What Should We Actually Do During Our Family Photos?

It’s one of the first things families wonder when I explain that I don’t pose or direct them:

But… what are we supposed to do for four hours?

The answer is surprisingly simple.

Whatever you normally do.

You don’t need to come up with an activity that will look good in photographs. You don’t need to plan an elaborate family outing. And you definitely don’t need four hours of perfectly behaved children happily interacting with one another.

The good stuff is usually much more ordinary than that.

Think about an ordinary day

Maybe someone is making breakfast while a kid sits on the counter stealing chocolate chips.

Someone needs their hair brushed and absolutely does not want their hair brushed.

The dog needs a walk.

There’s Lego covering the living room floor.

Your daughter wants you to see the fort she built downstairs. Your son wants Dad to help him practise riding his bike. Someone is hungry again, even though you literally just fed everyone.

Maybe you head to the park. Maybe you bake something. Maybe everyone ends up in the backyard with the sprinkler on.

Or maybe you never leave the house.

That’s enough.

In fact, that’s kind of the point.

You don't have to make your family interesting

I think we’ve become so used to seeing curated versions of family life that ordinary can start to feel like it isn’t worth photographing.

But think about the photographs from your own childhood that mean the most to you.

It probably isn’t because your house was spotless or everyone was wearing coordinating outfits.

It’s because you recognize something.

The kitchen you grew up in.

The way your dad sat in his chair.

Your favourite pyjamas.

Your mom doing your hair.

The dog who followed you everywhere.

The backyard before everything changed.

The photographs become more valuable because they show what life actually felt like.

But what if nothing happens?

Something always happens.

Not necessarily something big.

And that's exactly what I'm looking for.

I’m watching for the way your youngest climbs onto your lap without thinking about it. The look between you and your partner when one of the kids says something ridiculous. The tiny hand reaching for yours on a walk.

The chaos matters, too.

The tears. The negotiations. The sibling arguments. The child who suddenly decides they are DONE with whatever everyone else is doing.

None of that ruins your photographs.

It is your family.

We plan — just not in the traditional family-photo way

Before your session, we have a Planning Appointment in your home.

We're not planning poses or creating a shot list.

Instead, I want to learn about your family.

What does everyone love doing right now? What’s part of your daily routine? What makes your kids light up? Who gets along and where do personalities clash? Where does everyone pile together? What little routines would you miss if they disappeared tomorrow?

From there, we loosely plan our time together.

That might mean starting at home while everyone gets ready, heading to the park, coming back for lunch and ending with quiet time on the couch.

Or it might mean staying home for the entire thing.

There is no right itinerary.

Your ordinary life is the reason to do it

One day, the routines that feel incredibly ordinary right now won't exist anymore.

The toys will disappear from the living room.

They'll stop asking you to carry them.

Bath time won't require your help.

They'll make their own breakfast.

And you'll probably have a cleaner house.

But you might really miss the mess.

So if you've been putting off family photos Calgary because your family doesn't feel particularly photogenic, your house isn't finished, or you can't think of anything interesting enough to do…

You don't need to wait for a more photographable version of your life.

This version is the one you'll want to remember.

You don’t need a special occasion. You already have a life worth remembering.