Are you planning a big family vacation?

It might even be the first time to whole family is getting together in a few years! So naturally, you want to make sure everyone has a great time but you also want to ensure those memories are captured. We totally get it! We live right near Disney World and grew up right near Clearwater Beach. This means, many of our clients come here to visit and have portraits taken on their vacation. (Let’s be honest, even our own family does this as well!) We want to help make sure you get beautiful images, keep the day stress-free and have fun while doing it. Here are some of our best tips to make sure this happens.

The first few tips are pretty easy but will set you up for success.

The first tip is just to plan.

This tip may sound simple but it’s often overlooked. So many times we will get a phone call from someone on vacation already wanting to get portraits of their extended family within the next few days. As much as we’d love to make this happen for everyone, we are often booked by that time. Planning ahead and reaching out before going on that vacation is going to be a big help in making sure you are able to get those images captured.

The next piece of advice is to talk to the family about it.

Let everyone know your plans ahead of time. We know Central Florida has A LOT to offer. Many people come here for the theme parks and there are so many to visit. It’s hard to fit everything in, especially if there are a lot of family members on the trip. Sitting down and getting a good game plan of which days are designated for what, will show you where you have availability to schedule a photo session. Besides, this tip will make your whole trip a lot smoother, we promise!

This next tip will take some time, but it is definitely worth it. Coordinate your outfits.

If you are a single family looking for portraits, this is going be very simple. Pick a color scheme and make sure everyone in the family is coordinated; not matching. And yes, there is a big difference. When working with me, I will help share ideas for color coordination. I am always happy to help you make sure your outfit choices will look great on camera!

If you are planning a larger family portrait with extended family this tip is going to be crucial. You want to make sure that each individual family looks great on camera together, but that the full group is coordinated as well. So when we go to get the shot of all the cousins together, everyone still looks like they are apart of the same family. Starting this process early will give everyone enough time to find an outfit they love and will be happy to have photos in.

Pro tip: If you are planning your photo session on the beach, you can’t go wrong with light, soft colors. We are big fans of white, navy, tan and blues. Here’s an example of how that might look:

The next tip is for the parents. Have conversations with your kids about the photo session before the day of.

Make sure they understand how it will go, the length of time and why it is important to you. This may even be their first photo session and if the whole week has been spent at the pool or at Disney, it’s easy to understand why they might be confused about having to get dressed up to take pictures. Setting expectations is a key to getting those big smiles for the camera. We also suggest rewarding them afterward. This could be stopping to get ice cream or maybe some evening pool time when you get back to the hotel! Florida gets hot during the summer and it’s a lot to ask of little ones to stand outside for an hour while taking photos. Having something to look forward to when they are done is a great incentive.

The last tip is to make sure you choose an experienced photographer.

When you arrive and are ready to start taking pictures, you want to be confident knowing you picked a professional who is capable of the job. There are so many reasons for this. Number one reason is so that you get those beautiful photos you are hoping for! The second reason is because your time is precious. You want to make sure that this session is a valuable add to your stay in Florida. And the third reason is that a professional photographer who is familiar with taking family portraits for large groups will be able to provide a fun, laid-back but efficient experience. This makes all the difference in the world.

Our team has photographed countless extended family photo sessions. We know what it takes to make the kids smile, work fast in the summer heat, make sure everyone is having a good time AND that you walk away with photos you love. If you are planning a trip to Florida, reach out! We’d be more than happy to chat with you about scheduling a photo session for your next vacation! Contact us here to learn more!

Want to see more?! Check out this family portrait session from a sweet family visiting Florida from out of state!

Need tips for what to do while in Florida (other than your portrait session of course)?! There is so much to see and do during your trip and Visit Florida has a lot of great suggestions. Check them out here to help plan your trip.