Tips for great Family Photos | Geelong Family Photography

I’m going to be honest with you, there are MANY photographers to choose from in Geelong for family photography and we all have a different style, different experience and skill set and different vibes. Where do you even start?

I’ve been in business 11 years now and these are the things I think will help you get the best out of your session and what to consider when booking in and planning a session.

• The Photographer should offer you MORE than photos!

  If your photographer isn’t going to offer you session tips, style tips, location tips, then find someone who does. This is the bare minimum. This is part of the job - being able to provide your client with information that will make their session easier and less stressful. I always have clients sending me photos of their outfits, and I send them through a basic style guide so they have something to work with.
  
  Most families have never done this before, so it’s up to us to guide you.

• Location, Location, Location

  Location is really, REALLY important - the light and vibe of the location will be what sets the look and feel of the session more than anything else. When it comes to location I ask my clients if they prefer beach or greenery as a ‘look’ and we go from there. And here’s the thing - unless you have an emotional tie to a specific location, I would advise letting your photographer choose based on your preferences. We know the light, we know that locations often look awful in real life, wonderful in photos.
  
  This is a location I use quite a lot, but it looks absolutely boring in real life and you would drive right past it!

• “I want natural and candid and no posing”

  This is the most common sentence I hear as a photographer but let me tell you the truth, MOST of the images you see that you’d consider natural, are not. They have been posed by the photographer and for good reason - most people don’t photograph well being completely natural. Resting b*tch face is a thing!
  
  What people usually mean is that they don’t just want stiff, standing together, looking at the camera with a fake smile shots. And that should be the case! But I’m still going to have to guide you to a degree.
  
  Even when I do take some truly candid images, often times it will be the posed, cuddly family shot that families choose anyway.
  
  This shot? 100% posed, but they are still themselves.

• Lower your expectations if you have kids!

  Kids are unpredictable at family sessions and if you have young kids, you are basically dealing with complete chaos. Kids that are normally happy, will start crying. Kids that love the camera, will run away, and so on!
  We have experience in getting the shot even when you think we haven’t, so as hard as it is, TRY and stop worrying about how the kids are performing, because then when we finally get some kids smiling, the parents are looking down worried!
  Lower your expectations on all the outfits and the prep looking perfect, because the shirts will ride up, the snot will come out, and the hair clips will be thrown into the sand! Give the kids some grace, it’s a lot of pressure on them. Smiles over perfection, trust me.
  
  The image below (and you guys were the best!) was taken far, far away with my long lens because if I got any closer, little Sloan would cry. In fact, she spent most of that session crying, but we still got the most beautiful shots that I’ve even used for promos, because they were so lovely. I’ll link the blog post below so you can even see!
  
  https://www.nataliem.com.au/theblog/2020/3/5/motherhood-session-annalise-and-sloan

• Yes, clothes are important.

  Location, clothing, time of day, the photographer, the family. Those are the five ingredients that really will determine the outcome! I always give clothing advice because like location, it sets the look and the vibe of the session.
  
  I always say, no matter what, wear something you have worn before or that you know you will be comfortable in. This matters 10000% more with children, because as cute as those hair clips are, they can be enough to ruin their mood and effect the shoot, so make sure they are generally happy with all the clothes and accessories you plan on them wearing.
  
  Don’t suddenly change your style to match a pinterest board, because I have had mums come back and reshoot because they had changed their hair and it just looked all so wrong to them, they were not themselves. Be the sparklier versions of yourselves, but if you’ve never worn boho chic in your life, don’t do it now!
  
  Think complimentary tones, weather appropriate and comfortable!

Overall, please try and have fun and remember that whenever you look at the images, you’ll think about how you felt at the time. Enjoy it, embrace it, and put it on the wall!