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The Ultimate Guide to Prepare for Your Family Photo Session | Boston Family Photographer
Wondering how to get the most out of our time together? Do you have any specific shots in mind already? Have some questions about the shoot? Here is a comprehensive session guide to best prepare you for your Family Photos!
Step 1: Check the style guide for wardrobe.
Step 2: Feel free to send inspiration photos if you have them. If you have a Pinterest board-share it!
Step 3: Answer the questionnaire I sent. It makes all the difference when I know a little about your kids and how to approach them. This is also a great opportunity to let me know if there are any specific shots you really want going into our session.
Step 4: Let the kids be kids and don’t stress if they aren’t “behaving”. Your 3 year old runs from the camera, your 5 year old has no idea how to smile naturally, and your moody 7 year old is done with us before we start. Sound familiar? We are here to make this fun and capture your kids’ true personalities, quirks, silly faces and all. If you are having fun, they will have fun.
3 of my must have shots:
Hugs and kisses
Tickles (or something similar that gets them giggling)
Active playing. Chasing our kids gets sweaty and dirty, and it’s not always glamorous. This is where the real stuff is. The stuff your kids enjoy and more importantly, open up to. All kids are different and if you know what kind of play brings out the best in yours, it is a huge help in capturing their genuine happiness.
Step 5: Go through this checklist to make sure you’re prepared:
Make sure everyone is fed and hydrated ahead of time (adults too). Everyone is just more happy when they’re not hangry. Tip: stay away from foods that stain clothes or faces
Bring easy snacks and water with you. Snack ideas: cheerios, white cheese, raisins…
Have outfits ready ahead of time - like wayyy ahead of time. Pack an extra if you have a young baby, messy blowouts and spit up are definite possibilities.
Leave yourself plenty of time. When you need to be somewhere on time, someone will have a meltdown or poop at the very moment you need to leave. Keep your sanity and leave yourself extra time, you don’t want to cut into your session time because your toddler hid his shoes.
Bring something your kids love. This is totally optional, but if your kid has a toy or lovey that brings them more happiness than anything else in this world, it would be a great idea to have it with you, and even get it in a few photos - it can make a really sweet memory to look back on. One of my favorite photos of my son is him holding onto his “Lovey” at the end of our family session.
Now you’re ready for your session! Just show up and have fun with your kiddos.
Families That Book Every Year, With The Melahouris Family | Boston Family Photographer
Another family that I am so lucky to see for portraits year after year is the Melahouris family. I’ve been with this trio since 2017, all the way from mom’s maternity shoot and the newborn phase to this year with a kid who’s grown up right before my eyes. Looking back on their outdoor sessions each fall is always a fun reminder of how quickly it goes, and how worth it it is to capture family memories at each new stage.
Their silly and cheerful son has always been a great sport about dressing up for an early morning photoshoot (especially if it means a treat before school with mom and dad, and this year was no different. The family tried a new location for them this year, and we made our way to Great Brook Farm on a chilly fall morning that turned into a gorgeous day.
Between (and during) the shoot we worked in some running around, tickles, and maybe even a visit to the animals on the farm. Having a big outdoor space is so great for shoots with kids because we can switch up locations and keep them engaged without pulling focus from the task at hand, capturing those precious candids with your kid!!
As fall approaches and lots of families start thinking about taking their yearly photos, I always get excited thinking about what new faces I’m going to meet this season that might become old friends within time.
Taking your family photos is such a special time, and should be something you can cherish for a long time. I am once again so thankful for the amazing families I get to visit each year and the memories I get to leave them with to look back on for the years to come.
Furry Friends Welcome: Including Pets in Your Family Photo Session | Boston Family Photographer
Are you ready to capture some magic of family memories? Here’s something I’ve learned as a family portrait photographer (and dog mama) here in Boston... Bring. Your. Pets. I'm all about capturing the authentic love and fun you have with your family – and that includes your furry, four-legged members too! So, if you’re second-guessing why your dog should be a part of your next family photo session, let me tell you.
You know those candid, natural expressions that make your heart melt? Well, your dog is practically a pro at delivering those on cue! Having their silliness for your photos brings an extra layer of joy and spontaneity to your family portraits, especially with your kids. Your fur babies can be a familiar distraction that keeps your kids from a mid-photoshoot tantrum and also provide the sweetest candids.
Including your dog is especially fun with an outdoor session. Picture this: your family, some classic New England fall vibes, and gorgeous weather. Sounds incredible, right? I have some tips to make it as smooth as possible.
1. Bring a dog wrangler! If you’re able to, have a friend or family member tag along and be there to hold leashes and keep your pet entertained when they’re not in front of the camera so your focus can be on enjoying the moment.
2. Check-in with me ahead of time. Is the location you want to go to dog-friendly? What are the busiest times of day? If your dog is very easily distracted, then an in-home session might be the perfect way to keep them included.
3. Is your dog good with other people and other dogs/wildlife? A great pet-friendly option means that your dog will likely not be the only pup around, or even the only animal around. If your dog is a hunter like mine, the geese along the Charles River might pull a lot of focus, but a chill dog (like Cooper here) wasn’t even phased.
4. Easy on the treats. Like kids, treats can be a great way to motivate your dog, but don’t break them out too early and risk the crazed-treat-obsessed-dog look. You know your dog best, and if they don’t stay calm with treats involved, we may want to hold off on showing them.
As a mom and a photographer, I get it – getting the perfect shot with kids and pets can sometimes feel like herding cats (or dogs!), but trust me, they’re so worth it. Including your dog isn't just about capturing adorable memories – it's about celebrating the bond that ties your family together. Your dog isn't just a pet (ours will always be our first baby!), they're a cherished member of the family, and they’re pretty darn cute.
So, whether your dog is a seasoned poser or a playful puppy with a mind of their own, it’s worth considering if it makes sense to bring them. Your dog is always welcome in our family photo sessions, and we can’t wait to meet them!
Families That Book Every Year, With the Laliberte Family | Boston Family Photographer
As someone who has been photographing families in Boston for a long time, it’s always a good feeling to see a familiar name pop up in my calendar year after year. When parents trust me to capture special memories and milestones of their kids growing up, it is a huge part of what makes my job so worth it. Watching only children turn into big brothers and sisters, or tiny newborns becoming crazy toddlers, it’s all so special! Every year our shoot gets to be a completely one-of-a-kind experience, and getting to know them through the years helps us document their true personalities.
When it comes to photographing siblings, the Laliberte family has it on point. With three young boys who are FULL of energy, the shoot is never boring, never shy, and always a blast. I feel like every session I get to see them fall more into their roles as big, middle and little brothers who love to taunt and annoy each other, but also play together and cheer each other on.
Every kid has such a unique personality when it comes to family photo sessions, and it blows my mind every time a kid who was once slow to warm up turns into my bestie for the day. With the Laliberte fam I never know what direction the boys will take us for photos, and when I let the kids lead the charge, the photos are always some of the best. Will we be hanging ornaments off the christmas tree, roasting marshmallows, or throwing the football around?? Would it be crazy to do all 3 in one session? Nope! The candid magic starts where the posing ends, and those Laliberte brothers know how it’s done.
Family photos should be an experience we both get to look forward to every year. I get to check in with my awesome client families and see how they’ve grown, and you get to go home with memories to cherish for a lifetime at every age.
Families That Book Every Year, With the DuBuc Family | Boston Family Photographer
What makes families keep choosing me, your trusted Boston family photographer, to capture those precious moments year after year? I think it has a lot to do with the pictures, but it’s also about the relationships. You want someone who knows your family, who knows how to talk to your kids and deal with your grumpy husband (just kidding dads, we love you!) It’s like a mini reunion every year and I love already knowing the kids going into a session.
If there is one thing I love about family photography, it’s watching families grow and evolve year after year. It's like having a backstage pass to the most heartwarming show on Earth. Seeing your little ones go from crawling to conquering the world, capturing the subtle changes in your dynamics, and freezing those moments that make your family uniquely yours - I live for it.
I also love seeing moms and dads go from rookies with newborn babies to experienced veteran parents of confident, well loved kiddos.
As a mom of a 2 and 4 year old, I feel like they are different people everyday. This time while they are little is fleeting, and I want to capture everything (which is maybe why we all have 1,587,000 videos of them on our phones), but having these yearly sessions to put in an album and look back on, is one tradition I look forward to and will always prioritize.
So, cheers to our yearly tradition of freezing time and creating a visual diary of your family's incredible journey. Whether it’s for spring blooms, summer on the beach, fall foliage, or braving a snowy winter session, I hope to see you again this year.
Unexpected Moments: Embracing Imperfection in Family Photography | Boston Family Photographer
If there is one thing I love about photographing young kids, it’s capturing their genuine, candid personalities, with all of their sweet little expressions. Who doesn’t want to freeze a moment of their kids’ real laughter, and happiest smiling face? But we all know that is not them 100% of the time. Our kids have emotions (LOTS of them). They have focus, energy, passion, deep thought, needs, desires, and opinions. And a lot of those feelings aren’t displayed with a smile on their face, and that’s okay!
I am the biggest cheerleader for letting kids be kids, just because they are unpredictable does NOT mean your family session will be a bust. I promise you’re going to want ALL the genuine silly, quirky expressions to compliment the laughing, smiling ones.
When we ARE going for the smiley photos, don’t say cheese. I know, I know, “cheese” has been a go to since before we can remember. But usually saying cheese is a temporary fix that gets old quickly, and only really results in stiff smiles instead of those natural grins you were hoping for. Family photos are the best time to let go and get silly, and no one knows how to make your child laugh better than you do!
After years of working with families and having kids of my own, I’ve learned the best way to photograph children is to be flexible and observe. Sometimes what you plan for isn’t what you’re going to get, but your kids are awesome! Whatever comes to them naturally during our session is often infinitely better than anything we could’ve posed, especially with littles. Giving them the space to do their own thing works wonders.
Embrace their true expressions. The silly face, the mad face, the curious face, the shy-burys-her-head-in-your-shoulder face. There are so many faces that create picture perfect moments, and they’re even better because they’re authentic. If we set our goal to capturing your kid in their true authentic self, you’re going to walk away with a beautiful collection of fun, candid, lifestyle photos that you will love and cherish forever.
In home sessions and why I love them | Boston family photographer
Your home is special to you. This is number one. It’s where you create a great majority of your family memories, and it’s where you all feel comfortable. I didn’t actually realize how true this was until we did our own family photos in our home last winter. There’s something about the photos in our bed that just hits
It’s easy. This sounds like a simple answer, but if you have young kids, and you take away the whole element of getting them out the door and into the car or stroller once they’re ready, it’s a game changer. Just getting them dressed and letting them be make all the difference between a stressful session, and a peaceful session.
Weather is not an issue. No checking the weather app every hour leading up to our session.
We have more flexibility in scheduling a time. This is a big one. We schedule outdoor sessions 2 hours before sunset or just after sunrise. The longer the days are, the harder it can be for families to schedule an outdoor session. An outdoor session at 6PM may have beautiful light, but also may be harder on your kids’ dinner and bedtime routine. Indoor sessions are usually scheduled around 10AM, so no sunrise wake-and-go, and no witching hour meltdowns.
Go with a casual wardrobe. Socks and shoes off, get comfy. I usually recommend lighter, solid colors, and very low pressure coordination. And the best part? If someone gets a stain, just change because you’re at home!
