Make sure that your little ones are comfortable in what they are wearing, don't insist they wear that bowtie or scratchy skirt if they aren't into it... happy chilled out kids make for happy pictures.

Clothing plays a huge part in creating a successful portrait.  Avoid clothing with very strong patterns /stripes. Solid colors are an absolute must. Prints and patterns distract the eye and draw attention away from everything else in the image but subdued patterns would do the job just as well.

Try to steer clear of any logos, and if they are there, they should be discreet and small.

Pastels and happy colours in general look great on children. For siblings or family pictures matching colours are best. You don’t necessarily all need to have matching outfits, but tops and bottoms should all be of the same/similar tones within a group of chosen colours. Good examples might be: Beige, white, light blue, pastels

Check out the weather and dress with that in mind if your shoot will be outdoors. Have all of your outfits picked out before the day of your photo shoot so you are not adding any more stress to your day.

Make sure everyone has eaten recently and bring extra snacks as a means or reward (or bribery!). Try to bring snacks that are small and not messy.

The most important thing for babies and toddlers is to make sure that they are well fed and well rested before the session. Generally mornings are better, but it should always be after a nap, so that the baby is in the best possible mood.

If your baby takes a pacifier, bring it – if they’re bottle fed, bring an extra bottle to help put the baby to sleep.

Tell your kids about the photo shoot to prepare them for what to expect before you arrive  Tell them what we’ll be doing and talk to them about how much fun it’s going to be.

Let your child smile naturally. The best way to get a ‘real smile’ is to actually make your child laugh or smile.  So instead of telling them how they should look I try to focus on being silly to elicit genuine emotions from them.

Stay Positive and have fun! Your kids will pick up on your mood so try to take some deep breaths and relax and enjoy the experience.  Nothing needs to be perfect. It’s all about trying to capture their personalities. 

During the photo shoot parents are responsible for siblings or other children not currently being photographed.