Fall and Winter is a perfect and high season for booking/taking family photo sessions.

I am in love with these candid and fun family pictures taken at the Salt River in Mesa, AZ!  Moniet, her husband Gerrod, son-Zechariah, 22; daughter-Nevaeh 7; daughter Mya 20 months,  make the cutest family of Five.

It was a hot day out, like over 105 degree that day.  I met up with them by the desert area side road near the river.  We started of with some family photos there and them move along to the water area where we wrap up our session there.

We have children with different ages group in this family and therefore to work with kids different ages can sometime be challenging for parent to manage them during the session.  Most mother would expect their children to be in a great behavior and listen to all direction during their photo session.  But let be real, there is so much more behind the scene during the session, many thing can happened when working with little one.  When working with children in different ages range, i often like to ensure that the parent need to be open minded and it does not matter if your kids cry or fussy, the best thing for parent to do during the session is to stay calm.

Little Mya did not do so well during the session.  She was mostly fussy, cried, wanting bottle, etc from start and it did not matter what her mom or me tried to do, she was mostly did not want to be part of this photo sessions at all. Nevaeh, 7 yrs, she is mostly being herself. One thing i have to say, her hair is so beautiful especially when the light hit the back side of her hair.   Son, 22 yrs Zach, just like most boy teenagers, which mostly come along the session.  

Most of the time, mom coordinate, book and communicated with photographer.  I am a mom too, and I do understand so well, how much we are mom love to dress up in that beautiful outfits,  we spend time plan and coordinate outfit for everyone in our family before the session, and we were so excited  and often we do have high expectation that everything will be perfect  during the session and we will get that perfect family photos like what we see people post on Instagram. Am I right so far?

So, what happened, if during the session, things does not go as you thought it would? what happened if your toddler cry and fussy, you may get frustrated and upset, you rounded up, trying to get the toddler to settle down, messed your make and hair? Possible right?

So, here is what I like to tell you and here is what I always tell all my clients/parent before and during the session when situation like this happened.


So, if the session does not go as plan because your child does not want to collaborate , cry or fussy, all you can do is stay calm. We will do our best to try to calm the child down, however if that does not work, we will roll with it and do more of the candid moments shots during the session. 
Be open mind!  The perfect family photo, does not have to be that image, where everyone in the family look direct at the camera, smile and cheese!  The perfect family photos are those images of your family, taken the way you all are.  The perfect family photos the one that show love, connection, personalities of family members, show story, and even emotional of the moments.  Your photos will show story and they will be your the perfect family photos just for your family , and you will cherish those for life time.  Your family are beautiful and unique and therefore dont compare to those others you see your friends or photographers post on their social media!