5 Mistakes to Avoid During a Family Photoshoot

Let’s be honest. Family photoshoots don’t happen all that often—family photoshoots in a dream location like Hawaii – even rarer. At Wilde Sparrow Photography, we want you to experience the magic of spending time in one of the most beautiful places in the world, with the people you love most in it! However, to make sure we capture those magic moments, there are a few things to keep in mind before your photoshoot. These family photoshoot mistakes are the ones we see most often. We want to set you up for success so we’re breaking them all down here to help you avoid these big no-no’s!

Family Photoshoot Mistake #1 – Showing up late

Although we understand that there’s no room for tight schedules when you’re on vacation, it’s important to remember that photoshoots are booked at specific times to not only accommodate the photographer’s schedule but to ensure that everything goes to plan. If you show up late, the entire shoot can feel rushed as you might have missed that perfect golden hour, the right tide on the beach, and other factors that have been pre-planned for the perfect shoot. Showing up late is an easy family photoshoot mistake to fix. Plan a little buffer room for traffic, upset kids, and anything else that may come your way as you’re heading out the door.

Mistake #2 – Trying to control the session

Before your photoshoot, you’ll spend some time getting to know your photographer to make sure that everyone is on the same page and that they can capture your essence and personality as best possible. However, it’s essential to keep in mind that things might not always go exactly as planned on the day. Luckily, your experienced photographer knows how to work with curveballs. Another one of the big family photoshoot mistakes is to try and run the session for your photographer. The important thing is to let go, have fun and enjoy the moment – that’s when the magic happens.

Family Photoshoot Mistake #3 – Not letting the kids have fun

At Wilde Sparrow, we want to make sure that everyone has the time of their lives. What better way to capture those loud belly laughs entertained facial expressions and moments of pure joy. At your family photoshoot, be sure to let your kids in on what’s happening – without letting them feel restricted or uncomfortable. Let them have fun, run around and play – we’ll take care of the rest. One of the biggest family photoshoot mistakes we see is having too high expectations of your kiddos. They are just kids. Let them be kids, let them have fun and expect some level of misbehavior. Don’t worry, we’ve seen it all and we’ve yet to meet a toddler who has bested us! 

Mistake #4 – Wearing Uncomfortable Clothes

Your photo session isn’t the day to try something on for the first time. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t buy something new! You should get dressed up (and dolled up) if you’d like. But make sure to try everything on ahead of time. We love Old Navy or JCrew to dress the whole family. And honestly, make sure you feel like a million bucks in those clothes. For kids – ensure they know what they’ll be wearing and super bonus points if you allow them some kind of choice in their outfits (“do you want to wear the blue shirt or the red shirt?”) so they feel empowered and not uncomfortable.

Family Photoshoot Mistake #5 – Feeling stressed and anxious

Have you ever felt yourself freeze up as soon as the lenses come out? Like suddenly you forgot how to look natural? We get it! However, we’re not going to let those feelings fester. An old Hawaiian proverb says, “A’a i ka hula, waiho i ka maka’u i ka hale,” meaning “Dare to dance, leave shame at home.” At Wilde Sparrow Photography, we believe in creating a safe, fun, and carefree environment that will allow you to let go and be your true authentic self in front of the camera. Leave those stressors at home and will enable us to capture those special moments that make it all worth it. 

Ready to book your family photoshoot in Hawaii? Connect with us here; we’d love to get to know you and make sure that we capture your family in an authentic, natural, and fun way. Let’s chat? Coffee’s on us!