10/06/2026
📸 UNHINGED PHOTO TIPS FROM YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER 😂
Things nobody tells you before family pictures… but I absolutely will. 👀
🥤 AVOID CARBONATION
Maybe don't crush 3 Diet Cokes right before your session. 😂
Carbonation causes gas and can make your stomach look more distended. If you want the most flattering version of yourself in fitted clothes, skip the carbonated drinks for the 1–2 days before your photo shoot.
Trust me on this one. 😂
🧂 DON'T GO FERAL WITH THE SALT
A super salty diet can cause your body to retain extra water, which can make you look puffier.
Keep the extra-salty foods to a minimum for 2–3 days before your shoot.
You don't need to eat bland chicken and rice for a week. 😂 Just maybe don't make your last meal before pictures an entire bag of Takis.
🍷 SKIP THE W**E
Dehydration + bad sleep + facial puffiness is NOT the trifecta we're going for. 😂
If you want to look and feel your best, skip the alcohol the night before your session.
🍔 DON'T SHOW UP DIRECTLY AFTER THANKSGIVING DINNER
You do NOT need to starve yourself for photos. Please eat!
But don't schedule your session immediately after the biggest meal you've had all year. 😂
Eat a normal meal earlier in the day and have a high-protein snack before your session if you need one.
You want to be comfortable and energized — not painfully full.
💧 DRINK YOUR WATER
This one is important.
Do NOT dehydrate yourself for pictures.
Dehydration can leave you feeling awful and can make your skin look less fresh. Drink your normal amount of water and show up hydrated.
🧴 MOISTURIZE YOUR HANDS
If we're holding hands, wearing rings, holding your baby's hand, or doing close-up detail shots…
YOUR HANDS WILL BE PHOTOGRAPHED. 😂
Give them some love beforehand. Dry, cracked hands are surprisingly noticeable in close-up photos.
🌸 PLAN AROUND YOUR CYCLE
Okay, hear me out. 😂
If you know you feel your absolute BEST around ovulation, schedule your photos around that time.
And if you know you're fighting for your life with PMS one week every month…
Don't schedule your family pictures that week. 😂
If you're feeling bloated, exhausted, emotional, or just don't feel like yourself, pick a different week if you have the flexibility.
🎨 MAKE A COLOR PALETTE
Do this BEFORE you buy everyone's outfits!
And buy everything at least 3 WEEKS before your session.
TRUST ME.
That gives you plenty of time to order things, realize something looks completely different in person, return it, order a different size, or find something that actually works. 😂
Do NOT wait until three days before your session to decide what everyone is wearing. 😭
🎩👓 TAKE A BREAK FROM HATS + GLASSES
If you naturally wear hats or glasses outside, stop wearing them about a week before your photo shoot.
Why?
TAN. LINES. 😂
You do not want to show up with a bright white forehead or little pale patches around your eyes.
And please don't go get an intentional tan just for pictures. We're trying to avoid the accidental ones. 😂
Basically…
You don't need to completely change yourself before pictures.
You don't need to starve yourself.
You don't need to dehydrate yourself.
You don't need to become a different person.
These are just my weird little “I've photographed a LOT of people and I've noticed things” tips that can help you look and feel your absolute best. 😂🤍
And if you forget every single one?
I'll still take pretty pictures of you. 😂📸
