family / preparation
Family Session Checklist: What to Bring and What to Leave Behind
A relaxed family session is a prepared one. The short list of things that genuinely help — and the extras that weigh everyone down.
The story / July 9, 2026
Coordinate rather than match. When the whole family wears one colour the image flattens; when everyone picks their own outfit it scatters. Pick a palette of two or three connected tones and let each person choose within it.
For young children, bring snacks, a familiar small toy, and zero pressure. The sessions that produce the warmest family frames are the ones where the kids are simply allowed to be kids while I photograph the in-between moments.
Leave the posing to me. Directing a family into a natural, connected arrangement is my job; yours is to arrive fed, unhurried, and ready to laugh at whatever the kids decide to do next.