5 Ways to Prepare for Your Portrait Photography Session

Today I’m excited to share 5 ways to prepare for your portrait photography session. Whether it’s a family, maternity, or newborn session, there are some simple things you can do ahead of time that will set us up for success. These 5 tips provide easy ways you can plan ahead and be stress-free when the day of your session arrives!

1: Choose and Prep Your Outfits Far In Advance (earlier than you’d think!)

For less stress and last-minute scrambling, get your outfits prepped well in advance. Very well in advance! I recommend choosing and preparing outfits at least three weeks before your session, if not earlier. Things can come up last minute with outfits – they don’t fit the way you’d like, or it turns out – surprise – you need some special type of bra or undergarment to go with it, or the colors aren’t really what you envisioned – and you might need that extra time to recalibrate. Planning ahead will also give you ample time to make sure your items are steamed or pressed to minimize any unsightly wrinkles.

I do everything I can to help make your session stress-free, which is why I’m happy to offer assistance with wardrobe. But as the mom, let’s be honest – you’re most likely going to be the one dealing with getting the outfits ready not just for yourself, but for your whole family – as well as getting yourself and your kids ready and out the door, to the location, etc…it’s a lot of work! The last thing you need on your plate is some kind of last-minute wardrobe snafu. So take that stressor off your mind by getting outfits prepped ahead! You may also want to schedule a hair and makeup artist for yourself for the morning of your session, so that’s someone to find and schedule as far as in advance as possible (and I’m also more than happy to help with that!).

2. Prep Your Kids

Make sure to prep kids and toddlers the week or day before the session (depending on their age and how they’re best absorbing information at their particular stage). Hype up the session, talk about how much fun it will be, maybe plan a fun treat or outing for afterwards (the Central Park Zoo, the playground, a meal at a restaurant). Talk about who you’ll show the photos to (friends at school, perhaps, or favorite teachers or family members), and where you’ll display them. Talk about the fun games you’ll play at the session, and the silly things you’ll do or songs you can sing together. Be sure to make it sound like just a fun morning together, which is exactly what it will be! You can also show kids a picture of me from my website so that I don’t seem like a stranger – I’ve found that can be very helpful as well in making them feel comfortable meeting me.

In addition to preparing kids by talking to them about the session, you may also want to make shifts to their routine. Sessions take place either early in the morning or an hour or two before sunset, in order to get the best lighting for your portraits, so you may want to plan for this by shifting kid’s bedtimes or nap times to accommodate in the days leading up to the session. It will be worth it!

3. Food and Rest Goes a Long Way

On that same subject, making sure your kids are well-fed and well-rested before the session, even if that means shifting their regular mealtimes or naps a bit, can really make a positive difference. We all know how it feels to be hangry (so not fun), so the last thing we need is a hangry/cranky kiddo on our hands. We want to do everything we can to give ourselves the best chance for happy, game toddlers at sessions, and making sure they’re well-fed and well-rested is key. You can also bring along non-messy snacks and some water – always helpful to have on hand!

4. Embrace the Chaos and Keep Smiling!

Your photos will be reflective of what you put into them. That means we’ll get the best results when everyone shows up ready to have fun, go with the flow, and keep smiling even if things aren’t going “perfectly.” Sometimes I get the best photos in the in-between moments, when maybe your child isn’t doing exactly what you think they should be doing. Kids really feed off of our energy, so the more you go with the flow and keep the mood light, the better the chance we have for happy kids and great images. The session is not the time for disciplining or allowing frustration to take over – this brings down the mood and it’s hard to get real smiles after that.

It’s important to let your kids be kids during the session, and not expect perfection or perfect listening. This is about documenting a moment in time, whatever that moment may be. Will we get the perfect “looking at the camera and smiling” shot? Of course! That’s my job and that’s a top priority. Once we have that in the bag, my next priority is to help facilitate genuine moments and capture the magic as it unfolds. I have a lot of experience with little ones and will redirect everyone as needed – I promise that if you follow my lead, we’ll get the best results! Come to the session ready to play with your babies, hug and snuggle them, give kisses, toss them in the air, tickle them, and (especially with toddlers) follow where they lead – whether that’s a patch of grass, a nearby tree, or some flowers we spot blooming. It’s all about going with the flow and keeping the mood light – this is how we get the best photos and how you’ll have the best experience.

5. Prep Your Home

If we’re doing an indoor newborn or family session together, there are some simple things you can do to prep your home. You definitely don’t need to do a full organizational or cleaning overhaul! Chances are we’ll shoot only in a few select areas where the lighting is best – most likely right near windows. So you may want to clear any extraneous items away from windows and windowsills. It can help to clear your nightstands of any electronics or other distracting items, because the parent’s bed is often a spot we’ll use for newborn sessions. You can also make up your bed with either white or neutral linens to create a soft, clean backdrop.

I hope you enjoyed reading about these 5 ways to prepare for your portrait photography session and found these ideas helpful! I’m always here to assist too – whether that’s the personalized wardrobe guidance I give to each of my families, helping you find a hair and makeup artist, or assisting you in moving things around in your apartment so we have the best backdrop for photos. I’m there with you every step of the way when it comes to prepping and planning for our time together!