Photoshoots can be a big investment, but they don’t need to be stressful! With some careful pre-planning and a lot of patience, your family photoshoot in Perth can be a stress-free, fun and memorable experience. If you’re asking yourself, “How can I best prep my kids for a photoshoot?”, then you’ve come to the right place! I’ve been on both sides of the camera for a while now, and I’ve learned that most issues arise when children are feeling unsure, bored, or nervous.
The best ways to prepare your children for a photoshoot are:
- Talk about what’s going to happen.
- Make sure that you are calm and happy.
- Don’t dress your kids in clothes they’ve never worn before.
- BONUS TIP: Bring water and snacks. Always.
Let’s expand on those ideas.
⭐️ 1. Talk about what’s going to happen.
It’s easy to forget, but photoshoots are a totally new experience for kids! It’s a new location, new person, new/different clothes, being asked not to run around/not get dirty… it’s a lot for a little person to process, especially on the fly. So prepare your kids! Talk them through what’s going to happen. Let them ask questions. And if you’re not sure yourself – always feel free to ask! I’m happy to share an age-appropriate script you can use to chat your child through the process in advance.
⭐️ 2. Make sure that you’re calm and happy.
I know it sounds totally obvious – but if you’re stressed because you’re running late and little Bobby has a stain on his shirt, your kids are going to pick up on it. Yes, photoshoots can be a big investment, and it’s totally understandable that you want things to be perfect. I genuinely get it – I’m a Mum too! But what would you prefer? Looking back on your photos in 10 years and having a giggle over the stain you chose to embrace, or looking back and remembering how stressed and unhappy everyone was over one tiny little stain that didn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things?
⭐️ 3. Don’t dress your kids in clothes they’ve never worn before.
Kids + new clothes they don’t like = not a fun time. Pick your battles. If you have your heart set on your kiddo wearing a certain outfit but you *know* they don’t take well to certain textures or fabrics, start preparing them WELL in advance. Help them build good memories of that piece of clothing (or at the very least, get used to the texture of it) BEFORE you ask them to wear it for a photo. And make sure you’ve cut off all the tags if your little one hates them!
⭐️ BONUS TIP: Bring water and crackers!
No one likes being thirsty and hungry. Pack some non-melty/non-juicy snacks for when you need backup or a bribe. Sometimes a quick snack makes all the difference.
