1) Send a message to your photographer.

You should have their phone number and email address so you can contact them right away with an accurate ETA. If you're going to be more than a few minutes late, find out if you'll still have enough time for your session. There may be different factors you’re not aware of that can play into this, such as the position and angle of the sun, or if your photographer has another family session or sessions after yours. Check in with your photographer right away (preferably by phone), as a courtesy to them and so the two of you can decide if you still have time to go ahead.

2) Drive carefully.

If you get into an accident, you can forget that session all together, and of course your safety is the most important thing. Getting pulled over will also delay you further. That experience likely won’t set the best tone for your session anyway. So, even if you're worried about being late, take your time and drive carefully.

3) Don’t be too embarrassed.

If you take pride in being punctual, you may be disappointed that your best-laid plans did not come to fruition for whatever reason. But know that you are not the first (and will not be the last) client to arrive at their session feeling rushed and stressed. Your photographer has seen it all, and they aren’t taking it personally. You did your best to plan ahead of time and arrive on time, but something beyond your control occurred. It’s all right. Just keep your photographer updated on what's going on and don't be too hard on yourself.

4) Don’t let the kids know you’re stressed out.

Children feed off our energy, and if they sense you're a nervous wreck, they're likely to respond with their own nervousness or stressed behavior out of discomfort... and that’s not going to result in great photos once you do get to your session. Keep everyone relaxed by playing soft music, and do your best to arrive unfrazzled so you can immediately begin having a happy family time and create lovely portraits.

5) Know that your session may be a bit shorter than planned.

Your photographer will need to stay on track with their schedule and not inconvenience the rest of their clients for the day. Also, if it's an outdoor session, you may be up against time constraints with the sun setting. So your session may be cut a bit short due to the later start time. But don’t worry - you’ll still be able to capture great images even in a shorter time frame. This is one of the benefits of working with an experienced photographer!

6) Update your ETA with your photographer several times if needed.

Keep your photographer informed of your progress if your delay is due to traffic, an accident, roadwork, or another incident on the road. They can try to brainstorm ways to make your session time more efficient, so that once you arrive you can dive right into making memorable portraits. Your courtesy in keeping your photographer informed will be appreciated.

7) Once there, make an effort to put the stressful trip behind you and focus solely on enjoying the session.

Be present with your family, laugh, play, snuggle, and enjoy your time in front of the camera. This is how the best images are created! None of the earlier stress matters once you are at the session. So do your best to shake it off and have a memorable and fun experience with the people you love most!

For more information about booking and planning your family portrait session, check out more of my website or fill out this contact form!