How do Sibling Sessions work?

This session was such a blast! It was a brother sister duo who happen to be twins. They each had the best personalities to work with and to photograph.

With this blog post I will be explaining a bit how sibling sessions work

Before the session happens the parents and I talk(whether it is in person, through email or on the phone) about the children. We talk about their personalities, what makes them tick and their favorite things. Finding out these simple facts before the session allows me to find a way to connect with the child at a faster pace which allows the child to become more comfortable.

In the beginning of the sessions I like to encourage the siblings to interact with one another by hugging, holding hands or telling each other silly jokes to make each other giggle. It helps them warm up and feel more relaxed.

I always try to encourage the children to have fun, be silly and smile. I try to make it a fun experience for everyone and change their perspective on thinking photos are boring.

Once the children are more comfortable being themselves with me, I break them apart for a minute or two. I try to make it a game of who can make each other laugh the most. I encourage one sibling to stand behind me and make the silliest face possible. The goal is to get a genuine smile.

I am not the photographer who forces the child to stand still in the same spot for 20 minutes, I encourage exploration of the space. I myself have a hard time sitting in the same spot for a few minutes, so I understand what it feels like to be stuck in an area when you could be having fun discovering the beauty of the site.

I love to tour the site with the children and making it seem more like a game rather than a photo shoot. The exploration tends to be different for each location as each space has something different to offer. We go for a scavenger hunt for animals or flowers or we dance in circles until we get dizzy, it varies by each family .

The overall goal is to have fun! If a child is feeling overwhelmed or upset, I try to mix it up and give them time to settle down. I don’t want to force anything on anyone. 

One of my favorite parts of photographing children is photographing the in between moments where the child forgets I am there and they are just in their own little world. It is just something about photographing them at peace that makes my heart happy.