How to Prepare Your Family for a Photo Session: The Stress-Free Guide (Naperville Edition)
Here's the thing nobody tells you before your first family photo session.
The families who show up the most relaxed, whose kids cooperate the best, who walk away with the images they actually wanted... they didn't get lucky. They just did a few simple things in the days leading up to their session that made everything easier.
And none of it is complicated. I promise.
I'm Emily, and I've been photographing families in Naperville for years through Ten Little Bluebirds Photography. I've seen every version of a family session imaginable. The ones that felt effortless. The ones that started rough and ended beautifully. And the ones where someone did everything right and still got a meltdown in the last ten minutes.
(That last one is normal, by the way. We'll get to it.)
Here's your complete, honest, stress-free guide to preparing your family for a photo session. Starting a week out and going all the way to the moment we start shooting.
One Week Before: Get the Big Decisions Out of the Way
The prep call is your best friend here. Before every Ten Little Bluebirds session we get on a call and talk through everything... location, timing, outfits, what your kids are like, what you're hoping to feel in these photos. By the end of that call you should feel completely clear about what's coming.
Outfits. Pull everything out and try it on. Not the morning of. Now, with a week to spare, so if something doesn't work you have time to find a backup. Coordinate colors without matching exactly. Soft, comfortable fabrics. Clothes they can actually move and sit in. If your toddler won't wear something on a regular Tuesday, don't put them in it for photos.
Location. We'll confirm this on your prep call based on your family's vibe and the season. Naperville has incredible options... the Riverwalk, Knoch Knolls, downtown, open parks with gorgeous golden hour light. Trust the process on this one.
Logistics. Know where you're going and how long it takes to get there. Build in buffer time. A family arriving five minutes early feels completely different from a family arriving five minutes late.
The Night Before: Set Yourself Up
This is honestly where most of the stress gets created or avoided. Here's what to do the night before your session.
Lay out every outfit. Everything. Tops, bottoms, shoes, accessories, backup onesie for the baby. All of it laid out and ready so morning is just putting it on, not searching for it.
Pack the bag. I'll give you a full checklist below but the key things: snacks your kids love, a comfort item if you have a little one who needs one, wipes, a small touch-up kit for yourself (powder, lip color, hairspray), and a change of clothes for any child under five because they will find something to spill.
Talk to your kids. Not a big serious conversation. Just a casual "hey, tomorrow we're going to take some fun photos at the park." Keep it light. Make it sound like something fun is happening, not something they have to perform for. And please, no "you better behave" warnings. More on that in a minute.
Go to bed at a reasonable hour. You included. A tired parent brings tired energy and kids feel that immediately.
Morning Of: The Three Non-Negotiables
Fed. Rested. Not rushed.
That's it. Those three things will carry you further than anything else on session day.
Fed: Everyone eats before we shoot. Not a big heavy meal right before, but nobody should be running on empty. Hungry kids are cranky kids. Hungry parents are tense parents. Bring snacks too even if they just ate because kids have a sixth sense for being hungry the moment photos start.
Rested: Schedule the session around nap times, not against them. If your toddler crashes at noon, don't book a noon session. A well-rested child is a different human than an overtired one. I cannot overstate this.
Not rushed: Give yourself more time than you think you need to get ready and get there. Getting somewhere frantic and rushed sets an anxious tone before we've even started. The goal is to pull up, take a breath, and walk into the session feeling ready.
The Ultimate Session Day Checklist
Pack this bag the night before and you'll be glad you did.
For the kids:
Snacks they love (goldfish, fruit pouches, whatever works)
A comfort item if you have a child who needs one (small stuffed animal, favorite toy)
Wipes (always wipes)
Change of clothes for any child under five
Bubbles for toddlers (these are magic, I'm not joking)
For you:
Touch-up powder and lip color
Hairspray or any styling products you used that morning
A small brush or comb
Lip balm because outdoor sessions and wind are a real combination
For everyone:
Water bottles
Comfortable shoes for walking to the location
A good attitude (this one's free and makes the biggest difference)
What NOT to Do
A few things I've watched derail sessions that didn't need to be derailed.
Don't skip the nap. I know it's tempting when you're trying to get everyone ready. The nap is not optional for small children. A skipped nap will show up in the photos.
Don't threaten your kids about behavior. "You better behave or else" creates anxiety before the session even starts. They arrive already tense and already negotiating with themselves. It backfires almost every time.
Don't try a new hairstyle the morning of. For you or for your kids. Stick with what you know works. Session day is not the time for a first attempt at elaborate braids.
Don't over-schedule the day. If you have soccer practice at nine, errands at ten, and the session at noon... everyone arrives depleted. Give the session its own space in the day.
Don't wear something you bought specifically for photos that you've never worn before. Unfamiliar clothes feel weird on camera. Wear things you've worn before and feel comfortable in.
How to Manage Your Own Nerves
I want to address this one directly because it comes up more than parents expect.
A lot of parents feel anxious before a family session. They worry about whether the kids will cooperate, whether they themselves will look okay, whether it'll all be worth it. That anxiety is completely normal and I've watched it in almost every family who walks up to a session for the first time.
Here's what I want you to know. I've got this.
You don't have to direct your kids. I do that. You don't have to manage the poses. I handle that too. Your one job is to show up and be present with your family. Talk to them, hold them, laugh at whatever I say that's only kind of funny. The more present you are with them, the less they're thinking about being photographed.
Take a breath when you arrive. Look around at wherever we're shooting. Let your shoulders drop. The session almost always starts a little stiff and gets looser as we go. That's normal and it's fine. The images you'll love most usually come from the second half of the session anyway.
What Happens When Things Go Wrong
Let me be really honest about this.
Things go "wrong" at almost every family session. A toddler who decides they're done. A kid who won't stop making a face. Weather that didn't cooperate. Someone spilled something on their shirt on the way there.
None of this ruins the session. I want you to hear that clearly.
Meltdowns happen. When they do, I build in a break. We walk around, let the kid reset, sometimes the best images come right after because everyone is so relieved the crying stopped that they're genuinely laughing.
Weather issues are handled with a quick reschedule and no stress.
Wardrobe disasters are what that change of clothes is for.
There is almost nothing that happens at a session that we can't work with or work around. My job is to get you great images no matter what the session throws at us. That's the whole point of hiring a photographer who actually knows what she's doing.
Book With Confidence. We Handle the Rest.
The secret to a great family session isn't a perfect family. It's a family that shows up, lets themselves be in the moment, and trusts their photographer to capture something real.
That's it. That's all you have to do.
Ten Little Bluebirds Photography is located in Naperville, Illinois, and specializes in outdoor family sessions that feel relaxed, real, and nothing like a stiff photo shoot. Summer sessions are booking now and spots fill up fast.
Ten Little Bluebirds Photography | Naperville, IL