“My children are energetic and active, I’m unsure about planning a family photoshoot”. You are not alone; many parents of adventurous children have the same concern about working with a photographer on family photos. Children are built for adventure, fun, and exploration, so getting that ‘perfect photo’ might seem like an impossibility.

But, I’ll let you in on a little secret. As a family photographer, I would never expect any child to sit still. In fact, I highly encourage games, fun, and movement throughout the sessions I photograph. Through the details below, I’ll give you a glimpse into how you can combine the fun of summer family photography with your child’s energetic spirit, for beautifully captured family photos to look back on for a lifetime.

Plan an Activity for Your Family Photoshoot

Summer is filled with so many opportunities for family connection. The harsh, bitter winter is behind us and has been replaced with the early morning sunrise and long days filled with warmth and a sense of adventure. Seasonal activities are best enjoyed together. The moments we wait for all year long have arrived, and they present an opportunity to have fun through a summer family photography experience. 

Unexpected moments become an opportunity to photograph your family in a unique way. Running through the sprinkler, playing on the swings, picking flowers, roasting marshmallows, and running through the grass with bare feet are all amazing ways to allow your active children to focus on the things that bring them joy. Those joyful moments of your children growing up are filled with happiness and connection, creating images centered on the love your family shares.

Avoid Bribing or Promises

As a mom, I know all too well that this one can be difficult to avoid. It’s so tempting to offer treats and rewards to your children for a job well done during summer family photography. But, as a mom and a photographer, I would also never expect children to sit still and pose perfectly for photos. Instead, your family photos should be a connective experience that portrays time well spent together. Cozy up to one another, play games, and enjoy your favorite activities. The fun should be the reward, even if that means your active children are encouraged to ‘run around in a circle’ or ‘make a silly face’. Their infectious laughter, wiggly toes, and unbound happiness will fill your family photos with more love than attempting to have everyone ‘smile for the camera’.

Plan Summer Family Photography at Home

There are a number of beautiful outdoor locations throughout Minneapolis for family photos. But it’s equally as fun to plan summer family photography in your home. Your home is where your children feel most at ease, where they know they are safe and cared for, and where they lay their heads every night after a bedtime story. It’s a place where holidays are enjoyed, and memories are made, including your family photos. Capturing your family, exactly as they are, at this cherished point in your lives, in your home, carries a special kind of magic that can’t be recreated at a local park.

Your backyard may be a place where princesses and superheroes dash off to save the world, or you throw the ball around on Sunday mornings as you reflect on the week that passed. The essence of those moments can feel fleeting, but scheduling a family photoshoot that focuses solely on enjoying those moments together allows you to freeze time. You’ll give yourself the ability to reflect on the summer that your little one learned how to fly on the swing, or recall the patio where outdoor dinners wrapped in the warmth of the season evoke your nostalgia.

Scheduling Your Summer Family Photos in Edina, Minneapolis, or St. Paul

I’m Kristen, a mom and a photographer who captures documentary lifestyle family photos in Edina, Minneapolis, and St. Paul. Whether it’s your first time stepping in front of the camera together as a family or your third, exploring your home for summer family photography with your active children is an amazing way to enjoy a fun experience filled with play and activities (which I highly encourage!). You can find more details on working with me for a family photo shoot when you visit this link.