. See examples below of how families have coordinated their outfits around a single tone for their photoshoot.

Bring your own style to the photoshoot. Some themes are featured below:
- Spring/summer
- Brights/neutrals
- Fall/winter
- Formal casual wear

Tip 1: Parents to be dressed neutral and kids in the brighter colours
Tip 2: Co-ordinate the whole family in cool colours or warm colours
Tip 3: Try and avoid out-there patterns as this can be distracting
Tip 4: Wear something that you are very comfortable in

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
A very important part of your photo session is the the location you choose. The location should reflect the personality of the family/couple or have some sort of personal connection. There are a number of themes or backdrops you can incorporate into your photography experience, some include:
- A bright wall
- A sunflower field
- A brown grassy location
- The local park
- The beach
- A fun location such as the local show
- The countryside
- Your backyard or home (if you want something more personalised)
- A plain wall creating a more styled shoot

PROPS
We always ask our clients the following question when they are planning their session:
- What characterises your family/relationship?
- What hobbies/loves do you share? Can this be displayed in a photo?
- Do you have something that you love doing together?
- Are there any props that you can use in your photoshoot that ‘tell a story’ about your family/relationship

Below is a list and some image examples of props/personal hobbies that Life Portraits have helped our clients incorporate into their photoshoots. This is a guide and we LOVE to see new things at all of our sessions. 

Kites  .  tee pee  .  books  .  picnic basket/ blanket  .  boat  .  letters  .  balloons  .  flowers  . bikes  .  animals  .  polaroids  .  sports equipment  .  bath toys  .  bubbles  .  trucks/cars/dolls  . swings  .  fruit (watermelon, strawberries)  .  paint/chalk  .  sparkles/wand  .  crown  .  lego  . lollipops  .  milkshake  .  signs/blackboards  .  suitcases  .  love heart cutouts  .  fishing gear  . gymnastics outift  .  swimming gear  .  Old cars