My Top 5 Tips For a Grandparent Sessions You Will Cherish Forever!

Grandma and Grandpa aren’t always top of mind when it comes to family photos. It’s easy for us to get caught up in just getting them done, especially when you have kids that may not be thrilled about photos to start with. There are plenty of reasons why grandparents should be in your family photos and I have a few tips and suggestions to make this happen…I promise these are pictures that YOU need to have and will never regret booking. Here are 5 tips you need to know!

 

1. YOU ( yes you MOM ) need to actually BOOK this session yourself and make it happen. Your parents are not used to getting portraits like this taken. They are used to the old days where you all dressed up in matching formal attire and went to a studio where you all sat down and hopefully got one good  picture where everyone is looking. I bet you know exactly what picture I am talking about. If you have one you should DM me on Instagram I want to see it!!! These old school studio sessions  are the reasons why most men act as though photos are the equivalent of getting  root canal!!!

2. Think about WHY you need to do this. Just like kids, grandparents do not keep and trust me I cannot type these words without bawling at the thought of loosing a parent. Your children grow and change so quickly and your parents may not be around forever so if you think about it its absolutely magical to freeze these two fleeting life stages together in one frame.

3. Feed your kids and book the session on an evening ( for outdoor sessions) when you have NOTHING else to do. I have been doing this now for over a decade and I don’t know a better way to tell you this but……. feed your kids!!!! Hungry kids do not cooperate… like ever in the history of ever!!! Even if you plan to eat supper after the session shove 500 snacks into them before the session…. please just please!!!!! As well being rushed and having somewhere to be after your session just makes everyone nervous and I promise you kids will not cooperate on your timeline so make it an evening to remember and just spend time with each other go for ice cream after.

4. Let GO of Cheese and expectations!! As you can see from he pictures of my own mother not many have the subjects looking at the camera. Like the old portrait experience of sitting there and forcing a “CHEESE” smile from everyone has gone by the wayside, so has forced smiles and stiff poses. The unnatural poses and fake smiles are NOT what you want to remember. Help your parents realize this before the session and give them a pep talk about relaxing and just having fun. Love, hug, kiss tickle and laugh with the kiddos because THAT is what we always want to remember. There is no need to try and get everyone looking at the camera…. it takes too much time and effort for pictures that do not make the best memories!

5. Do not wait until all the grand-kids can be together!!!!! These sessions are not intended for grandma and grandpa to stand there with all 26 grandchildren. These session are about capturing and documenting that special bond between a grandparent and a child. My goal is to take the pictures of the little moments the kids share with each grandparent individually. I am sure your sister in law might be mad at you for booking a session without her kids involved but hey… tell her to book her own session!!!!

I recently SOLD out of a Grandparent mini Session dates but I have added 3 more slots via thins link:
https://jannagobeil.bigcartel.com/product/grandparent

Grab a spot now and then seed the link to your sister in law!!!!!

Welcome!

My name is Janna and I currently live in Saskatoon, Sask. I have an in home studio space that I use for shooting newborns, milestones and motherhood sessions.

All in all, I am surviving on coffee and very little sleep but I am happy. I have the privilege to work with absolutely wonderful families who trust me to hold their little bitty babies and honour me with the creation of their memories.  I do feel truly blessed. I would love to meet you and maybe learn a little bit about you and your family!

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Janna Gobeil Photography

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