It is that wonderful time of the year full of excitement and joy of family outdoor activities. The school summer holidays is just about to begin and I am sure all the parents are busy scheduling summer camping, holidays and a lot more! Make me miss the old summer time! which obviously never happens again in the adult life due our always busy mind and unlimited to-do lists!
Back to the joy of photography in summer, I had the pleasure of photographing a lovely family of 4 last months, during which we captured a half day of family time, including some indoor activities in different memorable corners of the house and some fun outdoor time.
Here, thanks to them who let me share their lovely moments, you may find lots of ideas of how a life style photography day is planned due to you family habits and routines.
How to plan for your family life style photography so everyone enjoys the day?
- Pre-session consult to:
* help both of us to know each other better.
* To plan for the day considering the children’s habits, nap times, lunch time, favourite games, favourite corner’s of the house and a lot more. - Communication (and possibly make tweaks on our initial plans) during the shoot to make sure we have an eye on eveyone’s mood and meet everyone’s needs, including dads!
- Have snack and nap breaks if needed, even sometimes camera break. Do not worry they will recharge again!
- LET THE KIDS BE THEMSELVES
my top advice is always:
Not forcing the kids to do something they say No to! Let them freely decide to do what they like.
yes it may not exactly go as we wish but a happier kiddo will make magical moments full of characteristic. - and Do not stress during the shoot, the kids are not predictable and that is what makes them unique!
6-7 months-old babies are full of exciting moments to be captured. They are smiling most of the shoot (unless hungry or tired of-course) and love to chat and interact with the photographer and parents. This age is a very important milestone in baby’s first year to be documented. do you like to know more about this exciting age, click on the link below:
The secrets of photographing a 3-4 years-old
Honeslty, there is no special secret! just
- let them be themselves!
Once they trust you and feel comfortable, they’d show you their favorite activities, corners, books, toys and to keep them happy, play together! - They like to talk and tell stories and they like to see you are engaging in their activities.
- No cheese please!
At this age they have been well learned to say cheese once they see the camera! and that is their fake smiles! I know what all the parents like to see in the photos are the smiles/laughs they see everyday, ones that make you say: Oh, that’s totally her! - To get a real face expression/smile/laugh, keep your camera ready, learn how to predict the next moment/expression and carry on chatting and simple make jokes! before they even notice you have saved the moment.
While planning, do not forget the simple, daily moments you spend with each other during the day. Remember your children would love to see all these real moments of their childhood.
And the outdoor family time
If planning for a life-style photography experience, including both indoor and outdoor activities, It is always best to:
- Start early in the morning, so we have enough time to cover both indoor and outdoor time.
- Make sure everyone had breakfast, even parents as a full tummy brings more patience and happiness during the day.
- Plan for a short nap break for the littlest one for a recharge and a fun/no camera break for the older kids so they regain their attention to the camera.
- As always, outdoor acitivies are planned considering your family habits, to document your moments. So variety of activities can be involved like: Picnics, football, cycling, hiking, tree climbing, muddy puddles and a lot more. Pre-Planning is the key and be relax for the unpredictables that may happen.
And let the fun happens
from now all that matters is for you to enjoy!
