FAMILY SESSION PREPERATION GUIDE
What to wear, what to bring, and what to expect
This page is here to help you feel prepared and relaxed before your family session. You don’t need to know how to pose. You don’t need perfect behaviour. You just need to show up and be together. I’ll guide you the whole way.
What the session feels like
My sessions are guided, but not stiff.
Instead of lots of posing, I use simple prompts that create real moments:
walking, cuddling, playing, talking, and laughing together.
That’s how we get photos that feel like your family, not a performance.
How long it takes
Your session length depends on what you booked:
- Classic Session: 30 minutes
- Heritage Session: 1 hour
- Heirloom Session: 1 to 2 hours
With kids, the first 5 to 10 minutes can feel a bit chaotic. That’s normal. Once they start moving and exploring, it settles quickly.
Where we’ll meet
Most sessions are outdoors at places like parks, the lake, or locations with trees and open shade.
If your session is at home, that works too. Home sessions are relaxed and personal, and we’ll use the best light in your space.
If you’re unsure about location details, just reply to your booking email and I’ll confirm.
What to wear (the biggest difference-maker)
Simple, timeless clothing photographs best.
Best colours:
- Cream, beige, tan, olive, soft blues, muted browns
Avoid if you can:
- Big logos
- Neon colours
- Busy patterns or tight stripes
- Everyone in exactly the same outfit
A simple approach that works:
Choose 2 neutral colours and 1 accent colour across the whole family.
If you want a quick check, you can message me a phone photo of the outfits laid out and I’ll tell you if they’ll photograph well.
Shoes and small details
- Neutral shoes work best
- Barefoot on grass is totally fine if you’re comfortable
- Bring a hair tie or clips if it’s windy
- Pockets: try not to have phones and keys visible in pockets
What to bring
For toddlers and young kids:
- Water
- Non-messy snacks (crackers, raisins)
- Wipes
- Comfort item (if they have one)
- Spare outfit (under 3)
Optional but helpful:
- A neutral blanket for sitting and cuddles
- A simple toy for shy kids
Try to avoid messy snacks right before the session.
How to prep your kids
Please don’t tell them “you have to smile” or “behave”. It often makes kids tense.
Instead, keep it casual:
“We’re going to the park to play together, and Tony will take some photos.”
If your child is shy, that’s completely fine. We’ll start slow and keep them close to you.
What we’ll do during the session
I’ll guide you with simple prompts like:
- walking together holding hands
- cuddling in close
- talking to your kids, not the camera
- picking them up, swinging, tickling
- quick games like chase or hide and seek
- short moments where everyone comes together
You don’t need to remember anything. Just follow my prompts and focus on each other.
If your child melts down
It’s normal. Kids have big feelings and new situations can be a lot.
We’ll pause, reset, snack, cuddle, and continue. Some of the best photos happen after a reset when everyone relaxes again.
Weather
Cloudy days are great for photos.
If the weather is unsafe or there is heavy rain, we’ll reschedule.
Booking and rescheduling
- A $150 deposit secured your session date
- The remaining balance is due on or before the session
- Deposits are transferable to a new date with at least 48 hours notice
The best way to get great photos
Show up, slow down, and be with your people.
The more you play, cuddle, talk, and laugh, the better the photos will be.
If you have any questions before your session, send me a message. If you include your kids’ ages and anything I should know (shy, energetic, nap times), I can plan the flow even better.