I’ve come to adore sessions with older kids for their unique energy and opportunity to try different things, play with style, and incorporate family elements. Parents with older kids may feel nervous about family photos because they’re afraid of it feeling forced or cheesy. But these 3 tips are a great place to start for planning natural family photos with older kids that feel true to you.
1. Lean into your personal style
I’m not quiet about the fact that I love when people dress down for sessions. But if you feel most like yourself when you’re a little more “put together,” then you should lean into that! Clothes can coordinate without totally matching, and the most important thing is that everyone can move easily and feel like themselves.
If kids are forced into outfits they hate or that are physically uncomfortable, it stands to reason that it will show in the photos. Allow them to have some say in their wardrobe, even if it’s not your personal favorite. You can tell a story about it someday!
2. Choose a comfortable location
When planning a session with older kids, buy-in is key. You want to have your session somewhere that everyone feels excited about.
Again -it’s no secret that my number one suggestion for location is home. Home allows for lots of natural ebb and flow, plus the familiar environments that come from their favorite spots. Pets are also much easier to include when we shoot at home.
Of course, if your home isn’t a favorite or accessible spot, comfortable locations can include anything from a favorite baseball field to a park where you go fishing together.
It can be the place you go for bagels every Saturday morning or your favorite park where you ride bikes.
Location is part of the story – a character, even. So make sure you location isn’t just some random field no one’s ever been to before.
3. Plan for activity!
In this session, meeting at home allowed for some fun moments building the backyard bonfire, playing in the leaves, climbing trees, and jumping on the trampoline.
Activities play a huge part in natural opportunity for engagement and fun, but it’s just as much about what happens in-between as it is about the activity itself. Even walking around the sidewalks, going in for a snack, or riding a bike through the driveway might seem like “distractions,” but really, they allow for a more relaxed feeling throughout the session and lead to moments of pure connection.
Contrary to popular belief, family photos are not reserved for families with newborns and toddlers! Sometimes planning family photos with older kids can feel intimidating, but when you think about what you really love about being together and what you want to capture, the stress fades away.
Sessions with older kids can capture a phase of life that you’ve worked hard to cultivate and relationships that are unique to the season.
If you’re interested in creating family photos with your older kids, reach out here to get the ball rolling.
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