Family Photography takes patience and teamwork :)

I recently had a family shoot with 9 month old twins and their parents. First, let’s get the most important thing out of the way: HOW DELICIOUS ARE THOSE ROLLS? I don’t know how I managed not to take a bite. They are just begging for squishes. And squish I did indeed.

But gently. And definitely less than I wanted to (my future kids have no chance). And only after I gave them some time to warm up to me. Not all babies are immediately up for a stranger invading their personal space. Which is fair, because, same.

So for those who are shy or nervous, and need a little more time to warm up to new people, I always use the first few minutes after I arrive to just get the kids used to me. That means I don’t immediately take out my camera. I don’t try to hold them or get too close. And I certainly don’t immediately go for the squish (even though I’m dying to!).

Instead, I’ll start playing with some of their toys. Make some funny faces. Smile. Sing. Get them intrigued, and maybe a little less suspicious of me. Eventually, I might be successful in engaging them. I might even start getting some smiles.

But if not, that’s ok. We can always start capturing them exactly how they are. It’s all part of their essence.

Plus, I find that as the shoot goes on, they do eventually let down their guard. Especially when I am working with parents who are up for the task of getting those smiles and giggles. Which was the case for this shoot!

The truth is, every family shoot is a team effort. And I am so grateful to parents who are up for the task. We might get a little tired and sweaty, jumping around and being goofy. But that’s all part of the fun of family portraits.