Keeping Kids Happy During a Summer Sunset Session – 7 tips from your Boston Family Photographer

That Golden Hour light is just that, pure gold!  But during a Massachusetts summer, that amazing light comes pretty late for kiddos.   Trust me though, it’s worth keeping them up.  It may not be easy, but it is 10000% worth it.  

So here are my best 7 tips to keep your kids happy during a Boston Summer Sunset session

1. Keep the day simple & plans minimal.

Easily said, but life right?!  Just do your best, keep kids on their routine, just don’t add in that extra soccer practice or playdate.

2. Keep Calm

Don’t you hate when people tell you to calm down, but trust me, when preparing for a photo session, everyone is a bit more stressed or high energy than usual. Your child can feel that energy, so you want to keep as calm as you can.  Don’t sweat the small stuff.   If your child still naps and you want to push it back, give them a bath or read them an extra book, whatever will help them to feel sleepy and calm.

3. Move bedtime later and push naps

A few days before the session, you can start pushing bedtime back 10-15 minutes and see how your child does!  And if you are lucky enough that your kiddo still naps, you can try to keep your child awake a bit longer than normal on your photo session day in hopes that they will be happier later in the evening

4. Make Our Session an Adventure

Get ready early and have a car picnic.  Grab take out and sit on a blanket at our session location.  Make it fun for your kids and low stress for you.   But don’t forget to bring your session outfits on hangers — no one likes a hamburger stain!

5. Arrive to our session a little early.

This way, you can avoid having your kiddos fall asleep in the car.  Unless you have that unicorn child who wakes up happy and raring to go.  They can also become more familiar and explore the place we have chosen to meet!

6. Have a sneaky back up plan.

If all else fails, you sometimes you need a backup item! Bring a favorite toy, dollar store find, a well loved stuffy, or blanket but don’t let your child know about it or see it. Then if the time comes that you’ve tried everything and they still aren’t happy, you can give it to them.  I also love photographing kiddos with their favorite stuffies — who doesnt want to remember the Mickey Mouse whose ear smelled terrible because their toddler used it as a teether!

7. Hire a family photographer who brings the fun & goes with the flow

Let’s be honest, any time of day its hard to get children to sit still, smile and fully cooperate.  Add a later bedtime,  the pressure of photos, and an unknown adult and we should expect them to be off their game a bit.  I find that most kids are happy to be outside, exploring a fun space and as long as mom and dad are happily playing, their kids will be too!  I “start where the client is at” and let the child lead the way.  Whether we are playing peek a book, singing together, or throwing rocks into the ocean, the playfulness of childhood is what I am hoping to capture.  There hasn’t be a kid I couldn’t win over yet, so let’s have some fun together this summer. 

Hope to see you all this summer, at sunset! Let’s Chat!