One of the secrets to a great family session—especially with high-energy little ones—is focusing more on fun than on perfectly posed pictures. Here are a few things that helped make this session so successful:

• Group photos FIRST:
Kids warm up quickly when they can run, explore, and burn some energy. This also means that right when you arrive is the best time to capture the posed group shots. I find that once they’ve had a chance to play, those full family poses are very difficult to achieve. So PLEASE take the posed family group photos first!

• Keep them moving:
Once the picture perfect images are captured… then comes the fun. Incorporate walking, swinging, tossing leaves or have races to get natural and lifestyle images. Movement creates natural smiles and keeps kids engaged.

• Embrace the unpredictable:
The best photos often come from unplanned moments. A sudden giggle, a goofy expression, a cuddle that turns into a tickle fight—those are the real memories. At the very beginning of this session, big brother wiped out and scraped both his hands. He was very upset but we worked very hard to turn things around and still have fun, in spite of his pain.

• Stay relaxed:
Parents who go with the flow set the tone. This family was wonderful at keeping things light, laughing with their boys, and trusting the process.

Sessions like this remind me why I love what I do. There’s nothing better than freezing these fleeting, wild, wonderful seasons of childhood—especially for families whose days are full of movement, laughter, and so much love.