Preparing your kids for your family portrait photo session
How to Get Your Family Ready for a Fun & Relaxed Portrait Session
Thinking about booking family photos but worried about the chaos of getting everyone dressed, happy, and camera-ready? Don’t stress. My approach to photography is all about connection, play, and capturing your crew just as they are—sandy toes, muddy knees, and all.
Whether it’s your toddler’s first photo session, your teens are giving you that look, or you’re hoping to bring your dog along, here’s everything you need to know to make your session with me smooth, relaxed, and even (dare I say it?) fun.
A playful Golden Hour session at Miracle Beach in Campbell River.
What to Bring (and What to Leave Behind)
Pack light, but smart. Bring water, snacks, a blanket if you have young ones, and anything you’d normally bring for a relaxed outing in nature. I may end up in the water while shooting—so if your kids want to splash or sit in the grass, that's totally encouraged. Rathtrevor beach photos often end with your feet in the pools and sand so please plan for this with your shoes and stuff.
Wet wipes? Always a win.
Leave as much as you can in the car or combined into one easy to cary tote bag as we will be moving around our location a lot and don’t want to keep finding clean spots to store your stuff especially if it’s a bit wet on the ground
Pets Are Always Welcome
Fur babies are 100% part of the family. Just let me know ahead of time if you’re bringing your dog (or cat or goat… yes, it's happened). Bring a long leash, a couple treats, and a favorite toy or bandana to match the vibe of your session and don’t forget poop bags. We’ll include them naturally, and I’m happy to take a few “just pet” shots too!
Dogs are not allowed on most Parksville area beaches from May to September, trail walks only. Please discuss the pet-friendly beach options or alternative locations or bring someone who can walk them around while we are on the beach part of the session.
Apple orchard and farm sessions are a popular fall option in Nanaimo
wrapping up our session on Rathtrevor Beach with a splash
Let Kids Be Kids
Happy kids = happy photos. One of the best things you can do on session day? Prioritize naps and meals! As a mom with two toddlers, I know how quickly things can go sideways when someone’s hangry or overtired (and I can’t accomplish great pics of my own kids when this happens)—so plan a day that won’t have them overtired or overheated from the beach by the time we meet, try to keep things chill, and make sure bellies are full and little ones are well-rested before we meet.
Typically for toddler sessions we try to book around 10-11am for great light and energy. Early evening can work great too.
I do encourage and allow silly interactions and try to get kids to feel in their element and just like themselves while interacting with each other and Mom and Dad. I will encourage play that sometimes results in a little dirt or wet toes towards the end of our session. I want the photos to feel real and not too posed while still getting a few moments where everyone takes a pause and smiles and looks at the camera too. Most of my clients that choose me want candids and timeless portraits mixed in.
We spend a lot of time walking and exploring for cute candid moments at our locations.
While I love golden hour, during the longest days I usually steer away from this with kids under 5 as golden hour in May through July often means a 7pm or later session which is past the peak attention span for our little ones, but if this is your dreamy shoot time for golden pics, just take note of keeping the day’s activities chill to lead up to our session.
A few days before, start taking to your kids about the session in a way that gets them excited, maybe even let them help pick out their favourite outfits, or a favourite toy they want to have with them.
Tell them they’ll get to play games, explore outside, play on the beach or look for wild critters, and hang out with a fun lady who just happens to have a camera and might even let them push the buttons.
If it sounds like an adventure instead of a chore, they’re way more likely to show up with happy energy (and maybe even look forward to it!). If they are enthusiastic about certain treats, toys or things like bubbles, or kites, we can try to work those into some candid moments too.
Sunset Family photos at a Qualicum Bay beach house
Teenagers - Earn their cooperation too
You might think your teen is “too cool” for family portraits, especially if it has been a few years since they took part in a photo session, or perhaps you’ve NEVER had family photos. I got you, as long as they don’t mind someone who is a little upbeat and nerdy trying to encourage them to “pick on” their parents for a few funny moments to warm up to the photos.
When given the freedom to show up authentically and not feel overly posed, they actually love being part of the experience. Let them help pick their outfit, include their earbuds, skateboard, or even their dog—whatever gets them involved.
Bonus points: Bribery totally works. A stop for ice cream while we are taking beach photos? I'm not judging.
I always try to include photos with just the grandparents and kids being playful
When we have teenagers, I try to come up with some unexpected fun ideas that they hopefully haven’t already seen on tik tok
PLAN AHEAD FOR OUTFITS AND SHOES. TRY ON OUTFITS BEFORE YOUR SESSION
As many of my summer clients are here on vacation, it’s important to plan your outfit before your trip and make sure it fits, and the kids won’t have a fit wearing it, especially if it’s a texture or material they wouldn’t normally wear such as a linen dress or denim overalls for a baby.
The cutest things that Mom loves, are often not ideal for happy little ones if they are paying too much attention to uncomfortable textures, or not able to move and play they way they would like.
Try on their outfits ahead of time, give them a wash to soften up if needed. If it’s itchy or uncomfortable, it’s not worth the meltdown. Give them time to get used to their clothes, and avoid anything they’ll constantly tug at or want to rip off mid-session. Comfort always wins, and natural smiles follow!
Plan to have a plain light colored t-shirt, polo or button shirt as a plan B for any kids who may suddenly say a hard nope to the outfit you were ideally wanting them to wear.
Don’t forget to think about shoes too, flip flops and slip on shoes like toms are a good option instead of running shoes if that’s all your kids normally wear. Try out some matching family Native shoes if you want comfy shoes that can be worn in the water and have cute patterns (though they don’t fit all feet so try them ahead once again).
Here’s a few more inspiration moments from family portrait sessions on Vancouver Island. The views speak for themselves, you just need to bring your family and energy for a fun filled session with me.
