What If Your Kids Don’t Cooperate During Family Photos?

Here’s something I wish every parent knew before their family photo session:

Just because it feels like everything is going wrong doesn’t mean your photos are going to look that way.

This 60-minute family session was the perfect example.

Within the first 10 minutes, their little girl made her feelings about me and my camera VERY clear:

“I don’t want you taking my pictures.”

And she meant it. 😂

Here’s something I wish every parent knew before their family photo session:

Just because it feels like everything is going wrong doesn’t mean your photos are going to look that way.

This 60-minute family session was the perfect example.

Within the first 10 minutes, their little girl made her feelings about me and my camera VERY clear:

“I don’t want you taking my pictures.”

And she meant it. 😂

honestly wish I had been wearing a POV camera during this session because I pulled out just about every trick I had to get her to engage with me.

We played. We moved around. We gave her space. We got Mom and Dad involved. Instead of trying to force her to stand still and smile, I worked with what she was willing to give me.

Did the session go exactly how Mom and Dad envisioned?

Nope. And that’s okay.

Family photos don’t require perfectly behaved kids.

Sometimes they don’t want to smile. Sometimes they want to explore instead of stand still. And sometimes they flat-out tell the photographer they don’t want their picture taken.

Meanwhile, Mom and Dad may be standing behind me thinking:

“There is no way she is getting anything good.”

But here’s the thing:

My camera only needs a fraction of a second.

That quick smile. The laugh with Dad. The snuggle with Mom. The moment everyone starts playing and forgets I’m standing there with a camera.

And despite making it VERY clear that she did not want me taking her picture, we still ended up with so many photos of her smiling, laughing and having fun.

That’s why I always tell parents not to judge a session by how it felt while we were doing it.

You may remember the moments your child didn’t listen or the things that didn’t go according to plan.

I’m looking for all the little moments happening in between.

Worried Your Kids Won’t Cooperate?

Don’t let that keep you from scheduling family photos.

You don’t need perfectly behaved kids. You don’t need everyone smiling at the camera for an hour. And you definitely don’t need to spend the session apologizing to me because your kids are being kids.

Let them be kids. I’ll take care of the photos.

Ready to update your family photos?

Bluefire Photography offers family photography sessions in San Antonio, Boerne and the surrounding Texas Hill Country.