Family portraits are a wonderful way to preserve memories and document how the family grows and changes over the years.  I know I always enjoy looking back on our old family portraits and seeing how much we have all changed.  Now that I have my own little one I can’t wait to take her for her first portraits.

Getting a whole family, or even just one little baby, ready can be quite a feat.  Making sure everyone is dressed and still presentable when you leave the house, making sure everyone is happy and ready to smile, and entertaining a bunch of kids while you wait at the picture studio can be challenging.  So what can you do make sure your annual family portraits are successful?

• Choose a time of day that suits your child or children.  Don’t schedule the family portrait during naptime!
• Have a good idea of what you want before you get to the portrait studio, including background colors, number of poses, etc.
• Make a list of the people you want to send pictures to and what size photos you will send them.  This will reduce the amount of time you have to spend deciding on the number of photos you will need when you get there.
• Spend a little time talking to the photographer before they start snapping photos so they know what you are looking for.

A little preparation goes a long way.  The less time you have to spend at the photo studio the more time you can spend at home having fun with your family.  Most photo studios have information available online now, including the available photo styles, backgrounds, props, and much more.  Take a little time to browse the options so you don’t have to waste as much time when you get there.  Make it fun for the kids and let them pick a background or a prop that they really want in the photo with them.  Oh, and bring some toys to occupy the little ones while you are at the studio, you’ll be glad you did.

What tricks do you use to make family portraits a success?