Knowledge Centre / Viewings / What Happens at a Photography Viewing Appointment?

What happens during a family photoshoot at Two Front Teeth?

A Behind-the-Scenes Guide from Two Front Teeth Photography, Cheltenham

By John Moore27 October 20265 min read

You don’t need perfectly behaved children

One of the questions I’m asked most often is whether children generally behave during a photoshoot. My answer? Children are children! We see every personality imaginable, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

I’ve been photographing families for more than 25 years, and I’m a dad myself although my children are adults now. I know all about the cheeky looks, the sudden changes of mood and the moments when children decide they’re definitely not doing what they’re told.

My goal is not trying to recreate a school photograph where everyone sits still and smiles on command. The photographs I love most show who your family really is: a mischievous grin, a toddler racing around, siblings playing, a gentle cuddle, or a teenager looking wonderfully cool.

A LITTLE BROTHERLY LOVE — SORT OF

I once photographed a baby of about seven months and his big brother, who was around two. The baby absolutely adored his brother and kept gazing up at him. His big brother, meanwhile, looked thoroughly unimpressed about having a baby brother at all!

We photographed those grumpy looks as well as the smiles. They were some of the most memorable pictures from the session. I imagine the boys are great mates now — and I’d love to hear them laughing about those expressions when they’re older.

From the moment you arrive

There’s a personalised welcome sign outside, and when you come in, we don’t immediately launch into instructions and poses. We chat. We have a laugh. We get to know each other while I get everything ready.

I want you to feel as though you’re spending time with someone you get on with, not walking into a formal production line. Being relaxed and enjoying yourselves makes an enormous difference to the photographs.

What should we wear and bring?

For family or sibling photographs, keep clothing fairly simple and think about colours that work together. Blues and whites, for example, can look lovely. You don’t need identical outfits, but lots of clashing colours can distract from the people in the picture.

If you’re keen on black-and-white photographs, think about contrast: something very light alongside something dark often gives a stronger result than several colours that all turn into similar shades of grey.

Bring a few outfit options if you like — we can have a look together. Individual portraits can be much more playful, with strong colours, fancy dress or something that really expresses a child’s personality. I’ve even photographed a whole family in their ski kit!

Props can make a photograph personal: a violin, a favourite toy, a much-loved teddy from great-gran, or a blanket knitted by a grandparent. For maternity photographs, you might bring a scan picture or the baby’s first tiny shoes. Some things look beautiful in a photograph; others matter because of the memories they carry. Both are worth bringing.

How the session unfolds

We often start with a few individual portraits and gradually work towards smaller groups and then the whole family. It gives everyone time to settle in. But there’s no rigid formula — I work around who’s in the room.

If there’s a young baby, I’ll usually make sure we get the important baby and family photographs while they’re still bright and happy. Older children can often wait a little longer. We allow plenty of time for the type of photoshoot you’ve booked, rather than rushing everyone through the same routine.

We’ll do a mixture of gently arranged portraits and natural interaction. I might get everyone into position for a couple of relaxed, more traditional pictures, then ask you to look at each other, cuddle, read together, play a game or just mess about.

And please don’t worry about telling children to ‘say cheese’. I’d much rather find a real smile with bubbles, a silly game, or the threat of a tickle than ask for one on command.

What if someone has a meltdown?

Toddlers have tantrums. Babies get hungry. Teenagers sometimes arrive looking as though they’d rather be anywhere else. This is why I love the job so much. I want a challenge and we always get there eventually.

We can stop for a feed, change activities, give someone a little breather, or photograph another family member for a while. Often a child who was upset a moment ago is suddenly having the time of their life. Patience is the key.

THE PATIENCE OF A SAINT?

People tell me all the time that I have the patience of a saint. I always laugh because outside work I can be terribly impatient — I want everything done now!

But something changes when I’m photographing children or dogs. I know those lovely moments will come if we give everyone space. On the very rare occasion a child is simply too exhausted or unwell for the session to work, we can arrange another day at no extra charge.

What about camera-shy parents?

I hear ‘I hate photographs of myself’ all the time. Part of that can be because we’re so used to seeing our face reversed in the mirror that a photograph looks unfamiliar. But mostly, I think people just need to feel at ease.

We’ll chat and laugh, and you won’t have to stand there wondering what to do. It’s lovely when someone who was dreading being photographed sees an image and says, surprised, ‘Oh, that’s actually really nice!’

A BIT LIKE FISHING

I sometimes say photographing children and dogs is like fishing. If you filmed the whole room, some sessions would look completely bonkers — children running about, bubbles everywhere, dogs doing their own thing.

But I’m watching for the split-second expression. Click — there’s one. Wait a little longer, and there’s another. By the end, all those little moments have added up to a camera full of memories. After more than 25 years, I still get just as excited when I catch one.

DAD THE DINOSAUR

Recently, I photographed a dad playing with his little boy. He lifted him up, his legs in the air, and pretended to bite him like a dinosaur. Dad had his mouth wide open and the whole thing was wonderfully silly.

The family chose that photograph because that’s exactly what they do together. One day Dad won’t be picking him up like that, and his son won’t want dinosaur games anymore. But that picture will always take them back to this time.

The most important thing

I want your photographs to look like your family — not somebody else’s idea of how a family should behave. A little direction, a lot of patience, and plenty of laughter usually get us there.

How do I want families to feel when they leave my studio?

“Oh my God, that was such good fun!”

If that’s what you’re saying on the way out, I’ve done my job.

Last reviewed 27 October 2026

Thinking about a family or dog photo shoot?

See what’s included in a session and how our prices work before you book.