This colorful fall session at Sweet Briar College was so precious. It was our second time capturing the Vaughan family and even though the November wind gave us red noses, we still got big smiles from the boys. Wesley and Kai’s matching sweaters and energetic personalities made for some adorable photos.

Shooting young kiddos in the winter is always an adventure. We approached the session with a game plan that helped us get the Christmas card worthy shot, individuals, and a variety of locations. Here are some of our best tips for shooting young families.

1. Keep realistic expectations. This one is especially important for the parents! Children have a shorter tolerance for photoshoots. As a result, family shoots can tend to lean on the faster side. This is why we tell our clients their shoot may fall within a range of 1-2 hours. Fear not! Your gallery will still contain beautiful images to frame and share. The goal for a senior session may be to photograph as many outfits, poses, and locations as possible, however the goal for a family session is slightly different. In that case we aim more to get a clean portrait of each of your kiddos while they’re happy, a few classic portraits, and authentic family interactions.
2. Take portraits first. We start family sessions that have littles with posed “looking” photos first. This way we can knock out the individual kid portraits early on when they’re attentive and energetic.
3. Let them be kids. Tip #2 is so valuable because during the second half of your session (when the kids are running around the field or asking for a piggyback ride) you can relax while we capture your real life without stressing about posing them.