Use these family photo shoot tips to make your next family photo session a truly pro experience, from start to finish. The perfect checklist for young photographers! (Photographs by KATHY IZZY PHOTOGRAPHY)
Family Photo Shoot Tips
Professional photography is more than a great camera and a creative eye in a photographer. The most successful photos are a wise blend of smart marketing, sound business sense, strong communication skills, and thoughtful creativity.
We’ve curated a checklist of family photo shoot tips that are necessary to give your photography clients and all the family members the professional experience they deserve from you as a photographer.
Image: Kathy Izzy
#1. Start with a Contract
Every family photo session should be supported by an attorney-approved contract. Get one customized by a trusted lawyer, or purchase a template in the ShootProof Marketplace. Remember: contracts protect both you as a photographer and your clients, so don’t do business without them!
Image: Kathy Izzy
#2. Impress from the Start
Strengthen your photographer/client relationship by communicating your gratitude and excitement for every family photography booking. Even something as simple as an enthusiastic email can build a stronger relationship. If you’re a budget photographer, a simple hand-written note to the family is a wonderful gesture. For luxury markets, consider welcome packets and small gifts.
Image: Kathy Izzy
#3. Collect Payment in Advance
It’s industry standard for any photographer to require some sort of payment up-front to secure the family shoot date. Collect the “session fee” at booking, or take a “deposit” to hold the family session slot. Consult an attorney about what you can legally collect in non-refundable fees, and make your refund policy clear in your photographer contract.
Image: Kathy Izzy
#4. Get Your Clients’ Names and Last-Minute Contact Info
Even if you’ve had your clients fill out a questionnaire, you’ll want to make sure you have last-minute contact information for them. Think: a cell phone number so you can reach them if you’re stuck in traffic. And give the family the same from you! Make sure they have the best way to contact you on the day of their session – some way other than email or your photographer studio landline.
Also get the names of everyone involved in the family session before you take pictures. You’ll likely still need to be introduced as the photographer, but make sure everyone will appreciate that you’ve taken the time to learn (and remember) little Abby’s and Alyssa’s names.
Image: Kathy Izzy
#5: Consider Bringing an Assistant
Assistants cost money. And if you’re at the beginning of your photography career, it may not be in your budget to pay for an extra pair of hands. That said, a competent assistant can help salvage even the most stressful session. Your assistant can help wrangle toddlers, elicit smiles, get all eyes on the camera, and hold your reflector.
Image: Kathy Izzy
#6: Have a Rescheduling Policy
Your contract should include a clause regarding rescheduling. It may not seem necessary, but when photographing families, you’re guaranteed to face rescheduling requests due to sick children or work conflicts for mom and dad. Be realistic, consider your clients and their children’s needs and your capabilities, and craft a policy that makes sense. These are some of the policies you might consider:
- Permit a one-time rescheduling allowance for a small fee
- Require a 24-hour advance notice for rescheduling
- Charge a new family session fee if the client reschedules
Only you know how busy you are and what makes sense for your business. Remember: you’re the boss, so you can always make exceptions to the rule in special circumstances.
Image: Kathy Izzy
#7: Scout Your Location in Advance
It’s not always practical, but whenever possible you should know in advance what your shoot location looks like. Know where the light will fall at shoot time, and identify which backgrounds will photograph best. If it’s impossible to visit the location prior to the session date, look for photographs online. And always arrive early for a photo shoot. You need time to adjust your plans should anything about your location have changed.
Image: Kathy Izzy
#8: Only Schedule When the Light is Right
You’re setting yourself up for failure if you agree to a 2:00 P.M. session in the middle of summer. Take stock of the light and temperatures, and only offer session times that will allow you to deliver those beautifully-lit, sweat-free family photos your clients are hiring you for!
Image: Kathy Izzy
#9: Get Your Gear in Order
Charged batteries, clean lenses, formatted flash cards: these are all critical for a successful session. Set aside time well before your session to get your gear in order, and always have a backup camera on-hand. You never know when your primary camera might decide to take an unanticipated break from functioning properly!
Image: Kathy Izzy
#10: Prepare and Practice Your Posing
Ask each new photography client to send you a snapshot of their family so you can plan posing that will work for them. It’s helpful to know how big (or small) the children are, if anyone has a physical challenge, and if there are any significant height differences between the children you’ll need to accommodate for a pose in the portraits.
Image: Kathy Izzy
#11: Check the Traffic / Holiday / Event Schedule
Road closures, holiday traffic, and major events can all throw a kink in your photo shoot schedule. Stay on top of the events in your community so you don’t show up at the local park for your portrait only to find it flooded with festival-goers!
Image: Kathy Izzy
#12: Set Expectations
A solid contract will go a long way toward setting expectations for the shoot. But so do these helpful hints:
- Make sure your client has seen plenty of examples of your work, so they know what to expect from your posing, composition, and post-production.
- Talk openly with your client about what they hope to gain from their session. Some families are focused on getting one great group photo, while others are more interested in a variety of groupings and poses. Find out what matters most to them so you can focus your energy.
- Include a simple clause in your contract that defines your photographic and post-production images styles.
Image: Kathy Izzy
#13: Allow Plenty of Time
Be realistic about how much time you require to complete a family portrait session. Just because ABC Photography can make magic in only 15 minutes doesn’t mean you have to follow their lead! Maybe you need a full hour to create a great set of photos. Maybe 30 minutes will do it for you. Whatever the case may be, let your client know how long you’ll photograph, and gently draw the family portraits session to a close at the appropriate time so you aren’t doing more work than you were paid to do.
Image: Kathy Izzy
#14: Provide Wardrobe Tips
It may seem obvious to you, but your clients may have no idea what it means to dress their best for a photo session. Give them plenty of visual cues, either with a custom client guide, or by creating a shareable “What to Wear” board on Pinterest!
Image: Kathy Izzy
#15: Use a Toy to Draw Little Kids’ Attention
Little kids have a notoriously short attention span, and many are too shy to smile at a stranger. Give them a reason to look and grin by holding their favorite toy, ice cream, or bringing your own kid-friendly attention-grabbers. We love:
- animal puppets
- rattles
- ice cream
- anything that lights up
- toys that make music
And if all else fails, ask the parents if their little one likes a particular show that you can pull up on YouTube. Hold the screen over your camera lens and click away!
Image: Kathy Izzy
#16: Have a Rain Plan
You can plan all you like for a rain-free day, but eventually, you’re bound to face soggy photo sessions. Plan ahead and include a clause in your contract about how you’ll handle rain. If you live in a notoriously wet part of the country, you may need to adopt a “rain or shine” approach. Or, if rain is rare, you can likely offer a one-time rescheduling option for rainy days. And when you’re photographing a family for whom rescheduling isn’t an option, have some backup solutions on-hand, such as indoor locations, covered bridges, parking garages, pavilions, etc.
Image: Kathy Izzy
#17: Guide the Parents on How to Handle Cranky Kids
Some parents take their cranky kids in-stride, while others become panicked and stressed with their kids. Remind your clients in advance that their kids will respond to their energy. Tell them, “If your child cries, keep smiling, hugging, snuggling, and playing!” That’s much more likely to elicit a happy face from the kid than if the parent scolds.
Image: Kathy Izzy
#18: Send a Sneak Peek
Families are bound to second-guess their photo session the minute they leave. “Did we wear the right outfits? Did the kids smile ‘real’ enough? Is the dog’s butt facing the camera in every photo?” Reassure your clients by sending them an immediate sneak peek in the hour after their photo session. This will relieve their anxiety and boost their excitement for seeing the rest of the photos!
Image: Kathy Izzy
#19: Blog the Photo Session
Want to book more family portrait clients? Showcase the ones you have by blogging every single photo session! Use these easy blogging tips for family portrait photographers to build a blog that’s fun and SEO-friendly. Your family portrait clients will love sharing their blog post with friends and family!
Image: Kathy Izzy
#20: Set Yourself Up for Sales Success
Whether you’re gung-ho for in-person sales or more inclined toward a shoot-and-share model, you want to give your clients plenty of options for buying. Sell more through ShootProof by maximizing your gallery’s potential with sample photos and family photo package pricing. Your clients are eager for your guidance!
Image: Kathy Izzy
#21: Underpromise and Overdeliver
Your clients expect the obvious: to book you, pay you, and get their family photos. Go above and beyond with immediate wins like a Sneak Peek, and client-keeping moves such as a hand-written thank you note, upgraded packaging of their products, and even a follow up call or email making sure they’re happy!
Image: Kathy Izzy
#22: Keep the Referrals Coming
Your ShootProof galleries can do so much more than deliver photos. They also act as a brilliant referral feature for getting new clients! Your “best of” galleries can also be easily shared with publications (like the ShootProof blog) for possible feature articles!
Image: Kathy Izzy
#23: Archive Your Photos
ShootProof Archiving is a super-simple, affordable way to keep every clients’ photos accessible at any time. Even if a gallery of family photos expired years ago, if it’s Archived, you can reactivate it in seconds for a pop-up sale or simply to re-share the family photos with your clients.
If you don’t choose to use Archiving, follow best practices to secure your images for the long haul. Our FREE guide to photo storage is HERE!
Image: Kathy Izzy
#24: Keep Learning
Every family photoshoot should teach you new tips. Maybe it’s time to add a new clause to your contract, or perhaps you’ve discovered a new pose you can use over and over again. Community learning resources like Cole’s Classroom can help you expand on what you already know.
What matters most is that you keep learning, keep evolving, and keep growing into the professional photographer you’re meant to be!
Add your family photoshoot tips in the comments below!
Written by ANNE SIMONE | Photography by KATHY IZZY PHOTOGRAPHY
