Family photography session at home
What to expect and how to prepare
There are so many reasons to have a family photography session at home!
The children are more relaxed being in their own environment, surrounded by their favourite toys. The backdrop for your images is your home, which makes the photos even more personal and meaningful. You don’t have to worry about forgetting to pack something or getting the children out of the house on time because I come to you.
I know the first concern with lots of families is if their home is good enough for the photos, well I can answer that one easily and say YES! I have worked with families in all type of homes, from old cottages with very little natural light to large modern spaces with bright sun light beaming in. Trust me there is always a couple of spot around every home that will look beautiful.
If you have been meaning to redecorate or are a little out of love with some of the rooms in your home don’t worry I can help with this too. I always consider the surrounds in a image before I take a photo and simply crop anything distracting out of the shot e.g. clutter on a side table next to the sofa or a dated piece of furniture next to the bed.
I listen to you and make sure I create photos you will love.
I love to keep my family photography sessions relaxed and fun for the children so the session starts very slowly. When I arrive I take a few minutes to chat with everyone and speak to the children, I usually ask them to show me around the house and their room before I get the camera out.
Once I feel that the children are comfortable the fun begins. It works really well to get some family photos first so the children are with their parents to begin with. There are lots of spots around the house that are great for fun family photos just like these –
- Reading a book together on the sofa
- Tickling on the floor
- Having a cuddle by the window and seeing who can spot the first squirrel in the tree outside
- Sitting at the kitchen table while the children pour a cup of imaginary tea
- Playing ‘row your boat’ on the bed
The list goes on.
I like to let the children lead with these sessions so when they want to do something different we change it up. It’s important to let the children’s personalities shine so I capture a lot of the best photos simply following the children around and watching what they do. There are lots of fun things I like to ask the children to do like bouncing on their parent’s bed or throwing their soft toys and catching them but in some cases it’s best to just let them play.
Hopefully I have convinced you that a family photography session at home is a great idea and will work no matter what your home is like. The final thing to mention is how you can prepare for a session so that it runs smoothly (well as smoothly as it can when children are involved) and to get the best results.
There are a few simple things that you can do ahead of your session that will make a big difference, they are:
- Clear any clutter or toys away from side tables, window sills, fire places, dinning table etc. This allows for more variety in the photos as I won’t be cropping in to keep things out of shot.
- The bed is such a wonderful place for family photos, especially for the kids so making the bed before the session with a white or plain duvet is a great help. Using a plain cover stops the bed being a distraction and focuses all the attention on the little ones having fun.
- I love to include the children’s toys in sessions, especially anything sentimental but toys can also be a big distraction for the kids during the session. To find a happy balance I suggest putting the bulk of the toys out of sight ad keeping out a few favourites. Soft toys, wooden toys and any toys you can play with together as a family (children’s tea set is on of my favourites but building or stacking toys great too) always create great photos.
That is all you need know about the session before and during. To find out how to book a session and what happens after your session please get in touch.
I hope to see you soon for your own fun family photography session at home xx
