As a Seattle family photographer, I know how much heart you pour into preparing for photos with your children. You want to remember this season the missing tooth smile, the way they still curl into your lap, the sweetness of siblings together. But sometimes, even with the best intentions, family photo sessions feel harder than they should.

It’s not because you’re doing anything wrong. It’s because life with kids is unpredictable, layered, and beautifully messy. Over the years, I’ve noticed a few common mistakes families unintentionally make before their session. My hope in sharing these is to help your Seattle family photos feel more relaxed, joyful, and true to you.

Mother holding her baby and walking hand in hand with her daughter in a sunlit Seattle field, lifestyle family photo session.

1. A Too-Busy Day Before Photos

Seattle families are busy, especially with kids’ sports, birthday parties, and community events. But on photo day, less really is more. When children arrive overstimulated, their little bodies are already drained. Creating space for a slower day even just an afternoon at home before your session gives them the rest they need to show up playful and present.

Seattle family photo of a mother standing in a field at sunset, holding her baby while her daughter smiles at the camera.

Quick tip: If evenings are tricky for your family, consider an in-home session or even a backyard session. Both allow us to start earlier in the day, when kids are fresh and naturally more at ease.

2. Empty Bellies Lead to Meltdowns

Golden hour in Seattle can be breathtaking, but it often falls right at dinnertime. Many parents think their kids will be fine eating later, but the moment the distractions fade away, hunger shows up fast. Offering a hearty snack or even an early light dinner makes a world of difference in how content and cooperative kids feel during family photos.

3. Not Dressing for the Weather

Seattle weather has a mind of its own and the truth is, kids feel it more than we do. A child who is too cold or too hot will struggle to stay present, no matter how much fun we try to create. Dressing for the weather means planning with comfort in mind: layers that can be added or removed, shoes that handle damp ground, and fabrics that breathe when it’s warm.

Tender moment of a mother holding her baby close at sunset, photographed during a Seattle motherhood session.

What doesn’t work? Showing up jacketless in winter, putting a child in heavy wool on a hot day, or skipping layers on a windy evening. A little planning goes a long way. When your kids feel physically at ease, they’re free to laugh, explore, and lean into the moment and that’s when the most meaningful images happen.

4. Not Dressing for Comfort

Your family photos should feel like an extension of how you already love one another cuddling close, chasing your toddler through the grass, or holding your child in your arms. If you or your kids aren’t comfortable in what you’re wearing, those natural moments become harder to sink into.

Choose clothing that feels good on your body and lets your children move freely. A soft dress you can sit in, shoes you don’t mind walking in, layers your kids won’t fuss with these simple choices allow you to stay present instead of distracted. When everyone feels at ease, connection flows naturally, and that’s when the most meaningful photographs happen.

Mother holding her baby in a grassy Seattle field at golden hour, relaxed family photography session.

5. Expectations That Don’t Match Reality

This one is tender. Sometimes the hardest part of photos is letting go of the image we had in our heads. Your toddler may cry. Your teenager may not want to snuggle. Your baby may only want your arms. And that’s okay. These are not failures they’re truths of this season.

As a Seattle family photographer, my role is not to make your children into something they’re not, but to meet them where they are. A serious glance, a wild sprint, even a quiet cuddle these are the moments you’ll treasure when you look back.

Closing Thoughts

Family photos in Seattle don’t need to be perfect to be meaningful. When you prepare with these small shifts in mind, you open space for authenticity for the laughter, the stillness, the tenderness that will tell the story of your family as it truly is. And that story, captured on film, will always be worth remembering.

If you’re ready to experience a relaxed, artful family photo session in the Seattle area (or beyond), I’d love to create something meaningful for your family.

Inquire Here!!