How to Make Your Family Photo Session Easy (and Actually Fun)
Your only job is to enjoy your family. Timing, outfits, Frisco spots, and what to do when somebody melts down at your family photo session.
Most parents show up to a family session a little stressed. Someone cried in the car, the dog won’t settle, and you’re bracing for a meltdown. That’s normal, and handling it is my job. I’m a dad too, so I know what getting everyone out the door looks like.
You don’t need well-behaved kids or matching smiles. Your only job is to enjoy your family. Here’s how to make that easy, from booking to the gallery.
Before the session#
Book around your kids. Pick a time when they’re usually rested and fed. A toddler who skipped a nap runs the show. I shoot early mornings and the last 90 minutes before sunset. Mornings are cooler in summer and the parks are nearly empty. Evenings have the warm light, and from November through January they start around 4 PM, well before bedtime. Here are the start times for every month.
Tell me about your kids. Not just names and ages. What makes them laugh? What upsets them? Do they hate being picked up by strangers, or need a heads-up before every change? You don’t need to give me a label or a diagnosis. Anything you share helps me plan around them.
Tell me your must-haves, and who goes in which photo. The kids with Grandma, one for the stairway wall, a pose you saw online. Tell me before the session and we’ll get it. Same for who’s in which shot, especially with blended families or relatives joining. I’d rather ask than guess.
Bringing the dog? Great, just plan for it. A long walk beforehand, water, and an extra adult to hold the leash when the dog isn’t in the frame.
Where to shoot around Frisco#
Pick a place where your kids can move. Little kids don’t hold poses, so room to run beats a perfect backdrop. My go-tos:
- Frisco Commons. Big open fields, a pond, and tree-lined paths, with enough room that we’re not working around other people. Alexis spent her whole session running and spinning here. During Jamie and Maya’s session, turtles came right up to the bank of the pond and a stranger handed Maya bread to feed them. Not planned, and the best ten minutes of the morning.
- Frisco Central Park (now Kathy Seei Park). Open fields, waterfalls, and shaded paths. The shade is why it’s on this list: when a toddler needs a break in July, we can keep going without anyone melting.
- Adriatica Village, McKinney. Stone archways, a little chapel, and a lake, about 15 minutes from Frisco. More dressed up. It’s where I shot Binod’s family. Weekday evenings are quieter, and there’s a whole Adriatica guide if you want it.
- Your backyard or neighborhood. Little kids are calmest on home turf, and you can’t beat the commute.
The rest, with parking and the best time of day for each, are in my Frisco locations guide.
What to wear#
Pick two or three colors that go together, and spread them around. You don’t need to match. In the Binod family’s photo below, mom and Sia wore the same floral print, and dad’s shirt picked up the navy and rust from it.
Matching works when it’s on purpose. Jamie and Maya wore white tees and light denim, and with two people it looks clean. With five, it starts to look like a uniform.
Skip big logos, neon, and tiny busy patterns. Logos pull the eye, neon throws color onto faces, and small tight patterns can shimmer on camera.
Comfort first, especially for little kids. If it itches or pinches, they’ll pull at it all session. Everyone needs shoes they can walk in, since we’ll move between spots. A spare outfit for the toddler can wait in the car. Booked the full hour? There’s time for one outfit change.
Getting the kids ready#
Make it play, not a performance. “We’re going to the park to play games with a friend who has a camera” works far better than “You have to behave for the photographer.” Kids who feel pressure stiffen up or act out.
Feed them first, and pack light. A hungry kid is a cranky kid, so do a snack in the car right before we start. Keep one more in your bag for emergencies, along with water and the diaper bag if you need it. Everything else stays in the car.
Skip the bribe for later. “Ice cream if you’re good” sounds harmless, but young kids can’t wait an hour for anything. They spend the session asking when it’s over. Let the session be the fun part.
On the day#
Greet me like an old friend. Kids read their parents. Say hello with a big smile and they decide I’m safe, which can save ten minutes of shyness. Then I’ll take it from there: hi to everyone, pets included, and something for the kids to do right away. We’ll be shooting within a few minutes, while everyone still has energy.
The favorite toy can come. If your kid won’t let go of a stuffed animal or a superhero, don’t fight it. It gets its own photo, then it waits in your bag.
The family photo comes first. Everyone together, while outfits are neat and patience is fresh. Once it’s done, the pressure’s off.
Let me do the directing. I know it’s tempting to manage every pose. Please don’t. Two people giving directions confuses kids. And skip “Smile!” and “Say cheese!”, which is how you get the school-picture grin. I get real laughs with games, races, and silly questions. You hug your kids and laugh with your partner.
Let kids be kids. If your kid stops to inspect a bug or keeps twirling after the pose is done, hold back a second before stepping in. Some of the best photos happen right after the “real” one ends.
Meltdowns don’t ruin anything. We take a short break, get some water, play a game, and pick up where we left off. If your kid is only happy in one spot, we do the rest of the photos right there.
I’ll ask before I fix anything. If a collar or a strand of hair needs fixing, I’ll ask you to do it, or ask before I touch it.
Lift under the arms, never by the hands. For lifts and swings, hold your kid under the arms. Swinging small kids by their hands or arms can hurt their elbows. Only go as high as you’re comfortable, and if anything feels off, say so and we’ll change it on the spot.
Your photos, your call#
Some of the family sessions I’ve shot aren’t on this site, because those families kept their photos private. That’s their call, and it should be.
My default is to share a few frames I love. If you’d rather I didn’t, just say so, before or after the session, and nothing goes up. No reason needed. If something’s already posted, ask and I’ll take it down, even if you signed a release.
Whoever you book, ask them about this up front. Your kids can’t decide yet whether their photos go online, so you decide for them, and any photographer you hire should respect that.
After the session#
We end on a good note. If the kids are fading, I won’t push for one more pose. Before we wrap, I’ll ask if we missed anything, so speak up if a must-have slipped your mind. Then tell your kids they did great, even if there was a meltdown in the middle. Kids remember how it ended, and so do parents.
Your gallery lands in 7 to 14 days. Every strong, distinct photo, lightly edited, at full resolution, not a pile of near-identical copies to sort through. Then you pick your favorites for full retouching, 5 from a quick session or 10 from a full one, and I do those next.
One small favor. If you enjoyed it, a short Google review helps other families find me.
Prices and session lengths are on my family sessions page.
Quick checklist#
- Booked a time when the kids are usually rested
- Told me what helps or upsets each kid
- Shared your must-have photos and who goes in which shot
- Two or three colors picked, comfortable shoes for everyone
- Dog walked, leash helper and water sorted
- Kids fed, backup snack in your bag, everything else in the car
- Kids told it’s a fun outing, no bribes promised
- Told me if you’d like your photos kept private
- Ready to say hi like we’re old friends, then just enjoy your family