Lemme paint a picture for you.
You’re all ready for family photos, your photographer arrives, and asks your kids to do something. And they don’t do it. Your parent brain cycles through the options: yell, obviously a bad choice right here cause don’t wanna make the kids cry for pics riiight! option two: bribe. yeah. you’re like, I got dis. “Hey kids,” you smile sugar-sweet, “if you listen to this nice photographer, we’ll get a treat at the end!” They’re like yayyay woohoo and you’re like yeahnailedit only…
they stop listening.
I’ll tell you why this doesn’t work–taking away the treat or toy you just promised quickly becomes an empty threat. You’re desperate to get your kid to listen so you bribe with ice cream at the end and then warn him that he’s going to lose the ice cream if he doesn’t listen…but actually following through if he doesn’t listen and taking away the ice cream? You’ve lost your only bargaining chip, and he knows it. Plus, ice cream at the end of a session feels sooo farrrr awayyy to kids. Desperation is never a good recipe for parenting or you know, happy big joy-filled photos. #smileorelse
Wait wait, so does all this mean no bribes? You’re above bribing, are you Brooke?huh? HUH?
No no my dear, not at all. Bribes have their place. I bring (unmessy) candy to my sessions and bribe with little pieces that kids get immediately after a certain picture, if necessary.
But here’s the other fantastic thing. Photographers of kids have oodles of tricks up their sleeves. We are a rare breed who thrive on chaos and you can totally hand the reigns over one hundred percent to your photog. If she needs you, she’ll let you know–otherwise, you getta sit back relax and enjoy the magic of lovin on your peeople. Okay, you caught me, ‘relaxed’ might not be the very first word that comes to mind when thinking upon the photographic experience with kids.
But.
I do promise to manage your kids and make sure that they do what we need for great photos–and it actually works out SO much better when mom and dad aren’t piling the stress of what the kids are doing on themselves. Enter more authentic kid behavior (laughs, curiosity, mischievous mini antics, oh it’s so good) plus more present parents who are able to sweat less and smile more. (I will absolutely take care of the sweating. my GOSH I sweat when I shoot. I’m sorry. The photos will be worth it promise kbye.)
And with that, I know that you want to book a session immediately. : ) Here’s how it works. Family sessions are done in your home + fave places. Some folks like to do just their house and yard, some folks like to do just one room of their house and their favorite park up the road. It’s places that matter to you, for photos that mean more than ‘that cool spot your photographer chose.’ Check out the details and book your family session here.
Also? This post is part of the But Brooke series, in which we call out all the elephants in the room about why you’re not hiring a photographer immediately and hash ’em out. Other posts include But Brooke…can you make me look good in my photos? and But Brooke…what if my kids are going crazy the whole session?
