10 Tips for Successful Family Photos with Young Kids

Happy Friday, y’all! I wish I could say that it’s feeling more like Fall, but sadly, here, it is not. We’ll try again for next week. Although I will say that Fall 85° is much cooler than Summer 85°, so there’s that.

A family portrait featuring a smiling man and woman holding a young child outdoors, with trees in the background.

A family walking together in a field, with a child in a gray sweater, a woman in a cardigan, and a man in a light sweater, surrounded by tall grass and trees.

A family walking together in a natural setting, with a parent holding the hand of a child who is being playfully lifted off the ground by the other parent.

A child with long hair is smiling and walking through a field, wearing a light sweater and brown pants.

This week’s blog post is all about family sessions with younger children. If your kids are a bit older, don’t worry; I have a post about family sessions with older children coming up soon. But as a photographer, I’ve noticed a huge difference in how I run sessions with littles, so I wanted to talk about it! I’ve compiled this list of 10 tips to help you (and me!) successfully get through your family photo session with your young family. Let me know in the comments if I’ve missed anything!

Ten Tips for A Young Family’s Photo Session

1. Book a lifestyle session.

One of my favorite trends right now is taking a lifestyle approach to family photos. This can look like capturing bath time or mealtime for babies and toddlers or getting ready and going to a park or playground for school age children.

A family portrait featuring a father, mother, and child smiling together in a sunlit outdoor setting surrounded by tall grass and trees.

A family stands in a field during a photo session, featuring a woman in a gray cardigan, a man in a gray sweater, and a young girl wearing a light blue shirt and tan pants.

2. Choose a location your kid(s) already love.

The key to planning a lifestyle family session is to take your kids’ hobbies and interests into account. A few ideas for really awesome locations can include the library, a park, a creek or lake, and even your own home!

*I know that some people are hesitant to book an in-home family session because they think their house isn’t “aesthetic”. Let me just say that if you are interested in this, I can give you a few simple tips and tricks to turn even the most un-aesthetic space into a perfect spot for photos (ummm … blog post idea alert?!). Also, even if your home isn’t your “dream home”, it’s still the place where your family eats and sleeps and plays and grows, and your future selves will love looking back on photos of it with fondness.

3. Manage expectations carefully.

When you only book a family photo session once a year (if that!), it can be easy to put a lot of pressure on yourself for everything to be “perfect”. Your outfits, the weather, your kids’ behavior, etc. I understand this impulse, but I am telling you right now that the best photos are born of “imperfection”. The wind and rain, the “backup onesie”, and the wiggly toddlers are what will make your photos truly yours.

No one’s life is perfect. Why would you want to remember it that way?

A family of three enjoying a moment together outdoors, with tall trees and grass in the background. The mother and father are engaged with their young child, who is smiling and playful.

A family of three is joyfully playing in a tall field of golden grass. A woman and a man are holding hands with a young girl, who is being lifted off the ground in a playful manner.

A sepia-toned photograph of a family in a field, with a young girl sitting on her father's shoulders while her mother stands beside them, all smiling.

A family of three, including a mother, father, and young daughter, are posed together in a natural setting among pine trees. The mother is kneeling on the ground while the father crouches beside her. The little girl, smiling, is center between them, all dressed in casual, comfortable clothing.

4. Start early with outfit selection.

My biggest tip for choosing the outfits you will wear to your family session is to start as early as possible. This will give you time to try different combinations, make sure everything fits the way you remember, and purchase new pieces if necessary. But a few more tips that are a little bit more specific to sessions with young children are:

One) No new clothes – new clothes are itchy, they’re stiff, and they are quite frankly unnecessary. If your kid isn’t comfortable in their outfit, it will show in the photos. By choosing simple basics, you can ensure that your child will be comfortable during the session. If you must shop for something new, consider thrifting it instead of heading to Target! There are always cute basics at the thrift store, many of them barely worn.

Two) Be prepared for movement – when planning your outfits, make sure you are choosing pieces that will be comfortable when you (inevitably) are running, sitting on the ground, lifting, jumping, etc.

Three) Bring backups – spills and spitups happen. Having backups that fit the aesthetic can bring you peace of mind. And mid-session outfit changes can be fun!

5. Casually talk about the session in a positive way in the days leading up to it.

Especially with little ones, it can be a good idea to hype up the session beforehand. If you’re excited about it, they will get excited too.

A couple stands close together in a sunny outdoor setting, smiling at each other, surrounded by pine trees and a grassy field.

A close-up photo of a smiling woman and a man gazing at each other, showcasing a warm and affectionate moment.

6. Pack snacks and drinks.

Snacks and drinks can go a long way to soothe an upset toddler. And listen, if your kid’s favorite sippy cup is neon orange and you don’t want that in your photos, I get it! Try introducing a new (read, more aesthetic) sippy cup into the rotation about a week before the session so that they can get used to it before the session.

7. Be early to your session.

I set the time for your session based on when the light will look the best on your chosen date. And I do always build in a time buffer, but if you are even 15 minutes late, we can lose out on a pretty big chunk of our golden hour window. Planning to be early to your session ensures that even if something happens on your way out the door, you still have time to take care of it!

8. Bring cozy props.

Having a favorite toy with them can help make them comfortable, and it can be so special to have photos of them with their favorite toy to look back on in years to come. A few other ideas for cozy props are an outdoor blanket, their favorite book, a fun card or board game, or a picnic basket with fun snacks inside.

A family walking through a field of tall grass, with a child in the middle and parents on either side, surrounded by trees in the background.

A couple embracing in a grassy field during golden hour, both smiling at the camera, with trees in the background.

A smiling child sitting on the ground in a field, holding a pine cone, dressed in a gray sweater and brown pants, surrounded by warm autumn colors.

9. Don’t be afraid to include your pet.

You may think that wrangling your kids and your pet sounds like a nightmare. But if you are wanting to include your pet in your photo session (because, let’s be honest, they are a big part of your family), let me know when we are planning your location and we can find somewhere that works for your pet too!

10. Trust your photographer.

After shooting so many family sessions, I can confidently say that whatever your dreams are for your family photos, we can achieve them! My photography style is for you to show up and have fun, and I’ll take care of the rest. The most beautiful families are happy families, and it’s my goal to photograph the connection you have to each other. By planning ahead and preparing early, you can take a lot of the stress off that can build up on the day of your session, and this leaves you free to just relax and have fun with your family.

A smiling couple poses close together outdoors, surrounded by trees with soft, natural lighting.

A warm and candid black and white photo of a couple smiling at each other, standing outdoors amidst blurred trees in the background.

Final Thoughts

Family photo sessions are so special! Having photos to look back on that document your family as it grows is a true privilege, and as a photographer I don’t take that lightly. I always want to give my clients as many resources as possible to help make their session feel so special and relaxed. I love the fact that I get to photograph families year after year and watch their kids grow up, literally right before my lens.

If you are planning a family session, send me an inquiry! Also, check out my blog post “Family Photo Session Guide” for even more tips! And if you’d like to see more photos from this sweet family session, check out my blog post “How to Find Your Perfect Photographer“!

A couple gazing at each other, smiling warmly, showcasing a loving and intimate moment outdoors.

A couple smiling at each other while embracing in a sunlit outdoor field, surrounded by grass and trees.

A joyful couple embracing each other outdoors, with smiles on their faces, surrounded by soft, blurred autumn foliage.

A father holding his young daughter outdoors, both are smiling. The daughter points towards something in the distance, and they are surrounded by trees and nature.

*All my blog posts contain a selection of images that I’ve taken. If you are interested in booking a wedding or session with me, I am more than happy to send you a full gallery upon request!

I’m a wife, a dog mom, a foodie, a wanderer, a registered nurse, and a portraits/elopements/branding photographer … and this blog will cover it all! If you enjoyed this post, first of all thank you, and second of all please follow me on Instagram + Facebook and sign up for my monthly newsletter to get exclusive wedding planning advice and access to all of my new (and old) freebies! If you have any questions about elopement photography, my journey from nursing to photography, or my time spent as a full-time RVer, drop a comment and I just might write a blog post answering your question (but I definitely will)!

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10 Tips for Successful Family Photos with Young Kids