Okay, so you’ve booked your photographer to capture your family at their finest. This photo session will for sure give you the perfect photo for your holiday card. But what do you have everyone wear, do you match or not? How do you make sure the littles will cooperate? Where should you go for the shoot? We asked our friend and talented family and child photographer Maya Tuttle of Mayabee Design & Photography in Pittsburgh her answers to these questions. She gave us some great tips for successful family photos.

1. Location, Location, Location– In my opinion the best locations are those that add a special element to a photo, whether it be texture, color, or a memory of a place that is important to that family. Trees, grass and brick walls are a few of my favorites. Shooting in the golden hour is most desirable when you are shooting outdoors. The best light is in the morning and late afternoon. Full sun is not always photographer friendly contrary to popular belief. A location with some covered shade is good for mid day shooting as it helps with the harsh overhead light.

2. What to wear– Think about texture and color when choosing your wardrobe for a photo shoot. Pick a few colors that compliment each other or different tones of one color. It is sometimes easier to pick one outfit for one person and then work the other outfits around it. I encourage people to STAY AWAY from all white or everyone in white tops and jeans. Leave the white for wedding dresses and beaches. Bold is good! Other things to leave at home are crocs, logos, and cartoon character t-shirts. Pinterest is a wonderful tool for researching and styling your wardrobe.

3. Keeping the kiddos happy– Kids are unpredictable. A lot of times parents get upset because they do not think that the session is going well and their tension then is felt by the child and the photographer for that matter. I make lots of silly faces and make strange noises. I sing songs with the wrong words, and make up silly food combinations. I sometimes ask the child to be my helper. They are in charge of making someone laugh or they can help take a photo. I also bribe kids with treats when all else fails. Meltdowns do happen and sometimes you just have to let them happen. I like to get the kids away from their parents when possible.  Kids always behave better for other people, at least mine do. Let your photographer do the bribing. He or she will ask for help if he or she needs some back up.

4. Don’t say “cheese”– Simple… I do not say it and when someone says it I simply tell them that saying cheese makes them look like they need to poop. As soon as I say the word “poop” you have belly laughs and giggles.

5. Relax and be silly– Relax and trust your photographer. Your job ends once you have dressed everyone and arrived to your location (or the photographer arrives to you), it is now time for your photographer to make magic happen. Make a Pinterest board and share it with your photographer (at least a day before your session) of shots that you would like, it is a lot easier than trying to explain it. This will help them work the shot into the session. Don’t be afraid to be silly, making memories should be a pleasant experience. Bring snacks and drinks!

All photos are copyright Mayabee Design & Photography. See more of Maya’s work at www.mayabeedesignandphotography.com.