Your session is right around the corner! Are you ready? We’ve prepared a checklist of things for you to  remember in order to help make sure your child is prepared for their big day!

The more exciting and fun you can make it sound – the better. Your child likely wants just a bit of control and to feel as though they have a say. Who says portraits have to be something husbands and children dread?

1.     Don’t forget to feed your child before the session. Also, pack snacks just in case hunger strikes again while we’re shooting.

2.     Let your child help when picking out their clothes for the session (unless they have a hideous sense of fashion.) By letting your child wear their his favorite shirt or shoes, etc. this will help them him feel more comfortable. If their choice of clothing is awful or doesn’t match, see if you can use that shirt as an undershirt or tell them that they can put it on for a couple of shots at the end of the session.

3.     If you have a young child, try to schedule the session around their naptime so they will be well -rested and happy for photos. If your child is older, consider their day to day routine and plan around it. This lets your child know that what they love to do matters to you, as well, and photographs are simply something extra you get to do together.

4.     Bring along their favorite toy or blanket. This will help your child be comfortable in a new, unfamiliar surrounding. Just be prepared aware that this will probably become a prop in some of the photos, so bring something that is pleasing to the eyes or has sentimental value and you’d be okay with photos of it.

5.     Talk to your child about the session and explain what’s going to happen. If your child is informed about the situation, it will be less scary for them her when they she comes to the session. Tell them that they are going to meet a new friend who is going to take some pictures of them. Let them know that you’ll be there with them and that we are going to have lots of fun. We might change their clothes once or twice and ask them to sit a certain way. During the session, we can show them a couple of the photos so they can put two and two together.

6.     Bring Grandma (or someone else your child loves). Bringing along reinforcements is always a good plan. If grandma lives close by, or if your child’s favorite uncle has the day off of work, bring them with you. You can use this family member to help get your child to relax and laugh.

Gone are the days of children dreading portraits. We are going to make it a fun, enjoyable experience that your child will want more of, making annual portraits an easy, peasy time for you. Think you need a little more help? Check out our next blog post where we tell you some ways to use a healthy dose of bribery to further your kiddo’s experience.