The McEnaney Family | Fall Photoshoot in Glens Falls, NY

It was a chilly Fall morning for this gorgeous family photoshoot in Glens Falls, NY. I had looked up the weather, as I always do, but it was much cooler than we anticipated. Luckily, the McEnaney family was up for adventure and hung in there with me! A recent storm had brought down a good number of the remaining leaves, but we found the color and brought them out for this sweet family!

The McEnaney girls were SO adorable with their sweet smiles and those gorgeous curls! The bubble machine was a big hit, and their giggles kept us all warm. Jay and Amanda stayed cool as cucumbers through their 30 minute photoshoot, which is such a testament to their energy and dynamic as a couple.

I had a warm blanket in my bag of tricks, and we stopped to take a break and warm up the baby for a few minutes. I always photograph at a pace the family is comfortable with, and we take breaks for snacks or warming up whenever we need to! It was such an honor to witness this family’s relationship with one another, and you could truly feel the love through Crandall Park this brisk fall day for their family photoshoot!

5 Tips for a DIY Family Photoshoot

DIY family photoshoot with our sweet helmet baby! We used a timer and continuous mode to be sure to capture the moments he was looking at the camera.

“You’re crazy! Won’t you lose clients?” Maybe. But with the tough financial times we’re all facing, if I can provide a few tips help, I’m happy to! And if there comes a time when you’re ready to invest with a professional photographer, I hope you’ll consider me.

I’ve been doing my own DIY family photoshoots for years. Truthfully, it’s a pain and takes some work, but it’s convenient and can help you save money.

Here are 5 tips to help make it a success!

1) Use a Tripod

Whether you’re shooting with an iPhone, DSLR, or Mirrorless camera; a tripod is essential to getting crisper shots while you’re trying to wrangle the little ones and fix your partner’s collar. You can get a fairly inexpensive one on Amazon, which is worth its weight in gold so you don’t have to balance your phone on the kitchen counter and hear your children repeat the littany of curse words escape your mouth when it inevitably crashes to the floor.

My own headshot taken in front of a window in my office

2) Face a Window

Gather your family and face a window in your home. This is the key to obtaining even natural light while shooting indoors. Bonus: your kids can watch the garbage truck go by, and you may even get some natural smiles! I took my own headshot with a camera balanced on a keg in my office, facing out of my window (the ultimate keg stand, some may say! Though I feel compelled to insist you don’t risk this with your own equipment.)

Group photo taken with a timer and continuous mode on our back deck. Not perfect, but it will do!

3) Use a Timer

Set a timer on your phone or camera so you have time to dash back and forth from the camera to grab a child and smile oh-so-naturally before the shutter clicks.

4) Use Continuous Mode

Maximize your photoshoot and set your camera to continuous mode to capture 10 images at a time. The odds are better that you’ll get more people in the group smiling, and you’ll capture those great candid moments in between clicks!

5) Have Patience

The key to a successful at-home DIY family photoshoot is to have patience with yourself and your family! You’ll be playing the role of both model and photographer, so be kind to yourself as you dash back and forth between the camera and your crew. The kids will get restless, and that’s ok! Some of the best smiles come from the in-between moments.

If you try any of these, I’d love to see your results! We all know nothing can replace the photo quality and experience a photographer can provide, but these tips may help in the meantime. When you’re ready to stop dashing and cursing, reach out to me so I can take at least the photographer role off of your plate!