Getting Your Family on Board for Family Photos Modesto CA

Art ProductsChildrenFamily

Mar. 17

Written By Rachael Venema

If you’re lucky, you say, “Let’s schedule a family photo session!” and the reaction you’re met with is whoops and cheers.

In reality, you might be met with eye rolling, scowls and maybe a flat out “No Way!” Getting your family on board for family photos might take some begging, pleading and yes, even bribery.

Maybe your husband doesn’t like to be the center of attention, or your kids don’t like to get dressed up. Whatever the reason, I urge you not to back down. Family photos are a tangible memory of your family unit at a specific moment in time. My belief is that the importance of these memories is worth any battle you may have to wage to get it done. So how do you entice your family to participate?

1) Choose a Location that Everyone EnjoysI

Is your home your oasis? If so, consider having your photographer shoot your session in your home or yard. Are you an “outdoorsy” kind of family? The park, the beach, or a hiking area might be the place for you to be photographed. Is there an area that holds significance for your family? Revisit this location for your shoot. Ask your photographer for assistance as he/she usually has some good locations in mind.

2) Ask for Help in Selecting Clothing

As your photographer, I can assist you and your family in selecting outfits you may already have in your closets, or help you shop online for color palettes and styles that work best for family photos. If you want to hold a “family fashion show” to model options, this is a good way to get your family involved in the decision making process.

3) Good Old-Fashioned Bribery

While I’m not generally a proponent of bribery in everyday scenarios, the promise of some type of reward, after the family photo shoot, might help put everyone in the right mind-set. It can be as simple as an extra hour of TV or screen time, or a stop at your favorite family friendly restaurant.

4) Choose a photographer that makes the session fun

Involving your photographer from the time you book your session right up through the actual shoot helps to relax everyone as we get to know one another. I’ll bring a bag of fun things to keep little ones entertained and make all your kids laugh. I also have rewards to hand out at the end of the session. Often, I have dads tell me that they had fun and it wasn’t as bad as they thought it would be!