15 tips - How to prepare for your family photo shoot!
I thought it might be helpful to write a quick list of 15 tips to help you prepare for your family photo shoot!
I've been a Cardiff family photographer for 14 years and so I've met a lot of families, in all seasons, all weathers and loads of different locations all over South Wales. Every time I go on a shoot I learn something, either a tip for myself (there's no point in wearing wellies in the sea if they have holes in them) or for my clients.
Don't worry! Prepare for your family photo shoot.
1. You are beautiful. A lot of people have a little panic about their appearance once they have booked their shoot. They worry about hair, eyebrows, weight - all the usual stuff. But, let me tell you now - stop worrying about it. You are who you are and you are loved by your family. A stray hair or a couple of pounds on or off won't make any difference to your shoot. Take a long good look in the mirror. Say "I love you" to your reflection and move on. Sometimes parents will say they just want me to photograph their children and they don't know if they need or want to be in the pictures. I strongly recommend that you get in the frame. You are just as important as the rest of the family and you need to exist in photos too.
2. Enjoy. Think of the photo session as chilled out family walk in beautiful countryside. No phones, just nature in all her glory and a friendly photographer to keep you company. There's no pressure for anyone to perform or behave in a certain way. I have two children myself and have been in this business a long time. Your children won't do anything I haven't seen before!
3. Don't say cheese. It's very tempting to say to the kids 'Say Cheese!' or 'Smile nicely' or sometimes, say 'Smelly socks/sausages etc'. Saying those things to your children will result in a fake, stiff smile, sometimes with teeth gritted. My advice would be for you to have a think about what your child/ren might think is funny in advance of the shoot. Do you have a family joke, or something that you know will make them laugh - genuinely? I've never seen a comedy fall fail but that might not be the best option if you want to keep your outfit clean. The point is, the more relaxed you all are, the more relaxed you will look. Feel free to mess around, pull faces, tell jokes etc. Everyone will look much more natural in the images as a result.
4. Don't look at me. One of the best ways of getting natural family pictures is for you to forget that I'm there. I don't need you to be standing stock still with a fixed grin every time I point the camera at you. I know it can feel a bit weird, trying to behave as you normally would when someone is taking a photo of you but honestly, it's the best way. I'll be directing you throughout the shoot, so don't worry about knowing what to do. I'll be shouting (only shouting because I might be far away), things like, 'look over there!', 'don't look at me!', 'look up!' etc.
Be prepared
5. Outfits. What you wear for the shoot is super important for a number of reasons. Firstly and most importantly, you need to feel comfortable. I'm not talking about trakkie bottoms and pj top comfy, but you, on a good day, feeling happy with what you're wearing. Next, it's important to make sure that you all blend together. There's no need for matching outfits but try and choose colours that complement each other. Choose a colour palette of two or three colours if possible. Wearing patterns is fine - florals, stripes, spots, checks etc. It's best to avoid big logo's or pictures though. No one wants a massive Hollister or Adidas logo in middle of their image.
The right colours can depend on the location or season. Don't worry though, I'll send you a big Pinterest board full of outfits for some inspiration. Head over to my blog to see a family shoot with the perfect outfits!
6. Hair cut. If you're going to get your hair cut, do it a week or so before the session , just in case you need to get used to your new style!
7. Have a chat to the kids. If your kids are old enough to be blackmailed with chocolate buttons then they're old enough to have a chat with about the session. Explain that we're going for a nice walk and going to have some pictures taken. There's plenty of time during the session for kids to run around, pull faces, fall over, have a snack etc, so there's no need to put any pressure on them to 'behave'. The more relaxed and natural they are, the better. Everyone has different parenting styles, so I'm not going to give specific advice on how to talk to your own kids but remember that the most important thing is that they are happy and enjoy the experience.
8. Bring snacks. It's worth bringing along a treat that might be persuasive, just in case. Chocolate buttons work well, chewy sweets, not so much. Chewy snacks are difficult because they take a while to be eaten and sometimes get tucked away for later, leaving your child looking like a squirrel. Biscuits and crisps leave crumbs on the face. Marshmallows are sticky. Have I mentioned chocolate buttons? One of those, placed directly into the mouth, generally does the trick.
9. Speak to your partner. It's usually one person that books the shoot (well done Mums!), which means that sometimes the other partner (hello Dads!) doesn't know too much about the process. This can sometimes lead to 'Grumpy Dad' syndrome. So, to avoid this happening, it's worth having a chat to your partner about the shoot. Show them my website so they can see other family shoots. Talk about the cost of the session. Discuss what you might like to do with the images afterwards - wall art or family keepsake album etc. Get them involved in how to prepare for your family photo shoot. Try and engage them in the process so that it doesn't feel like a chore.
10. Timing. Think about when you'd like to book the shoot. Try not to book the session during or after an important event - family wedding, big night out, World Cup Final - to avoid upset and/or hangovers. It's best if you're all perky and well rested.
11. Supplies. Apart from the aforementioned chocolate buttons, there's a few things that I'd recommend bringing to your shoot. Extra layers and a change of clothes are useful in case anyone falls over or gets chilly. If your shoot is at the beach, bring towels. Wipes (for little noses) and a hairbrush are also handy.
12. Your rug. I'll always ask you to bring your own rug or blanket to sit on. It's mainly to protect your clothes and make sure you don't get them wet or dirty. However, the rug/blanket will be in the pictures with you. If you have any gorgeous knitted, checked rugs or blankets from any National Trust shop then we're onto a winner. But, any plain, neutral coloured one will do. If you bring along a bright neon pink rug, then that's what we're going to be using. Choose carefully...
It's all in the details
13. Phones. My advice would be to leave your phone in the car for a few reasons. Firstly, it can be a distraction during the session - the last thing you want to be doing is checking your email whilst we're out and about. Secondly, it can be tempting to take a few pictures yourself, whilst standing behind me, but this can be very distracting for the kids, who don't know who they should be looking at. Finally, if you have your phone in your pocket it can give you a big phone shaped bulge - which is never a good look.
14. Embrace the wildness. If you like perfect hair and creaseless clothes, then perhaps an outdoor photo shoot isn't for you. Outside, it can get windy and hair will fly all over the place. Personally, I love the windswept look, especially on the beach! There are ways to try and control fly-away hair with hair bands and clips etc but it's important to realise that you won't be getting perfect hair in every shot. For me, it's more important to try and capture your family love and interaction together and I don't mind if you have a few hairs flying around your face.
15. Clothing choices. Think very carefully about what you're going to wear, from your top down to your shoes. Try things on and look in the mirror before the shoot. Sometimes clients will be unhappy about their choices after the session and that will affect how they feel about the images. If you feel uncomfortable in an item of clothing - don't wear it.
So, there you have it. All the things you need to know to prepare for your family photo shoot! You family shoot will be full to brim with love, fun, jumping, twirling and squeezing. Relax in the knowledge that I've got your back. I look forward to seeing you soon!
Thanks for reading how to prepare for your family photo shoot. - if you have any questions, drop me a line to find out more.
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Book your family photo shoot today!
Gemma Griffiths is an outdoor family photographer based near Cardiff in South Wales. She offers shoots in all over South Wales, including, Cardiff, Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, RCT, Bridgend and Swansea.
Beach photo shoot
Beach photo shoot.
Back in the depths of Winter I started to think about how I could incorporate my love of the beach into my client work. I've always had family shoots at the beach and wanted to encourage more families to enjoy spending time there as much as I do. So, I decided to offer 'Mini Beach Shoots'. I was totally overwhelmed with the response and all the slots sold out really quickly. This shoot was the first one and took place in April. We had such fun playing around on the beach and splashing in the waves.
There were three sisters and Mum and Dad too. We twirled around, threw rocks in the sea and jumped over the crashing waves. Wild hair was the order of the day - the best look for the beach in my opinion! I love the connection between the sisters. They had such different personalities but a great bond between them.
The beach is so different each time I go there. It's such an epic background for a family session and I love the wildness of the sea. The best thing is watching kids playing in the water - you can see the pure joy on their faces as the waves come in.
If you're interested in booking a family photo shoot - get in touch to find out more. You can see my price list on the pricing page. Check out more shoots on my blog and in my family portfolio.
Follow me on Facebook and Instagram too to see my latest work.
Gem x
Family Beach Shoot
Family Beach Shoot
Back in 2006, I'd just started my photography business and I was booked by a family that lived in the same road as me in Cowbridge. I photographed them as a family with their newborn son. A few years later, they had a second son and they booked another family shoot at home. Since then I've photographed the family every few years and watched the children grow up.
We've had family shoots at home and family beach shoots over the years. This one was pretty special with a glorious sunset at the end. The boys are the same age as my children so it's always lovely to see how they've grown and hear about what they are up to. We chatted about previous shoots and the youngest said that he could remember me coming to their house when he was a toddler. Pretty impressive!
It's a real honour to have repeat clients like this. It's such a great experience to watched families grow together.
If you'd like to book a family beach shoot then have a look at my family portfolio and pricing page and drop me a line to find out more.
You can also follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see my latest work.
Gem x
Beach lovers guide to the Vale (and beyond)
I've lived in the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales, for 14 years and I still feel like a tourist. Living by the coast gives you that holiday feeling all year round and I spend as much time at the beach as I can. As a family and child photographer I tend to combine my love of the beach with my love of photography and do a lot of shoots at my local beaches. If you're like me and only truly happy with sandy feet and salty skin, then have a look at my beach lovers guide to the Vale and beyond!
This is a very personal list, based on the places that I regularly visit or shoot at. I know there's lots of other beautiful beaches in the area and still have plenty yet to visit.
I live in a small village just outside Cowbridge, a busy market town, nestled amongst the gentle rolling hills West of Cardiff. So, I'll start with my favourite local beaches and then head further afield to some of my favourites in the Gower and Pembrokeshire too.
Southerndown Beach (Dunraven Bay)
At a glance: Car park, Shop, Toilets, Lifeguards, Disabled facilities, no dogs between May-Sept.
Although officially called Dunraven Bay, everyone locally calls it Southerndown, after the nearby village. This is my number one local beach. There's something magical about driving down the steep road from the cliffs at the top to the car park below. You catch glimpses of the water and we're always craning our necks on the way down the hill to see how much beach there is. It took a few years for us to understand the rhythm of the tides and to know what time to go to make sure there was sand to sit on (I'm originally a city dweller!). I've got the BBC Tide Tables as a favourite on my phone, so we never get caught out (anymore).
There's three car parks. One right by the beach and then an overflow car park on one of the fields above and a pay and display car park at the top of the hill. In recent years they have started charging for parking all year around (not just in the Summer months), so it can cost between £3.50-£5 to park for the day. There's also a toilet block (very handy indeed) and a little kiosk shop selling ice creams and beach paraphernalia as well as a nice cup of tea.
The beach itself is a lovely little bay, dwarfed by the Jurassic cliffs along the coast. Please be aware that there a regular rock falls from the cliffs, so you must not sit directly underneath them.
When the tide is low, there's a large crescent of sand to play on and some fabulous rock pools. When the tide is high, there's no sand at all but you can still sit on the rocks (away from the cliffs) and enjoy time at the beach.
If you walk through the car park and up the cliff, there's lots of different paths to take to explore the area and also there's the lovely Dunraven Gardens. Perched high on the cliff, they provide a great spot for a picnic and shelter from the wind as well. There's lots of paths to take through the gardens and beyond to some awesome cliff top walks.
I do a lot of family shoots at this beach all year round. If you'd like to see some, check out my blog and family portfolio. I've put a small handful in a little collage below.
I could talk all day about Southerndown. It has a piece of my heart but there's plenty more to see, so on we go.
Places to eat and drink nearby:
Frolics - An Italian restaurant right near the beach.
Three Golden Cups - The nearest pub to the beach.
Ogmore
At a glance: Car Park, Mobile vendors, Toilets, Lifeguards, Disabled facilities, dogs allowed all year.
The Ogmore River meets the sea at Ogmore Beach. On one side there's a large sandy beach and on the other side of the river are the Merthyr Mawr sand dunes (some of the largest dunes in Europe!).
There's a large car park at the beach and sometimes mobile coffee and ice cream vendors in the car park as well.
Ogmore is a large beach and when the tide is out, you can walk quite far along beach towards Southerndown. If the tide is in, then there's plenty of rocks to climb and little coves to visit. There are great rock pools too and it's a fabulous place to hunt for fossils.
Places to eat and drink nearby:
Cobbles Kitchen - Winner of the Welsh Restaurant of the Year 2018. This place is highly recommended and our 'go to' place for a coffee (and cake) on the way home from the beach. Also great for meals too.
The Pelican in her Piety- A pub that also serves food.
The Watermill - A Brains pub. It has an outdoor play area, so it's great if you have little ones.
Rest Bay
At a glance: Car Park, Toilets, Lifeguards, Disabled facilities
Just down the road from the seaside town of Porthcawl you'll find Rest Bay. This is another one of my favourite places to hang out and where I go surfing with my daughter. It's a massive beach and when the tide is low, there is plenty of room to spread out and spend the day (enjoying the odd game of rounders or cricket). The beach is very popular with surfers, kite surfers and body boarders and each has their own separate area to play (when the lifeguards are there).
Most people tend to plonk their stuff down as soon as they hit the sand but if you walk a little way along the beach, it's much quieter.
There's also a lovely boardwalk/path that runs along the back of the beach and beyond in the westerly direction. You can walk all the way from Porthcawl, past Rest Bay and along the coast on the same path. When my kids were younger it was a regular day out for us, with scooters, bikes or roller skates. We always tempted them with a picnic at Rest Bay and then a promise of a cake when they got back to Porthcawl! It's also the route of the weekly 5k Parkrun on a Saturday morning.
There's a couple of surf schools and you can hire equipment from them as well as book lessons - so if you need a wetsuit or a surfboard in a hurry then they've got it covered. Visit Porthcawl Surf and Adventures Wales for more information.
Places to eat and drink nearby:
There are plans for a brand new sports centre and café to be built near the car park.
Porthcawl is only a minute down the road and there's plenty of cafes and shops there.
The Gower
Rhossili
At a glance: Car Park, Shop, Toilets, Disabled facilities
Ah Rhossili. I first visited Rhossili on a camping trip with friends about 5 years ago. I'm ashamed to say, that even though I'm a massive beach lover, I was a little afraid of the water. Then one day in Rhossili, I threw caution to the wind and had my first experience of body boarding. The waves there can get pretty big but the bigger the better right? I've never looked back since that day. I went off and bought my own body board and then progressed to surfing a year or so later. Surfing is now my favourite thing to do. Ever. I'm rubbish at it but learning all the time and determined to improve.
With a 3 mile stretch of sandy beach, ending with the iconic Worms Head and more beach awards than you can shake a stick at, Rhossili is one stunner of a beach.
When we visit, it's normally via the campsite Hillend, which is just behind the sand dunes in the centre of the beach. There's a car park and also a cafe on the campsite with toilets etc. You can also access the beach from the National Trust car park at the Rhossili end of the beach. It's a steep walk down from the car park but worth every step.
If you love body boarding or surfing get down there. If you look closely you can see me surfing on the smallest wave in the world below. You can hire and buy surf gear from PJ's Surf Shop in Llangennith.
Places to eat and drink nearby:
The Bay Bistro in Rhossili
The King's Head in Llangennith is great for a drink and dinner - a regular haunt of ours when we're camping.
Pembrokeshire
Barafundle Bay
At a glance: Car Park, Shop, Toilets
For years I wanted to visit Barafundle Bay but legend (Mum friends) had it that it was a massive walk from the car park to the beach and I was afraid of schlepping the kids on an epic walk so put off the visit until they were a bit older. We eventually made it there a few years ago and were pleasantly surprised (after packing supplies as if we were going to the North Pole), that it was in fact about a 10-15 minute walk from the National Trust car park. A pretty flat and easy walk too, apart from the stairs at the start and end. So, don't be afraid my friends! Set the sat nav and off you go.
There's a car park, run by the National Trust and of course the obligatory National Trust café and toilet facilities.
The last time we visited we went for a walk around the headland as well and could see over to the beautiful Broadhaven beach a bit further down the coast.
I know there's a plethora of gorgeous beaches all the way along the Welsh coastline. It would be impossible to mention them all, so this is just a little taster of my favourites.
I can't leave without a little shout out to some of the other gorgeous beaches that we've visited since moving to Wales 14 years ago. There's many more that are on my 'to see' list. If you have any suggestions, let me know!
Even more beaches
Three Cliffs Bay - an absolute stunner.
Bracelet Bay - a cute little bay with playground, car park and restaurant nearby.
Langland Bay - family friendly beach with car park and facilities.
Caswell Bay - popular with families and surfers. Car park and facilities nearby.
Tenby - gorgeous beaches in this beautiful Pembrokeshire town.
Saundersfoot - I can highly recommend the very decadent and perfectly placed St Brides Spa Hotel perched high on the hill overlooking the beach. Check out a fabulous headshot photo shoot in the hotel and a portrait shoot on the beach below.
I'm always on the look out for new locations for family photo shoots and love discovering new beaches. If you have any recommendations for the next beach lovers guide, please let me know!
If you'd like to book a family photo shoot in South Wales, get in touch!
Gem x
Winter beach family shoot
I love taking photos at the beach all year round. This winter beach family shoot, just after the snow fall in February, is gorgeous.
The shoot was booked as a surprise for Dad's birthday. The idea was to get some lovely pictures of the three children (plus puppy) together, to be printed on a canvas. I say 'children', even though the two eldest are officially adults because you're never too old to take part in a family shoot. Just because you're in your twenties, doesn't mean that your parents don't want to look at photos of you.
The shoot took place at my favourite local beach, Southerndown (Dunraven Bay). If you look closely in the background you can see a bit of snow left on the hillside. It was absolutely freezing but we managed a walk around the gardens and made it to the beach in time for the sunset.
It was super slippery and myself and youngest both fell over and had a nice coating of mud. I managed to hit both cameras on the floor as well as getting covered in mud in the car park before we'd even started! Not the first time I've fallen over on a shoot and I'm sure it won't be the last either!
But, it's all worth it to get a beautiful set of images.
Have a little nosey below to see what we got up to. At the end of the post, you'll see a 9 image collage - my most popular product. Putting 9 images together from a shoot is a great way to display your favourite images. Find out more about my products on my Products page.
Book your family shoot
If you'd like to book family photo shoot - have a look at my Family Portfolio and Pricing page for more information.
Get in touch if you have any questions.
Gem x
