HOW CUTE is this momma (who’s also a very talented photog herself!) for putting together a fun Skateboard Rooftop Family Photoshoot to remember her son, Levi’s, FIFTH birthday?!

Answer: THE CUTEST!!

It’s soo so important to capture every stage of your little ones lives! And what better way to finish off a kiddo’s birthday celebration by playing/skateboarding around, enjoying ice cream with the fam, & inviting a photog to capture some shots that you’ll cherish 5everrrr :)))  

If setting up a birthday photoshoot for your kiddo sounds like something you’d like to do… then here are a few tips to remember so you can make the most of your experience! :))) 

5 Tips for the BEST Family Photos (with Kids) 

1. Pick a place or activity where you’ll have something FUN to do!

Whether you go to an amusement park or the county fair or the zoo or a pumpkin patch… etc, it helps to pick a LOCATION for your shoot that the kids will be excited to go to + will have something to DO while they’re there. Even if you’re just going to the park down the street… if you bring kites to fly, or bikes to ride, or ice cream to enjoy… giving them something FUN to do will give you those amazingly candid photos with real smiles that you’re wanting :))) 

2. Make sure everyone has eaten before + bring treats to reward the kids! 

Kids do NOT want to listen to anything when they’re hungry (and I don’t blame them, because ME EITHER lol)!! So you’ll def want to make sure that they’ve had their lunch or dinner BEFORE the shoot so they’re not complaining the whole time & just waiting for it to be over so they can eat **that’s especially true for babies!! You can also bring a few sweet treats to reward them for happy smiles :))) Or turn the treats into a game… like throwing popcorn up in the air & seeing if they can catch in their mouth! :)))) **this method also works great for shoots with dogs… hahah! 

3. Hype them up ahead of time about how GREAT the shoot will be! 

A few days leading up to your shoot… start talking to your kids about how much FUN it’s gonna be & start to get them excited & looking forward to the experience! Give them a heads up of what to expect, how you expect them to behave, and what you’ll reward them with afterwards for good behavior! :))) 

4. Come prepared with tickles or sayings that you KNOW will make them naturally laugh! 

Parents generally already know what their kids think is HILARIOUS and it ranges from things like…. fart noises, anything related to the phrase “poopy butt”, knock knock jokes, burps, wet willies, etc. But even if your kiddo doesn’t have a word or something that always makes them laugh… you can alwaysssss resort to TICKLING! Works like a charm :))) & brings out those REAL, natural smiles & giggles! You can also start playing their favorite song from their favorite show on your phone speaker & have a dance party! :)))) 

5. Don’t have too many expectations + just have FUN with it! :))) 

I heard someone once say that if you get ONE solid & usable photo from a family shoot… then, you should consider it a SUCCESS lol!! If you don’t go into it thinking that the kids are going to listen & look up & smile in every single photo… but rather, just have fun with it, interact with the kids, & focus on making them laugh… then you’re sure to get some GREAT photos to hang up on your walls + update your phone screensaver! :))) 

Skateboard Rooftop Family Photoshoot

Hope those little tips helps for your next family photoshoot! :)))

And I’m just now realizing that I’ve never posted a family shoot before so I don’t have another one to link to lol!! BUT you can CLICK HERE to view a sweet engagement shoot where they brought in their adorable baby boy in for a few pics to hold ya over until I can upload more family blogs posts lol! :)))