I’m so excited you’re here, and I’m honored you’ve chosen to invest in yourself, your family, and your story with a family portrait session.
The good news? You’ve already done the hardest part. You found a photographer you connect with, picked a date, and carved time out of your busy life to make this happen.
Now you might be wondering… What’s next?
What should everyone wear? How do you get the kids excited? What if someone has a meltdown? How can you make sure family photos are a success?
That’s exactly why I created this guide.
When you booked your session, I promised I wouldn’t leave you to figure it all out on your own. This guide is me keeping that promise. Inside you’ll find answers to the questions I hear most often, along with practical tips to help you prepare with confidence instead of stress.
My hope is that this guide takes away the guesswork, helps you feel prepared, and lets you focus on what really matters—being present with the people you love.
And remember, you’re never on your own. If a question comes up or something unexpected happens, just send me a text or give me a call. Whether it’s a small concern or a full-blown family-photo crisis, we’ll figure it out together.
Now, let’s get you ready for an amazing session!
I’m so excited you’re here, and I’m honored you’ve chosen to invest in yourself, your family, and your story with a family portrait session.
The good news? You’ve already done the hardest part. You found a photographer you connect with, picked a date, and carved time out of your busy life to make this happen.
Now you might be wondering… What’s next?
What should everyone wear? How do you get the kids excited? What if someone has a meltdown? How can you make sure family photos are a success?
That’s exactly why I created this guide.
When you booked your session, I promised I wouldn’t leave you to figure it all out on your own. This guide is me keeping that promise. Inside you’ll find answers to the questions I hear most often, along with practical tips to help you prepare with confidence instead of stress.
My hope is that this guide takes away the guesswork, helps you feel prepared, and lets you focus on what really matters—being present with the people you love.
And remember, you’re never on your own. If a question comes up or something unexpected happens, just send me a text or give me a call. Whether it’s a small concern or a full-blown family-photo crisis, we’ll figure it out together.
Now, let’s get you ready for an amazing session!
This guide is written specifically for my family portrait sessions but I offer all sorts, if you booked something else, I have a guide written just for you! While much of the information overlaps there are plenty of session specific tips meant just for you. Find your session below to click through the guide that’s made just for you.
It’s more than just a pretty backdrop
The location you choose does more than provide a backdrop—it shapes the entire feel of your session. It influences your wardrobe, the colors in your images, the activities we’ll do, and the overall mood of your photographs.
Here are the three things I encourage every family to consider when choosing a location.
My favorite locations are the ones that already mean something to you.
Maybe it’s family property, the park where you got engaged, the trail you hike every fall, or the lake you visit every Fourth of July. When a place is connected to your story, your photos become even more meaningful.
The best sessions happen when there’s something to do.
A creek to splash in. Rocks to climb. A dock to skip stones from. A wide-open field to run through.
Interactive locations help everyone—especially kids—relax and have fun. The more naturally your family can move and play together, the more genuine your photographs will feel.
Don’t overlook the logistics.
Travel time, walking distance, accessibility, lighting, season, and the natural colors of the landscape all affect your experience and your final images. They’re practical considerations, but they’re important ones.
–
Don’t have a location in mind? I’ve got you covered.
Check out my Location Guide for a curated list of my favorite portrait locations across the Valley.
Love the cinematic quality of my portrait portfolio?
Most of those images start with the location. Beautiful photos can happen anywhere, but a neighborhood park won’t photograph like a Sedona overlook or the Salt River. If you’re dreaming of those cinematic views, be sure to choose a location that offers them.
More than just clothes
Like a painter carefully considers how color will influence the composition when mixing paints for their masterpiece, styling is about choosing the visual elements that will become part of your family’s artwork.
I want your clothing to feel like you. Trends will come and go, but your personality, your family’s style, and the way you naturally show up together should be evident in the sytling and help tell your story.
That said, not every color, pattern, or fabric photographs the same. The choices you make can either support the connection in your images or compete with it.
My goal isn’t to put every family in the same wardrobe—it’s to help you create a cohesive palette that lets the people and the story, not the clothes, become the focus.
The guidelines below aren’t hard rules. They’re principles I’ve learned after photographing hundreds of families, and they’ll help you choose outfits that feel authentic, photograph beautifully, and stand the test of time.
#1 Styling Rule
This is not the time to put yourself last.
Shopping for women is almost always the hardest part of styling a family. Dad can wear a great pair of jeans and nice shirt. Kids can wear almost anything and still look adorable. But finding something you genuinely feel beautiful and confident in? It can be a challenge.
Here’s why this matters: every outfit you choose for someone else narrows the options for everyone who comes after. If your son is wearing green, now you need colors that complement green. If your daughter is in a floral dress, someone else should probably wear a solid. Every decision creates another design constraint.
So don’t make your own shopping harder than it has to be.
Choose Mom’s outfit first. Build the color palette around it. Then coordinate everyone else from there.
You’ll have more options, less stress, and a wardrobe that feels intentional.
STYLING
When it comes to color, it’s less about which colors you choose and more about their tone, value, and how they work together across your family.
The goal isn’t for someone to look at your photos and think, “I love that blue and yellow color scheme.” The goal is for them to notice your family—your connection, your personalities, and your story.
Your wardrobe should support the photograph, not become the subject of it.
Here’s how to choose a color palette that enhances your images without distracting from what matters most.
Colors Continued
Pinterest is full of family photo palettes. Most of them result in that photo we already agreed we don’t want that screams “These are our family pictures and we wore red and green!”
Rather than thinking in terms of “palettes” just focus on finding colors that work well together, Color Families if you will.
In fact, unless you have an extraordinarily large group, I recommend no two people wear the exact same color.
Let me show you what I mean.
Do This…
Don’t Do This…
Do This…
Don’t do This…
Do This…
Don’t Do This…
STYLING
Texture is one of the easiest ways to make your photos feel rich and dimensional. Linens, knits, gauze, velvet, corduroy, flowing fabrics, and layered jewelry all add depth and visual interest without distracting from your family.
Patterns can do the same when used intentionally. Florals, subtle stripes, and simple prints photograph beautifully. Skip tiny, busy patterns and oversized graphics that compete for attention.
Layers add depth, movement, and a sense of warmth to your images. They also give us flexibility throughout your session and make outfits feel more complete.
Think cardigans, jackets, overshirts, vests, scarves, hats, or even a favorite blanket. These simple additions can make your photos feel cozy while giving your outfits more character.
If it feels authentic to you and the setting, showing a little skin can make photographs feel more natural and connected.
Bare feet, rolled sleeves, off-the-shoulder sweaters, sleeveless dresses, or a dad carrying his kids shirtless at the lake can all create beautiful, intimate images.
Contrast helps everyone stand out as individuals instead of blending together. Rather than dressing everyone in similar shades/tones, mix light, medium, and dark values throughout your family’s wardrobe.
If Mom is wearing a darker dress, Dad might wear lighter tones, while the kids fall somewhere in between. A little contrast helps each person stand apart while still feeling like part of a cohesive whole.
“Maren… Help!”
If styling feels overwhelming, don’t worry—you don’t have to figure it out alone.
Every portrait session includes the option to schedule a complimentary pre-session consultation over the phone or Zoom. We’ll choose the best location for your family, create a styling plan, and answer any questions you have along the way. As a bonus, we’ll get to know each other before your session, making picture day feel even more relaxed.
If you’d like help styling your family, schedule your consultation before you start shopping. It’s much easier to build a wardrobe from the beginning than to work around outfits you’ve already purchased.
If you booked your session well in advance, I recommend meeting about 6 weeks before your session, and as soon as possible otherwise, so there’s plenty of time to shop or order anything you need.
Before we meet, take a few minutes to read through this guide and my Location Guide. If possible, have a few outfit options picked out for Mom, and feel free to text or email me photos or links beforehand. Starting with Mom’s outfit makes the whole process much easier.
–
Most importantly, don’t let styling become a source of stress. I’m here to help.
And if you don’t need a full consultation, that’s perfectly fine too! You’re always welcome to text me photos while you’re shopping or send over outfit ideas for quick feedback.
Click the link below to schedule your consultation.
The Key to Success
A successful family session starts long before anyone steps in front of the camera.
The way you talk about the session, the expectations you set, and the attitude you bring into the day have a bigger impact on your photographs than the location, the outfits, or even perfect weather ever will.
The goal isn’t to prepare your family to perform for the camera. It’s to help everyone arrive feeling relaxed, excited, and free to be themselves. When that happens, genuine connection naturally follows.
Every family member comes into this experience with their own ideas about what family pictures are like, so here are a few ways to get everyone on the same page.
I’m guessing you have a personal reason for booking this session. Share it.
Tell your family why now feels important, what you hope these photographs will mean years from now, and what you hope to remember when you look back at them. Helping everyone understand why you’re doing this creates buy-in before the session even begins.
The Key to Success
A successful family session starts long before anyone steps in front of the camera.
The way you talk about the session, the expectations you set, and the attitude you bring into the day have a bigger impact on your photographs than the location, the outfits, or even perfect weather ever will.
The goal isn’t to prepare your family to perform for the camera. It’s to help everyone arrive feeling relaxed, excited, and free to be themselves. When that happens, genuine connection naturally follows.
Every family member comes into this experience with their own ideas about what family pictures are like, so here are a few ways to get everyone on the same page.
I’m guessing you have a personal reason for booking this session. Share it.
Tell your family why now feels important, what you hope these photographs will mean years from now, and what you hope to remember when you look back at them. Helping everyone understand why you’re doing this creates buy-in before the session even begins.
You’ve spent time on my website learning my philosophy and approach. Your family probably hasn’t.
Help them understand that this won’t be an hour of stiff poses and forced smiles. Tell them to expect a fun evening together—walking, cuddling, climbing rocks, skipping stones, playing games, and simply spending time as a family.
If you have young kids, start talking about it several days beforehand so nothing feels like a surprise. Let them help choose their outfits if they’re interested.
And whatever you do… don’t practice smiles or looking at the camera.
The quickest way to kill genuine connection is to make everyone feel like they have to perform.
Trade “We have to get the perfect picture” for “We’re going to have so much fun together.” Once the session starts, become everyone’s biggest cheerleader. Resist the urge to fix hair, correct smiles, straighten shirts, or comment on behavior every few minutes. I’ll take care of the photographs—you focus on loving your people.
And if you’re using a reward system (which I’m fully in favor of!), keep it positive. “Remember the ice cream afterward?” works far better than threatening to take it away.
–
At the end of the day, the best thing you can bring to your session isn’t perfect outfits or perfectly behaved kids—it’s a willingness to be present with each other. I’ll take care of the rest.
Prepare your people cont.
You’ve spent time on my website learning my philosophy and approach. Your family probably hasn’t.
Help them understand that this won’t be an hour of stiff poses and forced smiles. Tell them to expect a fun evening together—walking, cuddling, climbing rocks, skipping stones, playing games, and simply spending time as a family.
If you have young kids, start talking about it several days beforehand so nothing feels like a surprise. Let them help choose their outfits if they’re interested.
And whatever you do… don’t practice smiles or looking at the camera.
The quickest way to kill genuine connection is to make everyone feel like they have to perform.
Trade “We have to get the perfect picture” for “We’re going to have so much fun together.” Once the session starts, become everyone’s biggest cheerleader. Resist the urge to fix hair, correct smiles, straighten shirts, or comment on behavior every few minutes. I’ll take care of the photographs—you focus on loving your people.
And if you’re using a reward system (which I’m fully in favor of!), keep it positive. “Remember the ice cream afterward?” works far better than threatening to take it away.
–
At the end of the day, the best thing you can bring to your session isn’t perfect outfits or perfectly behaved kids—it’s a willingness to be present with each other. I’ll take care of the rest.
Maren Elizabeth Photography
The best photographs happen when everyone feels loved, relaxed, and free to be themselves.
Everything in this guide is simply designed to help create those moments. Once your session begins, let go of the checklist, be present with your people, and let me take care of the rest.
