Five easy steps for getting ready for your session

Getting ready for your session can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some simple strategies to help you relax and to get the most out of your session. 

  1. Get your outfits ready

About a week or so before your family session, it’s a good idea to think about what you’re going to wear. Mum, when you’re getting ready for your session, I recommend you pick your outfit first. Reason being, most of the time, mums are the ones taking the photos. This is your chance to finally be in them. So it’s important that you love what you’re wearing and how you look.

Once you’ve picked out your clothes, find outfits for the rest of your family. Try not to be matchy-matchy, instead google complementary colour palettes that go with the primary colour of your outfit. Try to avoid heavy patterns as these can be distracting.

Lastly, accessorise. Create interest points but be careful not to over-do it. At the end of the day, you want your children’s smiling faces to be the main interest in the photos.

canberra birch trees family session coordinated outfit

  1. Find your preferred location

Canberra has many stunning locations to add as a beautiful backdrop to your family portraits. Whether it’s a park, the CBD, at a local museum like the National Museum or the NGA or at your home, any of these places could serve you. My recommendation is to pick one that means something to you and your family. So this might be a park that you and your kids go all the time. Or maybe you are hugely into art and want to visit the Portrait Gallery. Whatever works for you and your family.

Canberra Family Splashing Water

  1. Get your hair and make-up done (maybe even professionally)

Spend a bit of time doing your hair and make-up. This is your time to feel special, so don’t be afraid to splash out a bit on getting it done professionally too. This will hopefully make you feel more relaxed while you’re getting ready for your session. 

 

  1. Feed the kids

You’d be surprised how important this one is. But a hungry kid can be easily distracted from the task at hand, so make sure they have a big lunch and a light snack before the session. And if they’re not interested in the light snack before the session, bring some easy to munch food along with you, just in case.

 

  1. Prepare your children

Involve your kids with getting ready for your session. Invite them to the pre-session consult so that they can meet me and help you with picking out the location. I’ll be able to tell them about how much fun we’re going to have because we will play lots of games and have a bunch of fun.

Give them some choices when it comes to choosing their clothes, “Do you want to wear this outfit or this outfit?” Let them feel like they have a bit of control over the whole thing, that way when they get to the session, they will feel as though they want to get good photos too and won’t just do it to appease Mum.

If your kids are old enough, they can even come along to the portrait reveal session and help you with picking out their favourite photos!

 

These are my most helpful suggestions to you for getting ready for your session, if you do this, you’ll have an awesome, fun time and so will your kids. And I guarantee you will love your photos that much more because of it.

If you are interested in booking a session, make sure you are on my mailing list so that you will be notified when my sessions become available for next season. 

Sign up here.

canberra birch trees family session coordinated outfit mum and daughter mother

Hi, I’m Steph

Family Portrait Photographer & Mum of two

My mission is simple, to give you a fun relaxing time with your family and send you away with beautiful memories to fill up your home.