So, you’ve booked your first…or fifteenth family session. You have exactly 1 child under the age of 5, or you have 3 under the age of 5! Whatever your numbers and ages, the point is you’ve booked a photo session with high hopes of those magazine style images…
Yep, let that sink in for a moment…did you just consider canceling your session? Well, now settle down, that’s just about as extreme as expecting those posh magazine images where everything is, well, staged. You know, like the pottery barn images where the playroom is larger than half of your house and the kids are not only fully dressed, but they also match and have their hair fixed. Just today one of my twins was running around in the backyard in undies and his collared shirt on backwards. Try as I might to convince him that it was backwards and that he should consider pants, I was told that his shirt was not backwards and basically that pants are just not necessary (in his own words, of course). I digress, the point is the magazines are not reality, the kids may completely surprise you during your session with angelic behavior and perfect pose-able moments, hey, they may even wear pants, but it’s best to plan your session around the littles.
It sounds a bit taxing and you may say, well, what does that involve, really? Here’s the deal, I believe it’s similar to taking the kiddos out to eat at a nice restaurant. You do it sporadically, and you plan ahead. Below are some tips on making your session with young kiddos run smoothly 🙂
No matter how much planning you put into your session, expect the unexpected. Things are bound to go differently than anticipated. Embrace the crazy, embrace this special time of life with your children, and take a moment to step back and smile, savor the moments, play with them in that open field, let them feel how much you love them. After all, these little beings are only little for so long. They have a way of stealing our hearts every single day, let that shine through your family portraits! Let the crazy, most amazing moments live on!
~Melissa
