Family session prep: what to wear, what to bring

Colors that work as a group

Think of the family as one picture, not five outfits. The easiest way to get there is to pick two or three colors that go together and spread them across everyone. Nobody matches. Everybody goes together.

The colors that hold up best in evening light are soft and a little warm: cream, oatmeal, camel, sage, dusty blue, terracotta, soft rust, olive. Pick from that list and it's hard to go wrong. A safe combination is one warm neutral (cream or camel), one muted color (sage or dusty blue), and one deeper accent (terracotta or olive) on one or two people.

Lay everything out on a bed the week before and look at it together. If one outfit jumps off the pile, that's the one to swap.

What to skip

• Bright white on everyone. One white shirt is fine. A whole family in white and jeans blows out in low sun and reads as a catalog from 2005.
• All black as a group. Five people in black turn into one dark shape with faces floating on it. Black on one person, next to cream on another, is fine.
• Big logos and words. A character shirt on a kid becomes the subject of the photo. Plain is better.
• Tiny busy patterns. Fine stripes, small checks, tight florals. They shimmer on camera. A bigger, softer pattern on one person is nice; keep it to one.
• Neon. It bounces its color onto skin and onto whoever is standing next to it.

Texture and layers

Once the colors are set, mix the fabrics. Knit next to denim next to linen next to corduroy. That's what keeps a coordinated family from looking like a uniform. A cardigan, a flannel, an open jacket, a scarf in fall. Layers also give me two looks from one outfit without anyone changing, which matters when there are kids involved.

Dresses and skirts photograph well outdoors because they move. Long is easier than short for sitting in grass. Bring a pair of shoes you can actually walk in, because we'll walk. The grass near the water is damp by sunset, so closed shoes for everyone, especially the kids.

Dressing the kids

Comfort first. A kid in something scratchy or tight will tell you about it in every frame. Pick from the same colors as the adults and let them be the ones in the accent color if you want a bit of fun in the photo. Skip the brand new outfit they've never worn; dress them in something they already like that happens to fit the palette.

Bring a layer for each kid. It cools off fast by the water once the sun drops, and a cold kid stops smiling before you notice. A plain jacket or cardigan in one of the palette colors can go on for the last frames and still look right.

Hair ties. Bring extra. Wind at the lake plus long hair equals a lot of hair across a lot of faces, and a quick tie-back saves the walking shots. Same for a small comb.

The order we shoot in

The whole-family set comes first. That's the photo you're actually here for, and everyone is freshest in the first ten minutes: kids are curious, nobody is hungry yet, the light is still full. We get that set done before anyone has a chance to lose interest.

After that the hour loosens up. Parents together if there are two of you, each kid on their own, siblings, the dog, grandparents if they came. We walk between spots and I shoot the in-between moments, which is where the natural stuff lives. Kids who won't sit still are normal. We don't make them sit still. We walk and play, and I keep up.

If a kid melts down

It happens, and it's not a problem. We take a break. Snack, water, a minute away from the camera, no pressure to get back in position. I'm not on a clock that's tighter than your kid's mood. Usually a few minutes fixes it, and the best frames often come right after a break, when the kid has forgotten I'm there.

One thing that helps from your side: don't try to fix it in front of the camera. The stressed-parent face shows up in the photo next to the crying-kid face. Step away, reset, come back. If it doesn't come back, that's fine too. We already have the whole-family set from the start, and I'll shoot everyone else while the small one takes their time.

Bugs, snacks, and the small stuff

Mosquitoes are active at dusk around the water in Lincoln into October, and dusk is when we shoot. Bug spray before we start, especially on ankles and the kids. Put it on before the outfits so it doesn't stain.

Bring snacks that don't stain or crumble: crackers, cheese sticks, a banana. Skip the red juice. A favorite toy or stuffed animal is a good idea for anyone under about five. It can be in a few photos and it can also just be the thing that gets a smile from behind my shoulder.

A blanket or towel to sit on keeps the damp off everyone's clothes for the sitting frames. Wet wipes for hands and faces. A water bottle for each kid.

The dog

Bring the dog. Dogs are encouraged on family sessions, and pets ride along at no charge. A few things make it go smoothly:

• A leash, even if they're good off it. Parks have rules, and a leash in a frame is a small thing next to a dog that has bolted.
• Treats, and a lot of them. That is how I get the dog to look at the camera.
• One adult whose job is the dog. Someone has to hold them during the frames that aren't dog frames, and it shouldn't be the parent who is also holding the baby.
• A walk before the session. A dog that has burned off the first twenty minutes of energy is a much better model.
• Skip the bandana unless you already own one. A plain collar reads cleaner.

What I need from you before the day

Text me the weekend you want and you're first in line. Fall dates are open now. Half holds your date and the rest is due when your gallery is delivered, and your gallery date is agreed in writing when you book so the cards get made on time. If rain moves in, we reschedule at no charge; we talk about a backup date up front so it's never a scramble.

Every photo in your gallery is retouched: stray hairs, a scratch on a knee, a bit of ketchup on a chin. So don't worry about one small thing on the day. It goes.

What to bring

• Outfits in the two or three colors you picked, steamed and on hangers
• A layer for each kid, in a palette color
• Closed shoes for everyone, plus something the adults can walk in
• Hair ties and a small comb
• Bug spray, applied before the outfits go on
• Snacks that don't stain, and water for each kid
• A favorite toy or stuffed animal for the little ones
• Wet wipes and a lint roller
• A blanket or towel to sit on
• For the dog: leash, treats, and one adult on dog duty