What Happens at a Family Photo Session?
If you’ve never booked professional family photos before, it’s completely normal to feel unsure about what actually happens.
Do the kids have to behave perfectly?
Will it feel awkward?
Do you need to know how to pose?
Most families I work with in Launceston and across Northern Tasmania have the same questions before they book. The experience is usually far simpler — and far more relaxed — than people imagine.
Here’s what the journey looks like from the very beginning.
It Starts with a Planning Appointment
Before I even book in a photography session or pick up a camera, we sit down together.
The planning appointment isn’t just about choosing a date. It’s where we talk about:
where your session will take place (in-home or outdoors)
how your family actually interacts
what stage your children are in right now
how you’d like the finished artwork to live in your home
all of the possible product options and pricing (because no one wants a pricing surprise!)
Some families come in knowing exactly what they want. Others arrive saying, “I have no idea where to start.” Both are completely fine.
This conversation is what allows the session itself to feel calm. We’ve already discussed expectations, answered questions, and thought through details like clothing and timing.
There’s no pressure to have everything figured out before you walk in — that’s what the appointment is for.
Preparing for Your Session
Once your date is locked in, preparation is usually simpler than people expect.
What to Wear
Clothing doesn’t need to be complicated or overly coordinated. During the planning appointment, we’ll talk through colours, textures, and how to avoid everyone looking too “matchy.”
The goal isn’t perfection — it’s cohesion.
Soft, neutral tones tend to photograph beautifully in both outdoor Tasmanian landscapes and inside family homes, but the right choice always depends on your location and your space.
Getting the Kids Ready
You don’t need to rehearse smiles or bribe them into perfect behaviour.
Family sessions are relaxed and gently guided. Children are allowed to be themselves. Movement, cuddles, little bursts of energy — that’s all part of it.
If you have toddlers, I expect toddler behaviour.
If you have teenagers, I expect teenager energy.
The session works with your family dynamic, not against it.
On the Day
A typical family session lasts around an hour.
Sometimes it’s a little shorter, sometimes a little longer — it depends on the rhythm of your family.
I’ll gently guide you into natural positions and interactions rather than stiff poses. You won’t be left wondering what to do with your hands, and you won’t be expected to perform.
Most families settle into it within the first ten minutes.
If we’re outdoors, we’ll move around slightly to make the most of the light and surroundings — whether that’s in the Tamar Valley, around Launceston, or somewhere meaningful to you.
If we’re in your home, the focus is on using the spaces you already love — living rooms, hallways, even bedrooms if the light is right.
A Note About Newborn Sessions
Newborn sessions follow the same relaxed philosophy, just at a slower pace.
They’re typically held in your home, where everything you need is already close by. There’s time for feeding, changing, settling — no rush and no pressure.
The focus isn’t complicated posing. It’s connection.
Why the Planning Matters
The biggest difference families notice isn’t what happens during the hour itself — it’s how calm it feels.
Because we’ve already talked.
You know what to expect.
You know what it costs (sessions have a $150 session fee, with artwork chosen separately later).
You know the general plan.
You also know Me! and I know you, and if I’m honest 80% of the planning appointment is just getting to know each other, so that on the day, we’re not meeting for the first time.
That preparation is what allows the session to feel unhurried and natural.
If You’re Feeling Unsure
Most families don’t book because they feel completely confident.
They book because they’ve been thinking about it for a while, and eventually decide it’s worth having a conversation.
If you’d like to talk through how a session might look for your family, you’re very welcome to book a planning appointment. There’s no expectation beyond starting the conversation, if you decide I’m not the photographer for you, that’s no problem!
But who knows, you might decide you can’t go any longer without some of my photography up on your walls.