What happens during a family photoshoot?
In a hurry? Skip to the quick version
If you've booked a family photoshoot or you're thinking about it and you're not quite sure how the whole thing works, you're not alone. Most of the families I photograph are doing this for the first time, and the same questions come up again and again. How long does it take? What do we actually do? Do we have to pose? What if the children are terrible?
The honest answer is that it's much more relaxed than you're probably imagining. There's no standing in a line and saying cheese. There's no pressure for anyone to perform. It's closer to a family walk than a formal photo session, and most families tell me afterwards that they actually enjoyed it - which is usually the last thing they expected.
Here's how a typical photoshoot with me works, from start to finish.
Before the photoshoot
Once you've booked, we'll have a chat about where you'd like to do the shoot and when. I'll help you choose a location if you're not sure - usually somewhere with good light, a bit of space, and somewhere your children will feel comfortable. For a lot of families, that's a local park they already know. Others prefer to stay at home, especially with younger children.
I'll suggest a time of day based on the light and your children's routine. There's no point booking an evening session if your toddler is usually in bed by six. Equally, I'll try to avoid nap times and the hangry hours. Getting the timing right makes a bigger difference than people realise.
On the day itself, the main thing is to get everyone dressed and out the door without too much stress. Lay the outfits out the night before, dress the children last, and don't worry if the morning is a bit chaotic. It usually is. That's just family life, and it has no bearing on how the photos will turn out.
When I arrive
If we're meeting at a park, I'll find you at the agreed spot and we'll have a chat before I start photographing. I want to get a sense of how the children are feeling, whether they're in a running-around mood or a staying-close mood, and what the light is doing.
If I'm coming to your home, the first few minutes are about settling in. I'll have a look at the light in different rooms, say hello to the children, and let everyone get used to me being there. I don't start shooting straight away. That initial time is important because if the children see me as a friendly person first and a photographer second, the photoshoot goes much better.
With younger children especially, I often spend a few minutes just chatting to the parents while the children warm up in their own time. Some take to it immediately. Others need a few minutes to decide I'm not a threat. Both are completely fine, and I build this time into every photoshoot.
What actually happens
This is the part people find hardest to picture, so I'll try to describe it as clearly as I can.
If we're outdoors, we'll usually start by walking together. Not marching anywhere in particular - just a gentle walk along a path or across a space, at whatever pace feels natural. I'll be walking with you, sometimes ahead, sometimes alongside, sometimes hanging back, photographing as we go. You don't need to look at the camera. You don't need to do anything specific. Just be with your family.
What happens naturally during a walk is exactly what I'm looking for. Your child runs ahead and looks back at you. They reach for your hand on a slope. They stop to pick something up and show you. You crouch down to look at whatever they've found. Your partner scoops up the little one when they get tired. These are the moments that make family photographs feel real, and they happen constantly when you're just moving through a space together.
Between the natural, flowing moments, I'll gently bring you together for a few portraits. These are the classic family shots - everyone together, looking at the camera or at each other - but I keep them simple and quick. It takes a minute or two, the children usually find it funny, and then we go back to letting things unfold.
If we're at home, the shape is similar but the pace is quieter. We might start in the living room with the children playing, move to the bedroom for some quieter family moments, and then head into the garden if you've got one. I follow the energy of your family and work with whatever is happening.
What you're doing while I'm photographing
This is the question people feel silly asking, but it's the most important one. What are you actually supposed to be doing?
The answer is: just be with your family. Play with your children. Talk to them. Pick them up. Tickle them. Read them a book. Chase them across the grass. Sit on a blanket and have a snack together. Whatever you'd normally do together - do that.
The less you think about the camera, the better the photos will be. I know that's easier said than done, especially at the beginning. But most families tell me they forgot I was there after the first ten minutes. That's when the best photos happen.
You don't need to perform, smile constantly, or look your best from every angle. I'm choosing the moments and the angles. Your job is just to enjoy being together. If you can do that, I can do everything else.
Children being children
I've photographed hundreds of families, and I can count on one hand the number of photoshoots where every child was perfectly behaved the entire time. Children are unpredictable. That's normal, and it's not a problem.
If your toddler runs in the opposite direction, I go with it. If your three year old refuses to look at the camera, I photograph them looking away - which often makes a more interesting image anyway. If someone has a meltdown, we pause, regroup, and carry on when they're ready. If siblings start fighting, we take a break. None of this means the photoshoot has failed. It just means you have children.
Some of the images parents love most come from the moments that felt most chaotic at the time. The scoop-up after a tumble. The bribe with a biscuit. The moment everyone finally laughed at something together after ten minutes of nobody cooperating. Those are real.
How long does it take?
A family photoshoot lasts about an hour. That's usually enough to get a good variety of images - natural moments, some portraits, a mix of the whole family together and individual children without anyone running out of patience.
I keep things flexible though. If the children are loving it and we're getting great photos, I'm happy to keep going a bit longer. If everyone's had enough after forty-five minutes, that's fine too. I'd rather finish with everyone still in a good mood than push on for the sake of filling an hour.
What happens afterwards
After the photoshoot, I edit the images over one to two weeks and then send you a link to your private online gallery. You'll be able to see all the photos, share the gallery with family, and choose the collection that feels right for you. You'll have a week to browse and decide.
I don't do any hard selling. You see the images, you choose what you'd like, and that's it. Most families find the choosing harder than they expected - in a good way.
The quick version
A family photoshoot lasts about an hour and feels more like a walk together than a formal photo shoot.
We'll agree on a time and location that suits your children's routine and the light.
I don't start photographing straight away. Everyone gets a chance to settle in first.
You don't need to pose or perform. Just be with your family and let me do the rest.
I'll bring you together for a few simple portraits, but most of the photoshoot is natural and unposed.
Children don't need to behave perfectly. I've seen it all and I work with whatever happens.
Afterwards, you'll get a private gallery and a week to choose your photos.
Most families tell me they actually enjoyed it. That's always the goal.
If you've got any questions about how a photoshoot works, or you'd like to talk through what would suit your family, I'm always happy to chat. Get in touch and we can plan something that feels right for you.