What to Bring to a Family Photo Session
Download the Packing List
(before you forgot where you saw this!)
Do you ever feel like a bag lady? I do. Not sure how why, but I always find myself going places with bags on my arms…and my camera backpack on my back!
What I’m trying to say is I tend to over pack.
The only way I don’t over pack is if I have a strict list that I need to stick to. And in an effort to make your life easier, I have created a family photo packing list so you’ll know what to bring to your next session.
This list has 3 sections. They are: should bring, bring if you’d like, and leave at home. Let’s we dive in!
What to bring to a family photo session
Should Bring
A jacket or sweater for your little one that you don’t mind in the photos
In San Francisco, the weather can turn at the drop of a hat! Also, it can feel a lot colder in the shade versus the sunshine. That’s why bringing an extra layer for your little one is a good idea. And make sure you are okay with it being in your photos. Because if your kiddo is cold, they will not be very happy. If you choose a sweater as your extra layer, make sure it is easy to put on an off. Zippers are great. Lots of buttons can be a pain.
Bobby-pin, Hair ties, or anything else to pull your hair back
It can get windy in these parts! Be prepared, so your hair isn’t always in your face. I love wearing my hair down for photos. But if given the choice between wearing my hair down and blown around, or pulled back, I would choose the latter. Sometimes you don’t need to pull it all back. A little clip might be all you need. So put a couple bobby-pins, and a hair tie in your pocket (or your husband’s pocket) and you are good to go!Water and snacks
An hour can be a loooooooong time for a little one. That’s why I believe in taking breaks. And my favorite type of break? Well, that’s the snack break! Bring a quick snack that your kiddo will enjoy if they need a little break. Make sure that it’s not messy, or will dye their mouths blue.
Snack ideas: goldfish, apple slices, pouch (if your child isn’t messy while eating them), string cheese, grapes, and crackers. Don’t forget a little water to wash it down.
A toy your child loves
Choose one or two toys. You don’t have to bring the whole toy box. And keep in mind that your child will want to hold their toy at some point. So make sure it is one that you don’t mind seeing in the photos. I will sometimes use these toys to play with your kiddo helping them warm up and smile. I also think that it’s pretty special to have their favorite toys in some photos. These photos are telling their story, after all.Toy ideas: Their favorite stuffy (the more loved the better!), a book, drums, something that rattles or makes noise, and toys that they can interact with are always great.
Appropriate shoes
Now you might be thinking, “Isn’t this something that we should worry about when planning an outfit?” The answer is yes. But it’s also so important that I put it on this list. In the business of planning a shoot, you might throw on shoes that you love and look great. But then you get to your location and those 4-inch heels won’t work walking on the beach. Or maybe you have a pair of suede boot that you don’t want to get wet and the shoot is at a park with damp grass.
Please think about the location of your session and what your shoes will have to walk through. And if you must wear those heels, bring a pair of flip-flops or flats to walk in before and after we take the photos. Your feet will thank you.
These things should fit into a tote bag. And that’s perfect! I don’t mind carrying your tote bag while taking photos. Remember, I am a self-proclaimed bag lady.
Bring if you’d like
Let’s say you have a little more room in your tote bag, and you want to bring a couple extra things with. Here are a few more items that you could bring.
A Blanket
I keep a blanket or two in my car. So I will always have a little something for you to sit on. The ones that I have are off-white and beige. Have a special blanket that you want to use in the photos? Bring it! Remember, if you are sitting on a blanket for your photos, it’ll be seen in your photos. A quick change of clothes for your little one
Kids clothes are so freaking adorable! I can’t imagine trying to pick only one cute outfit. You are more than welcome to bring a few different options and change it up throughout the shoot. Keep in mind, if your kid hates changing their clothes or they’ll have a meltdown if another shirt goes over their head — a change of clothes is not worth it.
Lip gloss or lipstick
Do you ever look at a photo of yourself, and think, “I wish my lips had just a little more color.”? I know I do. My lips are only a little darker than my skin tone and can get washed out in photos. I also don’t wear lipstick all the time, so I don’t always think about putting it on. If you are like me, bring something that’ll add a bit of color to your lips. Tinted lip gloss or your favorite lipstick is great!
Tip: If you don’t wear bold lipstick often, it might not be best to try it out for a shoot. Wear a color you know you love.
Diapers
You might be able to get away with leaving this in the car. Or throw a diaper, some wipes and a changing pad in your tote bag. Bringing the whole diaper bag along might be more than you need for the session.
Don’t Bring
(unless you have to)
An Empty Stomach
Please do not come to your shoot hungry. When have you ever been happy and hungry? Those two do not go together. Make sure you have a little something in your tummy. This will help everything go smoother, and allow you to enjoy the session. Remember these shoots are fun. And being hungry is not fun!
Transitions Glasses
The photos will be taken outside. Even if it’s a bit overcast, Transition lenses tend to still have a bit of a tint to them. What can you do if you wear glasses with transition lenses? Wear a different pair of glasses, pop in some contacts, or go without glasses.
A Stroller
If you can get away with not having a stroller, then don’t bring it. There are locations where it’s tough to pull a stroller through. Beaches. Sand is not the ideal terrain to push a stroller. If your shoot is at the beach, don’t bring your stroller. Besides having to push it through places that aren’t easy, they are also large. If you have fit everything you need into a tote bag, and your kiddo doesn’t need the stroller, leave it in the car.
A toy you don’t want to see in photos
Does your kid have a toy you are not a fan of or looks way too ratty? Don’t bring it. Kids want to hold their toys. If they see it, they will want it.
A Bad Attitude
Leave that one at home. We are going to have fun at your shoot. I know, not everyone enjoys getting their photo taken. So don’t think about it like that. Think about it this way: You are dressed in a sharp outfit, in a beautiful location, and with your family that you love. This is a time for you all to run, play, throw the kids up in the air. I just happen to be there with my camera capturing these moments for you.
Do you ever feel like a bag lady? I do. Not sure how why, but I always find myself going places with bags on my arms…and my camera backpack on my back!
What I’m trying to say is I tend to over pack.
The only way I don’t over pack is if I have a strict list that I need to stick to. And in an effort to make your life easier, I have created a family photo packing list so you’ll know what to bring to a family photo session. It has what to bring to a photo shoot and what to leave at home.
This list has 3 sections. They are: should bring, bring if you’d like, and leave at home. Let’s we dive in!
What to bring to a family photo session
Should Bring
A jacket or sweater for your little one that you don’t mind in the photos
In San Francisco, the weather can turn at the drop of a hat! Also, it can feel a lot colder in the shade versus the sunshine. That’s why bringing an extra layer for your little one is a good idea. And make sure you are okay with it being in your photos. Because if your kiddo is cold, they will not be very happy. If you choose a sweater as your extra layer, make sure it is easy to put on an off. Zippers are great. Lots of buttons can be a pain.
Bobby-pin, Hair ties, or anything else to pull your hair back
It can get windy in these parts! Be prepared, so your hair isn’t always in your face. I love wearing my hair down for photos. But if given the choice between wearing my hair down and blown around, or pulled back, I would choose the latter. Sometimes you don’t need to pull it all back. A little clip might be all you need. So put a couple bobby-pins, and a hair tie in your pocket (or your husband’s pocket) and you are good to go!
Water and snacks
An hour can be a loooooooong time for a little one. That’s why I believe in taking breaks. And my favorite type of break? Well, that’s the snack break! Bring a quick snack that your kiddo will enjoy if they need a little break. Make sure that it’s not messy, or will dye their mouths blue.
Snack ideas: goldfish, apple slices, pouch (if your child isn’t messy while eating them), string cheese, grapes, and crackers. Don’t forget a little water to wash it down.
A toy your child loves
Choose one or two toys. You don’t have to bring the whole toy box. And keep in mind that your child will want to hold their toy at some point. So make sure it is one that you don’t mind seeing in the photos. I will sometimes use these toys to play with your kiddo helping them warm up and smile. I also think that it’s pretty special to have their favorite toys in some photos. These photos are telling their story, after all.Toy ideas: Their favorite stuffy (the more loved the better!), a book, drums, something that rattles or makes noise, and toys that they can interact with are always great.
Appropriate shoes
Now you might be thinking, “Isn’t this something that we should worry about when planning an outfit?” The answer is yes. But it’s also so important that I put it on this list. In the business of planning a shoot, you might throw on shoes that you love and look great. But then you get to your location and those 4-inch heels won’t work walking on the beach. Or maybe you have a pair of suede boot that you don’t want to get wet and the shoot is at a park with damp grass.
Please think about the location of your session and what your shoes will have to walk through. And if you must wear those heels, bring a pair of flip-flops or flats to walk in before and after we take the photos. Your feet will thank you.
These things should fit into a tote bag. And that’s perfect! I don’t mind carrying your tote bag while taking photos. Remember, I am a self-proclaimed bag lady.
Bring if you’d like
Let’s say you have a little more room in your tote bag, and you want to bring a couple extra things with. Here are a few more items that you could bring with.
A Blanket
I keep a blanket or two in my car. So I will always have a little something for you to sit on. The ones that I have are off-white and beige. Have a special blanket that you want to use in the photos, bring it! Remember, if you are sitting on a blanket for your photos, it’ll be seen in your photos. A quick change of clothes for your little one
Kids clothes are so freaking adorable! I can’t imagine trying to pick only one cute outfit. You are more than welcome to bring a few different options and change it up throughout the shoot. Keep in mind, if your kid hates changing their clothes or they’ll have a meltdown if another shirt goes over their head — a change of clothes is not worth it.
Lip gloss or lipstick
Do you ever look at a photo of yourself, and think, “I wish my lips had just a little more color.”? I know I do. My lips are only a little darker than my skin tone and can get washed out in photos. I also don’t wear lipstick all the time, so I don’t always think about putting it on. If you are like me, bring something that’ll add a bit of color to your lips. Tinted lip gloss or your favorite lipstick is great! Tip: If you don’t wear bold lipstick often, it might not be best to try it out for a shoot. Wear a color you know you love.
Diapers
You might be able to get away with leaving this in the car. Or throw a diaper, some wipes and a changing pad in your tote bag. Bringing the whole diaper bag along might be more than you need for the session.
Don’t bring
(unless you have to)
An Empty Stomach
Please do not come to your shoot hungry. When have you ever been happy and hungry? Those two do not go together. Make sure you have a little something in your tummy. This will help everything go smoother, and allow you to enjoy the session. Remember these shoots are fun. And being hungry is not fun!
Transitions Glasses
The photos will be taken outside. Even if it’s a bit overcast, Transition lenses tend to still have a bit of a tint to them. What can you do if you wear glasses with transition lenses? Wear a different pair of glasses, pop in some contacts, or go without glasses.
A Stroller
If you can get away with not having a stroller, then don’t bring it. There are locations where it’s tough to pull a stroller through. Beaches. Sand is not the ideal terrain to push a stroller. If your shoot is at the beach, don’t bring your stroller. Besides having to push it through places that aren’t easy, they are also large. If you have fit everything you need into a tote bag, and your kiddo doesn’t need the stroller, leave it in the car.
A toy you don’t want to see in photos
Does your kid have a toy you are not a fan of, or looks way too ratty? Don’t bring it. Kids want to hold their toys. If they see it, they will want it.
A Bad Attitude
Leave that one at home. We are going to have fun at your shoot. I know, not everyone enjoys getting these photos taken. So don’t think about it like that. Think about it this way: You are dressed in a sharp outfit, in a beautiful location, and with your family that you love. This is a time for you all to run, play, throw the kids up in the air. I just happen to be there with my camera capturing these moments for you.
Download the list
There you have it! A complete guide on what to bring to a family photo session. In addition to this list with a lot of descriptions, I created a printable list with just the items to bring.
