Honest and fun family portraits. Simple tips for success.

It is important to connect with clients before their portrait session.

You can not make authentic photos if you don’t know anything about a family. Seems sensible right? I send out a questionnaire as a guide when a family books a session. I leave it up to each family to decide, who answers, and I love reading the responses. Learning about a family dynamic, hobbies, and personalities helps to set the tone for photographing a family. Often, clients are interested in photos of the family together or child-focused. Merely asking your client what is most important to them (before the shoot) is an easy way to set yourself up for a successful shoot. It also establishes what is essential before the session to focus on shooting creatively and have fun. I grew up with Ranu and Lindsey on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. I shared a few of Ranu’s answers at the bottom of the post.  

I also send a full gallery of a previous shoot before they book me to get a sense of what to expect. If they are looking for the “perfect” family portrait of everyone looking at the camera seriously and then I am probably the wrong photographer. 

Honest and fun family portraits. Simple tips for success.

A few questions I ask:

Q: Are there any shots (or sessions that you’ve seen of mine that stand out to you?

Ranu: I want you to be free and use your creativeness. (<<<< Can you say…DREAM CLIENT? Trusting the process is everything! Thank you for giving me the freedom to capture you guys in such an honest and authentic way. ) 

Q: Tell me one thing you love about your partner or children?

Ranu: I love my family’s heart. (Man. I do, too, Ranu. )

Q: What do you like to do together? (Describe your perfect day off together?)

Ranu: Playing Sports, spending time at SNK. We like to goof off. (Sandy Neck Beach is a magical place for anyone who knows the cape, and he did not lie; our session was pretty silly.)

Enjoy!