How to accomplish a FULL family session in 30 minutes or less!

First off, can you even believe that this was this family's FIRST EVER professional portrait session? I'll admit, they are total naturals in front of the camera and the kids were unbelievably awesome following literally every prompt, instruction and game I introduced to them. But can you also believe that this entire session from start to finish was less than 30 minutes? Even with having no formal professional portrait experience together we created a full gallery of beautiful images for them with easy prompts and making it fun. Let's talk about how that is possible and why this is achievable with most any family session at the beach.

Efficiency in posing is everything.
Whether you have kids in your session with short attention spans, an upcoming nap or bedtime, or you're working with a short timeframe of lighting like sunrise/sunset; efficiency is what is going to get you through quickly and cover all your bases. 

Introductions.

After your introductions to the family and learning children's names, I always start by asking if they brought their teeth or smiles, something silly to see if I can get them to smile right out of the gate. I like to show kids that it's not going to be all business, that we're going to have fun. I ask them if they want to help me with a task- finding sharks teeth, looking for dolphins, anything!  If the child is younger and not speaking I usually greet them with a big smile, maybe see if they will give me a high five or tickle their toes. I want to establish the eye contact and the personality from the get-go.

Start with Family Poses.

Starting with the full family is ideal for all scenarios that I can think of, especially for kids that might be shy at first. Having their mom and dad close is ideal and feels safe for them, and it allows them to become more comfortable with me at a distance first. I can't tell you how many times I've had a mom set down a child in front of me and walk away only for them to start crying. I'm not offended though, I totally get it which is why I say family first. After I get shots both horizontally and vertically of full family I usually introduce a prompt like parents looking at the child/children, or kids looking up at their parents. Any kind of interaction I can introduce that appears to be candid is important here for me and adding variety. 

Siblings and Individuals.

Next, I have to read this situation of the child/children. Are they still feeling clingy and shy or are they all warmed up and ready to be independent. If they're still feeling shy I'm going to do more family poses (sitting) or each parent with the child/ children. However, if the kids are warmed up we swoop right into the same standing poses (with parents removed) for siblings and individuals. For siblings poses I love telling kids to love on each other, looking at each other's noses and daring them not to laugh. Asking who might have the smelliest toes? I mean kids usually find all those things silly and it really brings out their most authentic smiles. 

Parents.

And then of course after sibling and individuals I ask the kids to come stand by me and make silly faces as I photograph some of just mom and dad. This is also an excellent time to have them go give mom and dad a surprise attack of hugs or tickles.

Change of Scenery. 

For me personally, I always start along the dunes for my beach sessions and end by the water. I've learned my lesson with lots of very wet kids at the beginning of sessions to know we save the water for last. As we move down to the water line I always have families take a walk along the water line. Just enough to get their toes a little wet but NOT all the way in the water. We want kids to look at me, jump, look for seagulls, etc. I snap away as they're walking to and from. Once they get closer I tell them to squish together right where they are and snag even more posed family portraits and candids as I instruct mom and dad to look at each other, maybe give the kids a little tickle, wait for the water to come back in and try to get that shocked surprise as the wave comes flooding back in. 

Mom with Kids and Dad with Kids.

I love doing mother-daughter, daddy-daughter, mother-son, father-son because it's like a game to go back and forth but also another easy opportunity for ANOTHER family portrait in a totally different spot or pose. 

Candids.

Kids love a reward for their hard work so encouraging them to be playful at the end of the session is key for me. I love playing red light green light, kicking waves, racing, running in and out of the ocean- anything you can think of! This is another easy moment to snap some individuals, playful images with parents. Or snag some of just mom and dad again while the kids run around them, run in for hugs, etc. 

What you're seeing here are just the 22 images I've selected for this blog out of the 50+ images in this Client's gallery! This is the perfect amount for an album, and I consider these the most likely to be printed. Not every gallery is this big, it all depends on the amount of children in the family and temperament of the child/children but to say we have AT LEAST 22 AMAZING portraits taken in less than 30 minutes should show most families (and photographers) that it's not necessarily the length of the session, it's the efficiency that matters most while making sure everyone is having a good time!