How to Prepare for Your Family Photoshoot | A Guide to Relaxed Family Photography in Devon
There's something truly special about pressing pause on everyday life and capturing your family exactly as you are right now.
Whether your little ones are full of energy, shy around new people or simply love exploring the world around them, your family photoshoot isn't about perfection—it's about preserving this chapter of your story.
One of the questions I'm asked most often is, "How can we prepare for our family photoshoot?"
The good news is, there's very little you need to do. My sessions are designed to feel relaxed, natural and enjoyable, allowing genuine moments to unfold rather than creating perfectly posed photographs.
Here are a few simple tips to help you feel confident and ready for your session.
Wear Clothes That Feel Like You
The most beautiful family photographs are the ones where everyone feels comfortable.
Choose outfits that reflect your personality while complementing one another rather than matching exactly.
Soft, neutral colours photograph beautifully and allow the focus to remain on your family's connection rather than your clothing.
Some lovely colour combinations include:
Cream and soft white
Warm beige and camel
Sage green
Dusty blue
Soft blush
Oatmeal and stone
Earthy browns
Muted terracotta
These timeless tones work beautifully in every season and won't date your photographs in years to come.
Avoid Large Logos and Busy Patterns
Simple clothing always photographs best.
Large logos, bright neon colours or bold patterns can draw attention away from the people who matter most—you and your family.
Instead, think soft textures like knitwear, linen, cotton and cosy layers that add warmth and depth to your images.
Dress for Comfort
Children are happiest when they can move, play and explore freely.
Choose clothing that allows everyone to feel comfortable, especially younger children who may want to run, cuddle or be carried throughout the session.
If you're constantly adjusting clothing or worrying about shoes, it's much harder to relax and enjoy the experience.
Comfort always creates more natural photographs.
What Should We Bring?
You don't need to arrive with bags full of props.
The most meaningful photographs come from genuine interactions rather than carefully staged accessories.
However, it can be helpful to bring:
A favourite comforter or teddy
Snacks for little ones
Drinks and water
Spare clothes for babies or toddlers
Baby wipes
A favourite blanket
Any medication your child may need
If we're photographing younger children, small, non-messy snacks can be wonderful for quick energy boosts during the session.
How to Help Your Children Feel Relaxed
Parents often apologise before we've even started.
They'll say things like:
"My little one won't sit still."
"She's really shy."
"He never smiles for photos."
Please don't worry.
I've photographed enough families to know that children don't need to behave perfectly to create beautiful photographs.
In fact, some of my favourite images happen when children are simply being themselves.
Whether they're running barefoot, cuddling Mum, collecting shells on the beach or giggling with their siblings, those are the moments that tell your family's story.
My sessions are never about asking children to sit still and smile at the camera for an hour.
Instead, we chat, play games, explore and let children be children.
You Don't Need Perfect Behaviour
This is probably the most important thing I can tell you.
Please don't put pressure on yourself—or your children—to perform.
Real family life isn't perfectly tidy.
It's full of cuddles, laughter, curious little explorers, windswept hair and tiny hands reaching for yours.
Those beautifully imperfect moments are often the ones you'll treasure most years from now.
The goal isn't perfect behaviour.
The goal is genuine connection.
Relax and Enjoy the Experience
Children take their cues from the adults around them.
If you're feeling relaxed, they're much more likely to feel relaxed too.
There's no need to spend the entire session asking everyone to smile.
Instead, focus on enjoying time together.
Talk.
Laugh.
Cuddle.
Play.
Those authentic interactions create photographs that feel full of life and love.
Family Photography That Feels Like Your Family
Every family is wonderfully unique, and your photographs should reflect that.
At Pengelly Portraits, I create relaxed, natural family photography from my welcoming studio in Shaldon, near Teignmouth, and at beautiful outdoor locations across South Devon, including Newton Abbot, Exeter, Dawlish and the surrounding areas.
My approach is gentle, unhurried and centred around real connection, creating timeless images that you'll love just as much in twenty years as you do today.
Ready to Capture This Chapter?
Life moves quickly, and childhood changes in the blink of an eye.
A family photoshoot is an opportunity to pause, spend time together and create memories you'll return to for years to come.
If you're looking for relaxed, natural family photography in Devon, I'd love to welcome you to Pengelly Portraits.
Together, we'll create beautiful photographs that celebrate your family exactly as you are—perfectly imperfect.
