Preparing Your Family for Photo Day

The night before a family session, I always tell my clients the same thing: the photos you will love most are not the ones where everyone is perfectly still and looking at the camera. They are the in-between moments, the quiet laugh, the way your youngest reaches for your hand without thinking about it. My job on photo day is to be ready for those moments. Your job is much simpler than you might fear. A little preparation, and then you get to relax and let your family be your family.

I have photographed families here in the Coachella Valley for many years, and most of my work happens close to home: in your own living room with the light pouring through the windows, out on a shaded patio, or at a favorite neighborhood park or garden in Palm Desert, La Quinta, and Rancho Mirage. Those familiar, comfortable places are where families relax fastest and look most like themselves. Over all those sessions I have learned exactly what makes a photo day go smoothly, and what quietly derails one. This is the guide I wish every family had before we met, written as if we were sitting together over coffee planning your session.

Start with the calendar: when to book in the desert

Before we talk about outfits or snacks, let's talk about the single biggest factor in how your photos will look and feel: when you schedule them. The desert is a place of extremes, and the time of year shapes everything.

The cooler months (November through April) are the easiest time to photograph a family here. The air is mild, the light is gentle, and the whole valley feels alive. If you have relatives coming for the holidays, or grandparents who spend their winters in Indian Wells or Palm Desert, this is the natural window to gather everyone. My calendar fills earliest from late October through March, so if you are dreaming of a holiday-card session or a multi-generation portrait while the family is all in town, reach out a few weeks ahead.

Summer (June through September) asks more of us, but it is far from impossible. Daytime temperatures can climb well past 110 degrees, which is one more reason so many of my warm-weather sessions happen indoors in the cool comfort of your home. If you do want to be outside, we work at the very edges of the day, a sunrise session that wraps before the heat arrives, or a short evening shoot in the last hour before dark. We keep these sessions efficient and bring plenty of water.

Light matters as much as timing. Inside the home, I work with the soft, natural light from your windows, no harsh flash, just the gentle glow of late morning or afternoon falling across a room. Outdoors, I almost always shoot during golden hour, the hour or so after sunrise or before sunset, when everything turns warm and flattering and the high midday light has softened. Trust me on the timing, and we will both be glad we did.

The family photo day checklist

Here is the short version you can screenshot and keep on your phone. The rest of this article explains the why behind each item.

• Confirm the time and meeting spot a day or two ahead, including a backup plan for wind or weather.
• Lay out everyone's outfits the night before, fully, shoes and accessories included.
• Charge no devices, but do charge yourself — a good night's sleep matters more than you think, especially for the kids.
• Feed everyone before we meet; pack a small snack and water, especially in warm months.
• Bring the desert essentials: water, sunscreen, a hat for waiting time, and a hairbrush.
• Pack comfort items for little ones — a favorite toy, a pacifier, a change of clothes for the baby.
• Build in buffer time so no one arrives flustered or rushed.
• Bring anything meaningful you want in the photos: a special blanket, a pet, a sign, grandma's quilt.
• Come ready to play, not to perform. The looser everyone feels, the better the images.

That is the whole list. Everything else below is me helping you do each of these well.

What to wear: dressing your family for desert light

Of everything we plan, outfits are what families tend to overthink the most. Let me take the pressure off. Forget about everyone dressing identically; what you are really after is a family that looks like it belongs together, which is a softer and more natural thing.

Choose a palette, not a uniform

Pick two or three colors that work together and dress everyone within that range. In our landscape, soft, earthy, and muted tones photograph beautifully: warm neutrals, cream, sand, terracotta, dusty rose, sage green, denim, and the deep blues of the evening sky. These colors echo the desert rather than fighting it, and they keep the focus on your faces.

A few gentle things to avoid:

• Large, busy logos or graphics that pull the eye and date the photo.
• Tight stripes and small busy patterns, which can flicker oddly in the camera.
• Neon or very bright saturated colors, which reflect onto skin and tend to overpower the soft desert tones.
• All-black or all-white head to toe, which can read flat in our high-contrast light.

Add gentle layers and texture

Texture is your friend. A linen shirt, a chunky knit, a denim jacket, a flowing skirt, a hat, or a soft scarf adds depth and interest without any pattern at all. Layers also give us options if the temperature shifts, which it can do quickly between a Palm Springs sunrise and full daylight.

Dress for the season and the ground

If we are heading to a park or garden, think about the ground underfoot, lawn, gravel, or a winding path. Long dresses look gorgeous flowing in the breeze, but bring shoes you can actually walk in between spots. On winter mornings it can be genuinely chilly before the sun warms things up, so a stylish layer for the adults and a cozy sweater for the kids is wise. In summer, breathable fabrics in lighter colors will keep everyone comfortable. For an in-home session, simply dress for how your house feels and you will be set.

A quick word on the details

Lay every outfit out the night before, completely, including socks, shoes, hair ties, and any jewelry. Photo-day mornings have a way of swallowing a missing shoe. If you would like, send me photos of what you are planning and I am always happy to weigh in. I have a good eye for what will sing in our light, and I genuinely enjoy helping. For a deeper dive, I wrote a companion piece on exactly this: what to wear for desert family photos.

Preparing the little ones (and the not-so-little ones)

Children are the heart of a family session, and they are also the most unpredictable part. The good news is that I have never met a child I could not eventually win over, and I am very patient. Still, you can set us up for success.

Timing is everything for small children

Schedule around naps and meals, not against them. A hungry or overtired toddler will tell you exactly how they feel, and the camera will hear it too. A well-rested, recently fed child is a joy. When we book, tell me your child's rhythm and I will do my best to find a session time that lands in their happy window.

Talk it up, lightly

In the days before, mention the session in a fun, low-key way. "Margot is coming over to take some pictures of us, and we'll play and maybe get ice cream after." Avoid over-coaching. Please do not drill them to say "cheese" or sit still, because that produces the stiff, strained smiles we are all trying to avoid. I would much rather your child be a little wild and genuinely themselves.

Bring the comfort kit

For babies and toddlers, pack:

• A favorite small toy or stuffed animal (I can hold it just out of frame to get their eyes up).
• Snacks that do not stain little faces — think plain crackers over anything red or sticky.
• A pacifier if they use one, plus a change of clothes for the inevitable.
• Wipes and a small towel.

Teenagers and reluctant participants

Older kids and teens sometimes arrive convinced this will be torture. I get it. My approach is to never force the classic posed smile on anyone. We move, we talk, we let people be comfortable, and the real expressions come on their own. If you have a reluctant teen or a spouse who "hates having their picture taken," tell me ahead of time. Half my job is making people forget the camera is even there.

What to actually bring

If we are meeting at a park, garden, or other outdoor spot, a short, practical packing list for our desert climate. For an in-home session you can skip most of this, your kitchen and your couch have you covered.

• Water, more than you think you need. Even on a mild winter morning, and absolutely in the warmer months. Hydrated people look and feel better.
• Sunscreen, applied before we start so it has time to absorb and is not shiny in the photos.
• A hat and sunglasses for the waiting and walking between spots (we will take them off for photos).
• A hairbrush and any touch-up basics. A desert breeze can pick up quickly, even in a park or garden, and a quick smoothing-over keeps everyone camera-ready.
• Lip balm, because dry desert air shows on lips quickly.
• A blanket to sit on, both for comfort and as a lovely prop for ground-level family shots.
• Anything meaningful you want to include — a quilt passed down through the family, a beloved dog, a chalkboard sign announcing a new baby. These personal touches are often what makes a portrait truly yours.

Choosing your location

You do not have to have a location in mind when you reach out; helping you choose is part of what I do. But it helps to think about what feels like you. For most of the families I photograph, the answer is their own home and backyard, which is wonderfully intimate and easy, especially for newborns and very young children, and ideal when you want photos that feel like your real, everyday life. A close second is a favorite local park, garden, or green courtyard, where the kids can roam and there is shade and room to play.

If you would rather have a more scenic backdrop, the valley offers plenty: the lush, manicured greenery and palms of a Rancho Mirage or Indian Wells setting, the golden open spaces and mountain views around Palm Desert and La Quinta, or the soft architectural light of mid-century Palm Springs for families who want something a little more stylized. We will pick the one that fits your family's spirit and the season. I have more thoughts on this in my guide to the best desert spots for family photos.

The day itself: how to arrive ready

Here is what I hope your photo day actually feels like.

The morning of, give yourself more time than you think you need. The most common thing that affects a session is not weather or wardrobe; it is arriving frazzled because the morning ran late. Build a buffer. Feed everyone a real meal. Let the kids have a little energy to burn but not so much that they are wound up.

When we meet, take a breath. The first few minutes I am often just talking and letting everyone get used to me and to being together in this beautiful place. We do not launch straight into formal poses. We warm up. We walk, we chat, the kids explore, and somewhere in there I start making photographs, often before you realize we have begun. That is by design. Those early, unguarded frames are frequently the favorites.

Trust me to direct you. You will never have to wonder where to put your hands or how to stand. I will guide you gently into positions and then give you something to do — walk toward me, swing your daughter, whisper something to your partner — because a family doing something together looks alive in a way a family holding a pose never will.

Mistakes families make (and how to skip them)

A few honest, common pitfalls, gathered from years of sessions:

• Booking midday to fit a busy schedule. I understand the convenience, but the light will not love you. Let's find a golden-hour slot.
• New shoes or a brand-new haircut the day of. Blisters and unfamiliar hair both create discomfort that shows. Break things in, and book haircuts a few days ahead, not the morning of.
• Over-scheduling around the session. Don't sandwich photos between a birthday party and a flight. Give the day room to breathe.
• Threatening or bribing kids into smiling. It backfires every time. Let them be, and the genuine joy comes.
• Forgetting it should be fun. This is the big one. If you are tense about the photos being perfect, that tension is the one thing the camera truly cannot hide. The families who come ready to enjoy an hour together are always the ones whose images glow.

A few questions I am often asked

What if the weather turns or it's windy? The desert is usually cooperative, but wind happens. If conditions look genuinely difficult, I will reach out to discuss adjusting our time or date. A little breeze, though, is often a gift — hair and fabric in motion looks wonderful.

How long does a session take? Most family sessions run about an hour to ninety minutes. That is enough time to move through a couple of setups, let the kids reset if needed, and never feel rushed.

Should we do anything special with our hands or expressions? No. Truly. Come as you are and let me handle the rest. The less you pre-plan your face, the better.

What if our kids melt down? They might, and that is completely fine. I build in time for it, I am endlessly patient, and some of my most beloved photos have come right after a good cry, when a child collapses into a parent's arms and the whole family softens. We will get there.

Come as you are

If you take one thing from all of this, let it be this: preparation matters so that, on the day itself, you can stop preparing. Lay out the clothes, pack the snacks, mind the light, and then let go. Whether we are gathered in your living room or out under the palms, just bring your real, imperfect, wonderful family and simply be together. I will take care of the rest, and I will catch the quiet in-between moments that make your family unmistakably yours.

So tell me about your family. What are your kids like at this age, what does an ordinary afternoon in your home sound like, and what is the feeling you most want to hold onto years from now? Those are the things I think about long before I ever pick up the camera. When you are ready, reach out and tell me your story, and we will plan a photo day that feels like you.