How to get photos you'll love

The great thing about a photo is that unlike most items in your house, it actually goes up in value as time goes on. That humble photograph is the only link you have to that time that’s passed, and we all know how fast a moment can go by. I have photos printed all around my house, most of them are just small prints, some large, but every time I look at them I get this wonderful rising feeling in my body and I instantly smile.

We had a family session with a local photographer right when my son was going through his Spiderman phase, I mean he’s still in it, but at that stage he was constantly shooting imaginary webs from his hands. I have a print from that session of my son doing his Spiderman impersonation and I chuckle every time I look at it and I expect to keep doing so forever.

Arlo doing Spiderman hands. Thank you Amanda Nina Photography.

So, how do you get photos that are worthy of your walls?  

First things first, find a photographer who you vibe with. Look at their work, do you like their style? Would you change anything about it? If you would then they’re not the photographer for you. Think about buying an artwork, you wouldn’t go up to an artist and say “I love this painting, but can you please make it brighter? And add red, I love red and there’s no red in there.” You buy that artwork because you like it as it is. It’s exactly what you’re after. Check out that photographers reviews, do you get a sense for what it’s like to work with them? Do they describe the photographers personality? You can often gauge a bit about them as both a photographer and a person from their reviews. When you contact the photographer, what’s their communication like? Are they making an effort to connect with you? You’re letting this person into your family’s life, so you’ve got to click with them, trust them and feel comfortable enough around them to be your natural selves. Because if you’re uncomfortable during your photo session you’ll see it in the photos.

Once you’ve found your photographer it’s time to think about location. You don’t need to pick the location, your photographer should have a variety of locations around their city that they use. These are often naturally beautiful places, for instance I pick places that don’t have houses or buildings in the background so that you can’t necessarily tell where they are. Do you want a park or a beach vibe? Maybe you want to stay at home? Are you more adventurous, what about something a bit more rugged, like a mountain range or a waterfall? The sky’s the limit, but whatever and wherever you pick, make sure it’s something that is true to your family.

Next it’s time to style your shoot. Pick your outfit first and then get the kids and your partner's outfit organised. You don’t need to match, but coordinate colours and styles so that you all look like a unit. Be comfortable. If a glamorous gown is your thang, you rock that frock! If a playsuit is more your thing, then you do you! Whatever you wear, be comfortable wearing it. You don’t want to spend the whole session adjusting your outfit or even thinking about it. You want to be present with your family, making memories. If you’ve got no idea what to wear you can always ask your photographer to give styling advice or find one who has a client wardrobe on offer.

Ok, outfits are picked now it’s time to think about what you’re going to do the day of. If you’ve booked an outdoor session then you’re likely doing it around sunrise or sunset. If it’s sunset then you want to spend the day doing light activities with the kids. Please, for the love of all that is holy, do not spend the day at the Zoo, theme-park or indoor playground. They will have nothing left to give by the time it comes to their session and it will be meltdown central. You can still get them out of the house, but avoid activities that will get them too wrecked. 

One of the biggest worries parents have is around naps and the bedtime routine. I can’t tell you how many family sessions I’ve done where this really is a non-issue in the end. Kids love being outdoors, especially past their bedtime. For winter sunset sessions, where the sun is setting between 5-5:30pm, you likely won’t need to change a thing. But in the warmer months when the sun is setting between 7-8pm you’ll just need to push their naps back a bit or let them sleep a bit longer. Yes, it will throw off their routine for one day, but they’ll have a really fun evening and it’s back to business as usual the next day. 

Make sure the kids are fed before the session. A full belly makes for a happy model. In the winter months you can give them some decent snacks at home and then can go out for dinner after the session. It will make it a day they’ll really remember. 

Ok this one is important, if your partner and kids make you late to absolutely everything, like mine do… tell them that the start time is 30 minutes earlier than it is 😉 You’ll get their right on time and won’t be stressed out of your mind that you’re missing all that beautiful light. 

Pack light. Often your photographer will snap photos of you as you’re walking, I know I certainly do. They’ll need to carry all your belongings, plus their own camera gear. There’s not much you really need to carry with you during your session except car keys and maybe some shoes; just in case if you’re at the beach. For cooler months or windy days it’s always good to have a few extra layers for the kids in a bag, this will come in handy as the sun goes down because that’s when the temperature drops. But that’s it really. Everything else can be left in the car. And it’s always a good idea to keep a spare change of clothes and beach towels in your car in case your kid decides to jump in the water.

Lastly, step into it, embrace the chaos and have an amazing time! If having your photo taken makes you nervous don’t focus on the camera, focus on your family. I always like to pretend that I’m on a deserted island and no one is there but me and my family. 

I hope this has given your some ideas on how to get photos you’ll treasure forever.