How to prepare my child for an in-home photo session - Tomball & The Woodlands, TX
Every parent stresses about how their child will behave when trying something new. In fact, many children often struggle with change or new experiences and simply do not know how to react. Some children struggle with meeting new people, especially new adults.
This is why I have developed tips for how best to prepare your child for an in-home photo session.
The most important tip starts with you, the parent ☺️ Children read off of our emotions and our comfort level. If you are feeling (or at least exuding) cool, calm and collected then your child will be their happy, confident selves. When you experience a photo session with me, you do not need to stress about a thing! I ensure my clients, and their children, feel completely at ease in their home. This is your safe space; your child’s safe space. My job is to enter into that space without disrupting the peace and flow of your loving interactions. I engage your children in play and focus on ensuring everyone has fun throughout my time in your home.
That being said, the first step in preparing your child for an in-home photo session, is introducing your child to your photographer and sharing what will take place. When you book a session with me, I provide my Welcome Guide, containing a welcome video in which I introduce myself. I encourage my clients to share this video with their child to increase their comfort level. In the same way that you prep your child for going to the dentist, or a new school, it is best to prep your child for a new person coming into their home. I suggest informing your child that Rachel will be coming to our house to play and take pictures showing how well they dance, jump, tickle mom & dad, etc. Allow your child to ask questions! When I arrive, I will also answer any questions they have for me.
Great art, especially family photos & heirlooms cannot be created without children feeling comfortable and safe enough to be themselves.
During the session, I ask that parents try their best to allow children to play and be silly! It is equally important that you feel comfortable to play and be silly with your child. This is where the best moments are captured. Comfort, affection & play are essential in creating the ideal lifestyle, documentary family artwork session.
My son is very shy & reserved and takes quite some time to feel comfortable with strangers even with all of the prep work I do ahead of time. This is why I never worry about winning your “shy” child over, because I know exactly how to read a child’s comfort level upon meeting and then adjust my interactions with your child accordingly. I have never failed to gain a child’s trust and playfulness during a photo session. If a child needs more time, that’s perfectly fine ♥️
If your child is needing more time to feel comfortable, I will suggest things such as letting them go play in a separate nearby room while I continue to speak, laugh, take photos, etc., of another family member. I would encourage at least one parent to remain with me. If possible, I suggest another caregiver spend time speaking with their child in the other room about how they are feeling and their thoughts about coming to play with the family. This allows your child time to hear me interacting with their parent and/or sibling. Your child will hear their parent laughing & enjoying their time with me, which will allow your child to feel safe and intrigued to come play as well!
I have worked with many children who experience neurodivergence. For similar children, I would recommend as well, discussing the session with them on their level and whatever comfort items they love, ensure them that these items can be present with them the entire time. At times, I will experience parents asking their child to remove their comfort item for photos. If your child is receptive to this, great. If they are not receptive to the idea, or you worry they won’t be, don’t even worry about it!
Lifestyle family photo sessions are designed to document your life as your experiencing it. Your child’s comfort toy/shirt/stuffy, is a huge part of their lives and therefore your life too! There is no need to rewrite history and remove such a precious item from the photo memories ♥️
View video footage of an interaction with myself & a child client in home here.
Ready to schedule your complimentary consultation to document your family’s story? Inquire now.
