If this family looks familiar, you’re not just seeing things! I’ve had the pleasure of photographing their maternity and newborn portraits for babies number one and two. Now they’re expecting number three–another little girl! It’s not easy managing two toddlers, but Aaron and Kathleen make it look good. I want to share my best tips for how to get those print-worthy images during a family maternity session.
Tip 1: Just Keep Smiling
“No matter what, just keep smiling.” This is what I say to my clients at the start of every session. This is especially helpful when there are little ones involved.
I know portrait sessions with kids can be hard. I’ve totally been there. Even when the kids aren’t smiling or looking at the camera (which is normal!), if the parents are smiling then the photo is a winner!
When you’re feeling stressed on the inside (it happens to us all), just remember to keep smiling. Let me make your kids laugh to get those genuine smiles. I have plenty of tricks up my sleeve!
Don’t do this:
I don’t like to focus on the negative, but here’s a list of don’ts for your next photo session:
- Don’t point at the camera
- Don’t tell your kids to smile
- Don’t talk, just smile
- Don’t overwhelm the kids with loud talking or singing (gentle songs are the way to go)
Instead, do this:
- Have the kids avoid screen time the day of the session (or at least the 3 hours beforehand)
- SMILE
- Set realistic expectations
- Let your photographer take the lead
- Have a friend, family member, or nanny come along to help with the little ones
Watch me photograph this family maternity session!
This is the latest behind-the-scenes video available inside the Membership for Motherhood Photographers. Members will get to see how this session really went with two toddlers. The day was a little overcast, so I decided to switch up a few things. I set my white balance setting to Cloudy instead of Custom and using my handy, dandy ExpoDisc. I also shot some video clips myself during this session! Members will get to watch it all happen!
Click here to log in or join today. Don’t forget, that new members also get access to the entire vault of previous lessons and videos. The MMP is really where you need to be if you’re a motherhood or family photographer. We’d love to have you in our community!
In the meantime, here are a few of my favorite photos we captured at the Flick’s family maternity session!
