Every family I photograph tells me the same thing before we start: "Fair warning — our kids are terrible in front of the camera."
And every time, we end up with a gallery full of images they love.
The secret isn't a trick or a special technique. It's a shift in what we're actually trying to capture. We're not here to get everyone looking at the lens at the same time with coordinated smiles. We're here to document how your family actually feels — the inside jokes, the chaos, the tenderness. The stuff that makes you you.
Here's how we do it.
Don't tell the kids it's a photoshoot
Seriously. Tell them you're going for a walk, heading to the park, or exploring somewhere new. The moment children know they're being photographed, something shifts — they perform, they freeze, they suddenly forget how to be themselves.
When they think it's just a Tuesday afternoon adventure, you get Tuesday afternoon kids. Real ones. Those are the photos worth keeping.
Give them something to do, not somewhere to stand
"Stand here and smile" is the fastest way to get a stiff, unhappy photo. Instead, I give families prompts, not poses.
Race to that tree. Tickle dad until he cracks. Pick up your little one and spin them until you're both dizzy. Whisper the most embarrassing thing that happened this week. These prompts create movement, laughter, and genuine connection — and I'm shooting through all of it.
The best family portrait I've ever taken came from telling a dad to try and sneak up on his seven-year-old. The kid heard him coming from ten feet away and absolutely lost it. That photo is on their wall now.
Let the chaos in
Someone will fall over. Someone will have a meltdown exactly halfway through. Someone will find a stick and decide it is now the most important object in the world and refuse to put it down.
This is not a problem. This is your family.
I don't stop shooting when things get messy — I lean into it. The in-between moments, the recoveries, the "oh my goodness did you just do that" looks between parents — those are often the images that end up being the most cherished. They're the ones that make you feel something when you look at them ten years from now.
Pick a location that means something (and that the kids already love)
A familiar park, a favourite beach, your own backyard at golden hour. When children are somewhere they know and love, they relax. They explore. They stop thinking about the camera entirely.
Unfamiliar or formal locations — a studio, a manicured garden, somewhere they have to be careful — keep kids in a slightly heightened state. That tension shows up in the photos, even subtly.
A quick note on what to wear
You don't need to match — you need to coordinate. Pick a loose colour palette together (warm neutrals, one accent colour, whatever feels like your family) and let everyone dress within it. The goal is cohesion, not uniformity.
And please, dress the kids in something they can actually move in. Stiff collars and tight shoes make uncomfortable kids, and uncomfortable kids do not photograph well. Comfort first, always.
The goal isn't a perfect photo. It's an honest one.
The families who leave most happy are never the ones who came in trying to nail the perfect shot. They're the ones who showed up, let go of the plan a little, and trusted the process.
Your family is already interesting. Already beautiful. Already worth documenting exactly as you are. My job is just to be ready when the real moments happen — and they always do.
Ready to book your session? Get in touch and let's find a date that works for your family.