Having a professional family portrait taken is one of the very best ways to celebrate you and your family, but preparing for one can be a stressful endeavor. Will these photos be taken indoors or outdoors? Will your outfits all coordinate colors, or will you simply wear your favorite clothes? Do you have certain poses planned in advance, or are you planning to play it by ear? Whether you have taken a dozen family photos before or this is your first time, it can be helpful to have a plan or checklist to walk you through the day. Here are some of the top tips for making it work out for you and your family, including some family portrait ideas and family portrait poses.

Choose Your Outfits Carefully

When preparing for family portraits, carefully consider what clothing you wish to wear. If you plan to take photos outdoors, the season and your surroundings may influence the clothing you want to wear (Gray, brown, and orange may look nice in fall for example whereas you’ll probably want to wear thick sweaters in winter). A family portrait photography session can take a long time, so consider what is more important to you: comfortable clothing, clothing of a specific color, fancy clothing, or a mix of all three. Coordinating the colors of your clothes can really bring a portrait together and give it the professional appearance you’re looking for.

Be Sure Your Kids Eat a Great Breakfast

One of the simplest things that can really make a difference on family portrait day is to make sure that your kids have been well-fed that morning. If you have time, consider making a family favorite breakfast such as pancakes or waffles which may get your children excited about this unique, special day at your local Denver family photographer. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with toast, bacon, eggs, yogurt, cereal, or any other meal as long as it’s tasty and filling for your kids. When your children are fed a great breakfast, they are much more likely to be on their best behavior during your family portrait photography session. An extremely grumpy child may not be cooperative at all, which can be stressful for everyone involved.

Plan Alternate Clothing

If you and your family members plan to dress in nice clothing for your family portrait photography session, consider bringing alternate comfortable clothing in the car that your children can change into when the pictures are done. Nicer clothing can feel itchy or stiff to young children, and having an extra change of clothes will also protect this nicer clothing if you choose to go out to eat when your family portrait photography session is done.

Communicate With the Family

Even if you dress your children in nice clothes and feed them a great breakfast, they may not understand what behavior is expected during a family portrait photography session until you specifically explain it to them. Professional family portrait photography is much different than a simple candid snapshot of your child in their day clothes. Use language appropriate for your child’s level of development.

Trust your Family Portrait Photographer

When you arrive for your family portrait photography session, you can trust that your professional photographer will have chosen some good family portrait poses. If you have any requests for certain family portrait poses you want, it is encouraged that you communicate that with your photographer in advance. Some people prefer formal family photos in nice clothes while others prefer to take a more relaxed, even zany and fun-filled approach. You can count on your photographer to work well with you and help you pose appropriately either way. Just be certain that you walk into your family portrait photography session knowing what you are looking for and how to ask for it so that you can rest assured you and your photographer both know the plan and how to work with the family portrait poses you have chosen.

Treat Your Family After Taking Your Photos

Young children can easily become restless after taking family photos, and after a busy day of coordinating the photography session, you too might be looking forward to a nice meal or a fun dessert. Consider taking your family out for a treat after a photo session. You’ve earned it!

By following these steps, you can take a lot of the stress out of your family portrait photography session, which can allow you to enjoy the day and make great memories that will come to mind every time you look back at your family portraits. Kellie Henriksen Photography is a Denver family photographer with 20 years of professional photography experience. If you are looking for high quality family portrait photos, don’t delay! Book your session today and contact us with any questions you may have. We look forward to working with you and your family.

Tips for Family Portrait Day