“I’m going to give you a few pointers on how to help manage your children while they have their pictures taken by Colette!

I have two young kids, so I know this can seem a bit daunting - but with a little bit of preparation (and some flexibility on your end) things should be a lot smoother than if had you just put them in front of the camera and asked them to say “cheese”.
This applies to kids as young as a few months old too, not just toddlers or young elementary kids!”

BEFORE THE PHOTOSHOOT…

A day or so before, and on the day of, talk to your child about when the photoshoot will happen. What it will look like, sounds they will hear, and what will be expected of them.

“My friend Colette is coming to take pictures of us! She is going to have a big camera, and she will hold it in front of her face and it will make this noise “click”. We will stand in front of her and play and have fun, but we will also need to stand still and smile for her sometimes. Then we will have beautiful pictures for us to look at forever! It will be so fun!”

Show them pictures of a professional camera, people posing for pictures, a photographer with a camera in front of their face, and a picture of Colette. This way they can have a visual and a better understanding of what to expect.

Ask if they have any questions about it all, then say “good question” and answer.

Have some flexibility with their outfits!
- Maybe have 3 shirts/pants/dresses etc. in mind and then have them choose which ones they want to wear. Putting them in a fancy outfit that they have never worn before will make the occasion even more uncomfortable for them. So give them a say!

DURING THE PHOTOSHOOT…

Don’t start right off the bat with posed pictures - that way they can get more comfortable with everything before being asked to sit still.

If they are having a hard time during the pictures, ask them why!
- Take the time to try and see their perspective and show them compassion and understanding. Just chat with them about why they are feeling upset or resistant. A simple “I know just how you feel, when I was a kid (insert similar example here) happened to me and I felt just like you did, how can I help you feel more comfortable?”
When you do get to poses, try asking them which poses they would like to do!
- “Would you like to smile and say “cheese” or make silly faces first?” (then they feel like they have a bit of control!)

Lastly…don’t take it too seriously!

Have fun, just play, and let Colette work her magic! ✨
They are pictures of YOUR family, not a stiff model family out of a picture frame!

I hope this helps! You’ve got this!

A note from the photographer:

You may or may not have noticed - Alex’s daughter is carrying around a croissant in some of the photos above. The session began with her insisting on bringing the pastry along (a girl’s gotta eat 🤷🏼‍♀️)

We said “okay!”

What could have been an issue from the start, hearing a harsh NO right from the get-go… became a non-issue when we just let it go. She remained happy and enthusiastic to play along - and the silly croissant photos were just an added bonus. ;)

As Alex reiterates - preparation along with allowing your kids to have some agency and control is key! 🗝