How to Prepare for a Family Photo Shoot: The Complete Guide from a Hamilton Photographer

Family Photography · Hamilton, Ontario

After photographing hundreds of families across Southwest Ontario, here’s everything I wish every family knew before their session — from outfits and locations to what actually makes kids smile on camera.

---

01 — Why it matters

Why preparation changes everything

A great family photo session doesn’t happen by accident. After working with hundreds of families over the past decade across Hamilton and Southwest Ontario, I can tell you with confidence: the families who walk away with truly stunning, wall-worthy images are almost always the ones who prepared.

This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about making intentional choices — about your outfits, your timing, your location, and how you set your kids up for success — so that when the camera comes out, the magic happens naturally.

Research backs this up. According to psychologist Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky’s work on memory and emotional experience, anticipatory preparation — the act of planning a positive event — actually increases the emotional value of the experience itself. In other words: the more thoughtfully you prepare for your session, the more you’ll enjoy it, and the more that joy will show in your photos.

---

02 — The first decision

Choosing the right family photographer

Before anything else, your photographer sets the tone for the entire experience. You want someone who doesn’t just point a camera — someone who creates an environment where your family feels relaxed, playful and genuinely themselves.

At M+M Photography, our approach is built around movement, music, and genuine connection. We learn about your kids — their favourite things, their energy levels, what makes them light up — and we design your session around that. The result isn’t stiff poses. It’s real moments: the belly laugh, the chase, the sideways glance.

When researching photographers, look through their family portfolio and ask yourself: do the people in these photos look like they’re having fun, or do they look like they’re being photographed?

---

03 — The most common mistake

The outfit strategy that actually works

If there’s one thing I see trip up families more than anything else, it’s clothing. Specifically: trying to match too perfectly, or choosing outfits in isolation without thinking about how they’ll look together — and against the environment you’re shooting in.

Here’s the system I recommend to every family before their session:

Start with mom

Mom usually has the hardest time choosing, so start there. Pick an outfit she absolutely loves and feels confident in — no stripes, no busy patterns. Once that’s chosen, coordinate the rest of the family around her palette, pulling colours from her outfit as a guide.

Coordinate, don’t match

The goal isn’t everyone in the same colour. It’s visual harmony. Think complementary tones — warm neutrals with a single pop of colour, or a palette built around the season and location. According to colour psychology research by the Pantone Color Institute (whose seasonal palettes we reference at M+M — see our Fall Outfit Guide), complementary colour schemes read as more visually satisfying and cohesive than exact matches.

Season-smart choices

• Fall: Earthy tones, deep burgundy, mustard, olive. Solid colours work brilliantly against autumn foliage.
• Spring/Summer: Light, fresh tones — cream, sage, soft coral. Don’t be afraid of a bold pop of colour.
• Winter: Rich jewel tones — navy, hunter green, plum. Layers and textures add visual interest.

---

04 — Location, location, location

Picking the perfect location in Southwest Ontario

One of the most underrated decisions in family photography is where you shoot. The location isn’t just a backdrop — it sets the emotional tone of your entire gallery. Here are some of my favourites across Hamilton and Burlington:

Not sure which location is right for your family? When you book with M+M, we’ll go over the best options together based on your family’s vibe, the season, and what you want your photos to feel like.

---

05 — Light is everything

Timing your session: the golden hour advantage

One of the most important decisions you’ll make — and one many families overlook — is what time of day to schedule your session.

My strong recommendation: shoot during the golden hour, approximately 1–2 hours before sunset. Here’s why:

• The light is warm, directional and flattering — it wraps around faces beautifully instead of creating harsh shadows.
• It eliminates “raccoon eyes” — the dark under-eye shadows that midday overhead sun creates in nearly every photo.
• It opens up creative options: intentional lens flare, rim lighting, and a natural warmth in the sky that no editing can fully replicate.
• The quality of the light creates a slightly whimsical, cinematic quality that feels timeless in your final images.

This aligns with what photographers and cinematographers have understood for generations. Bryan Peterson, in his foundational book Understanding Exposure, describes golden hour light as the single greatest natural advantage available to any outdoor photographer.

---

06 — The real secret

Preparing your kids (this is where sessions are won or lost)

Let’s be honest: kids do not naturally love being photographed. They get restless. They get silly. They get hungry. They get suddenly, urgently, desperately tired in a way that was not apparent 20 minutes ago.

Here’s what consistently works, from years of experience with families:

Time the session around their schedule

Avoid nap time. Avoid the hour before dinner. The sweet spot for most young children is mid-morning after breakfast, or late afternoon after a good nap and a snack — which often aligns perfectly with golden hour.

Bring snacks

Always. Non-messy, easy snacks that won’t stain outfits. A small snack mid-session can completely transform a toddler’s mood.

Don’t over-explain it

Research in child developmental psychology, including guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics, suggests that children respond better to in-the-moment positive engagement than lengthy advance explanations. Instead of a detailed briefing, just tell them “we’re going to go somewhere fun and play.” Let the session speak for itself.

Tell me what they love

Before every session, I make a point of finding out what each child is into — their favourite characters, activities, jokes. When a photographer speaks your kid’s language, the wall comes down immediately.

---

07 — Making it memorable

Props, activities and keeping it fun

The best family photos aren’t posed — they’re captured in the middle of something real. The way I structure sessions is built around movement, activity and genuine interaction:

• Rock skipping at waterfront locations — a natural activity that gets kids engaged and creates beautiful candid moments.
• Big swings from mom and dad — a classic for a reason. Movement, physical connection and joy reads beautifully on camera every single time.
• Bubble makers — one of my absolute favourite props (see the case study below).
• Blankets for seated shots — create a relaxed, intimate feel and give kids a base to return to between activities.
• Music and dancing — I’ll often play music during a session to create energy and spark movement. Dancing photos are some of the most joyful images a family can have.

Props aren’t gimmicks — they’re tools for creating genuine emotion. When kids are focused on an activity rather than a camera, their real personalities come through.

---

08 — On the day

What to expect on the day of your session

A few final practical notes for the day itself:

• Arrive a few minutes early so the kids can run around and get comfortable with the location before cameras come out.
• Don’t stress about perfect behaviour — a little chaos is normal, and some of the best shots happen in the “between” moments.
• Let the kids lead sometimes. If they want to explore a path or splash near the water’s edge, follow them. Those unscripted moments become the images you’ll treasure most.
• Trust your photographer to guide the session — your job is to be present and have fun.

---

09 — A real M+M story

Case study: the bubble maker session

This is exactly the kind of experience we aim to create at M+M Photography for every family we work with. It’s why we invest in getting to know your family before the session, and why we don’t just show up with a camera — we show up with a plan to make it genuinely fun.

---

10 — Ready to book?

Your M+M family session awaits

Whether you’re planning a milestone session, an annual family portrait, or something in between, M+M Photography serves families across Hamilton, Burlington, Waterdown, Oakville, and Mississauga. We’d love to be your family photographer.