I’ve heard way too many horror stories from families who booked a family photo session they were super excited about, only to end up wildly stressed out the entire time—and hating their photos because of it.

We’re not about that life over here: my belief is that if you and your family are having true, authentic fun during your session, your photos will turn out beautifully every. Single. Time. That’s why I’ve put together this guide to planning a stress-free family photo session, where I’m walking you through exactly how to turn that dream into reality.

Whether this is your first time planning a family session or your fifteenth, every season of your family life is unique—as will be your family photos. Maybe this time you’ve got a sweet new member of the fam, or you might be celebrating an exciting occasion. No matter your reason for wanting to take updated family photos, the planning part of it doesn’t need to be a big, scary task, I promise!

7 Steps to Planning A Stress-Free Family Session

1. Book an experienced family photographer who knows the area

Chances are, a billion different photographers pop up when you search on Google for a family photographer near you. It can be overwhelming to immediately be hit with an endless array of options, all who seem to offer what you’re looking for—so how do you choose the right person for you?

While there are many ways to qualify whether a photographer is a good fit for you (budget, location, offerings, etc.), my biggest recommendation is to work with someone who is experienced in your area. If your photographer already has firsthand knowledge and experience photographing clients at potential locations you’re considering, it’s going to make the logistics a WHOLE lot easier.

Not only will they know how to navigate around the area and recommend the best photo spots for you; they’ll also be able to help you pick the best time of day for your session, find the most flattering lighting, and create backup plans if needed. More on choosing your session date and time a little later!

As a New Braunfels-based family photographer myself, I know my way around nearby cities, such as Austin and San Antonio, as well—so my clients are always in the good hands of somebody who knows what they’re doing, and has firsthand experience doing it. That trust and expertise in the photographer you hire is going to be HUGE when it comes to planning and executing your dream session!

2. Choose a location you love

I absolutely love helping my clients choose a location for their family session, because they’re almost always surprised to hear about all the options they have! In smaller cities like New Braunfels, you’ll typically find that most photoshoots take place at the same few locations—oftentimes these are local parks or community hotspots. While I absolutely encourage you to take your photos wherever your heart desires (including those types of popular photoshoot locales), I also want to encourage you to expand your horizons a little bit, and think outside of the box!

What if, instead of choosing the same grassy field where every family in your town takes their annual Christmas card photos, you opted for your kiddos’ favorite ice cream shop that you bring them to every Sunday? Maybe there’s a tennis court you love to hit up together on the weekends, or a riverside trail that holds a special place in your heart.

Your own home is always an amazing option, too, if you’re craving an intimate, extra special and personalized session. Some of my favorite family sessions have taken place in my clients’ homes, from making Christmas cookies in the kitchen to snuggling up in the master bedroom just as a family might on a cozy Saturday morning.

If this sounds like your vibe, learn how to prepare for your in-home family session here!

Instead of coming to me with a specific location in mind, I ask my clients to start with their vision for our session together: is your dream location a) a location that’s meaningful to you, ) a location that matches a certain mood/atmosphere, or c) a location with scenery you love?

Of course, it may be a combination of all three, but those are the main three ways I recommend approaching your location search. There’s no right or wrong answer; all you need to do is be honest about what you’re envisioning, and I’ll be there to help you bring it to life.

3. Pick your date & time of day

Once we’ve nailed down the location of your family session, we’ll get out our calendars and pick a date for your session. Depending on how far in advance you’re booking, and what location you chose, we’ll find a date that allows us to (hopefully) get the best weather for your session and the mood we’re trying to achieve. Weather changes SO quickly, so I try to avoid rescheduling until the day-of if needed—but if we end up with weather that we can’t shoot in, we’ll find another time that works for all of us.

Now the time of day of your session is almost more important than the day itself, as it’ll determine what the lighting is like! We’ll choose a time according, again, to the season, date, and location of your shoot, as well as when we can expect to have the most flattering lighting conditions. I always love a good golden hour session, with that soft glow of the sun as it begins to set over the horizon, but it’s totally okay if golden hour is too late for your littles (especially in the summer, when it’s light out for longer)! Mornings are just as wonderful if that’s when your kiddos will be in the best moods (aka before naptime rolls around).

As your photographer, it’ll be my job to help you pick the ideal time for your session—so don’t worry about trying to do it on your own right now!

4. Incorporate activities your family loves to do together

Remember how I said that if you and your family are genuinely having fun during your session, the photos will always turn out beautifully? That’s been the case for pretty much every family I’ve ever worked with, and it’s such a game changer.

It’s incredibly important to me that your photos are so authentically representative of who you are, how you interact with one another, and the season of life you’re in together.

That’s why I love to recommend including activities in your family session! It’s a super easy way to encourage organic, candid moments together, and capture the essence of your family in its most laid-back, natural state. Why force your kiddos to stand still and smile when they could be out in the front yard running around in the sprinklers, or getting out the toy trains they got last Christmas and won’t stop playing with?

Think about what your family loves to do on the weekend, big or small. Maybe your favorite way to spend a Saturday includes. . .

Playing instruments
Making paper airplanes
Playing with Legos
Baking a family recipe
Walking along a river
Going out for fro-yo
Swimming in your pool

All of these meaningful moments you share together in your daily lives are SO worthy of being documented, and will make your photos 100x more personal + special to you.

For more creative ways to make your family photos unique & personal, click here.

5. Make outfit planning fun

Styling outfits for your family photos can feel like a major task—so let me make it a little easier by telling you that you’re free to ask me as MANY questions as you need to along the way. Whether you turn outfit shopping into a family thrifting adventure, or you focus on styling pieces that you already own, I’m here to provide my expert opinion any time.

My biggest tip is to prioritize comfort over fashion, because trust me: you do not want to spend your entire session in pain over how tight your shoes are, or worrying about your kiddo’s pants falling down because they’re too big. There are zero rules about what you can or can’t wear for your family photo session, so stop trying to mimic every aesthetic photo you’ve seen on Pinterest + start thinking about what would feel true to your fam. If you love wearing color, wear color! If your littles love patterns, let them wear patterns! Not everything needs to be white, black, or beige if you don’t want it to be.

6. Pack a bag to bring with you

It’s ALWAYS better to be over prepared than under, so I suggest bringing a bag with you that contains anything you might need along the way. I’m not above bribery, so why not throw in some snacks to give the kiddos a lil encouragement if needed? ;)

Here are a few items you may want to bring with you to your family session:

Water
Snacks
Diapers
Extra pairs of socks
Comfortable shoes
Backup outfits
Kleenex
Wipes
Blanket
Any stuffies, toys, or props your kids want (or need to feel comfortable)

Additionally, if there are any sentimental items you want to showcase in your photos (such as an ultrasound or onesie, if you’re welcoming a new little one into the family), pack ‘em with you and make sure to let me know about them!

7. Take off the pressure + embrace the present

I’m going to be real with you for a second: the biggest mistake you could make when planning your family session is putting wayyyy too much pressure on yourselves + your kids.

Even if you were to plan the most perfect session, on the perfect day, with perfect lighting, at the perfect location. . . your photos don’t have a chance at turning out well if you’re not able to be present in the moment, and release yourselves of any pressure to perform/look a certain way.

If you’re not able to laugh from your belly when one of your littles says something hilarious, because you’re too worried about your smile lines showing.

If you’re not able to chase your babies around their favorite park, because you’re too stressed about wrinkling the dress you spent so long trying to find.

If you’re not able to breathe in the smell of your kiddo’s hair when they give you a tight hug, because you’re anxious about looking silly in front of the camera.

Being fully present in moments like these is the only way that I can document your family in a completely authentic way, and that, my friend, is how your family photos will turn out “perfectly.”

Regardless of the weather conditions, the harshness of the lighting, or the moods your kids are in; all that matters is that you are here, now, with the people you love most in this world, and you’re going to have the most heartwarming photos to look back on forever because of it! How incredible is that?

And what an HONOR to get to be the one to take them for you.

If we don’t know each other already, I’m Madison, a New Braunfels family photographer here to capture those honest, unposed moments I’ve been raving about. I’ve been known to make families feel completely comfortable in front of the camera, take photos that make you feel nostalgic for the good old days, and say something funny when we want your kiddos to show a smile.

I’d love to connect with you, and support you in planning your dream family session just like I have so many families already. When you’re ready, inquire with me here so we don’t have to wait any longer!

Looking for location ideas in central Texas? I’ve got a few guides you won’t want to miss:

How to Plan a Stress-Free Family Photo Session in 7 Steps