1. Plan ahead, if you have young kids that need naps — plan accordingly. A well rested energised kid is much more cooperative than a tired grumpy kid.
  2. Make sure everyone is well fed before the shoot. And do not forget to take with you a bottle of water and maybe small snack. But make sure that after it your kids will stay clean. So not a chocolate))))
  3. Dress everyone as last second as possible. You know why. 😉
  4. Plan your outfit. Begin with the person the most difficult to dress first. Plan all other outfits around that person, remembering to coordinate colours and patterns. Don’t use shirts with logos/graphics. Try to avoid having too many patterns. Take special attention on the shoes. Don’t over-match. 
  5. You can find a lot of ideas for the family outfits on www.Pinterest.com
  6. Have fun! Relaxed families = beautiful portraits. You can’t control everything, especially your kids’ moods. Worst case, you have to reschedule, and in my years of experience with family sessions that has only needed to happen once!
  7. The night before the shoot, make sure the outfits you chose are still clean.
  8. You know bribing children (especially young children) doesn’t always work and can sometimes even backfire! Let them know they are going to have FUN! Try not to threaten a punishment for not smiling, that is a sure fire way to give you those fake forced smiles (or none). :)))))
  9. Do not forget props! It can be any small items important for kids or for you which we can include in photoshoot!

Eugenie Smirnova — your family photographer in Toulouse, France