When is the Best Time to Schedule a Family Portrait? - St. Louis Family Photography

"Schedule a family portrait session," is something you see on a lot of To Do lists. Yet, it is one task that often never gets checked off. 

I hear a lot of parents say they need to have a family portrait done, but they just haven't gotten around to it. Well, the main reason it never gets done is simply because parents just can't decide when to have the portraits taken. 

We all know the biggest milestones in our families' lives which are the most popular portrait sessions; When a new baby is born, we celebrate a 1st birthday (or 2nd), Christmas card time, and when there is a high school graduate in the very near future. 

So, what about all the "in-between" years? Are there certain moments that are more important than the others? Of course there are! But when is the right time to schedule a portrait session?

I could so easily tell you that ANYTIME is a good time for a family portrait, because it is, but then that would not be at all helpful, right? 

So, I am here to help you decide when the right time is to schedule your session. And to tell you the truth, there is not a science to it, it's simply figuring out when it works best for your family.

My advice is this: 

Families with young children should schedule a portrait session at least 1-2 times a year. The reason? These years go by so fast and young children change so much in so little time. I am always amazed when I look at portraits of my own children from one season to the next. I think, "Oh my gosh! Look how little they were! That was just last Spring!" They grow so fast and it is so important to document every stage possible. There are times when parents say, "Well, Lily has lost some teeth, so we are going to wait for pictures" "Really?" I tell them. That is such a big part of childhood, and quite frankly, one of the cutest parts of childhood. Why would someone not want to have a photograph to remember that adorableness? Moral of the the story is don't put off having a family portrait session because you are waiting for "the right time". There will never be the perfect time in your eyes and that is the beauty of the portrait. It's your family! The way you are, the way you will remember. 

Families with adolescent age children probably don't worry about having a portrait taken as much as they did when the kids were younger. But, it's still important to take the time out of your busy schedules about once a year for a family portrait. One hour, once a year! That's easy! Deciding when to schedule your session can sometimes be as simple as what season do you like the best? Spring? Fall? Summer? Or when are the kids' sport seasons over? When are the kids even available? There are some smaller factors to think about too. Like making sure your son or daughter does not get a new hair cut/style right before the session. There is too much risk in them hating it and canceling the portrait. You may also be thinking that you will never be able to talk your kids into showing up for a family portrait, so you may have to use a little bribery. Maybe promise to take them to their favorite restaurant, out for icecream, or buy them those shoes they've been asking for.

Families with teenagers probably have the hardest time, mostly because the kids have become little adults with their own lives and their own busy schedules. They have school and sports, exams and jobs, and of course, their social life. But, again, as a parent you are asking your kids for 1 hour. And a lot of parents find it easy to schedule a family portrait around a big event in their teenager's life. For example, prom or graduation. Your teenager will be dressed nice, hair fixed, and you could probably squeeze in an hour long photo shoot before his or her friends arrive. A lot of the time you can have the photographer come to your house or a park very near your house. Also, as I mentioned before there is the infamous senior portrait session. It is very common for a parent to ask the photographer to do a few photos of the entire family at the beginning of the senior session. And it's usually not a big deal, just be sure to mention this when booking the senior session. And be prepared to have just a few family shots taken then step aside and let your senior be in the spotlight. 

Aside from the baby milestones, the adolescent bribery and the squeezed-in teenage family portrait, there are certain times of the year that families consider a "good" time for a portrait session (remember I really believe ANYTIME is a good time). Some of them include, Mother's Day, Father's Day, summer vacation, Grandparents Day (you would include the grandparents of course), Spring blooming season, and Fall foliage. It is also helpful to schedule the session around the same time each year. Then it just kind of becomes expected. 

I hope my advice can be of some help to you. And I hope to start hearing about parents checking "family portrait" off their to do lists.  

So when was your last family portrait? Do you have a favorite time of year? A favorite milestone? A favorite occasion? I would love to hear about your family portraits.

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