SKATE PARK

Adding Fun Activities to Your Family Session

Sometimes the best family photos aren’t the perfectly posed ones—but the ones where you’re laughing, playing, and just being together. That’s why I love encouraging families to think beyond the traditional setup and add an activity into their photo session. It instantly brings out natural smiles, movement, and the unique personality of your family.

For example, this session was all about celebrating Rylee’s birthday. Instead of sticking to a classic backdrop, we leaned into what she was most excited about—her brand-new roller skates. 🛼 She got them early as a birthday gift, and let me tell you, she has barely taken them off since! We spent a few minutes snapping some sweet portraits and then let her loose to try skating at the park. Pads, helmet, giggles, a couple of falls—and the biggest smiles. Afterward, we cooled off with ice cream, and those pictures might just be my favorite. Because that’s real life. That’s the memory she’ll want to remember: skating and ice cream with her family on a warm day. Now I may have been behind the camera in these, but just imagine you and your family doing this and you being in the photos.

Adding activities into your photo session is such a fun way to break out of the box and create photos that feel like you. Here are some ideas you could incorporate:

✨ Celebrate a milestone – A first birthday cake smash, learning to ride a bike, or even graduating to a “big kid” bed can all become part of your photos.
✨ Bring a favorite hobby – Whether your kids love roller skating, baking cookies, painting, or playing soccer, those things tell the story of this season in your lives.
✨ Plan a family outing – Invite your photographer along for an ice cream date, a trip to the farmers market, or a hike on your favorite trail.
✨ Highlight your traditions – Maybe it’s Sunday morning pancakes, backyard gardening, or family game night—those simple, everyday moments make the most meaningful photos.
✨ Mark special events – Birthdays, anniversaries, new puppies, or moving into a new home are all worth documenting with personality-filled pictures.

The best part about including an activity is that it takes the pressure off “performing” for the camera. Instead, you’re focused on enjoying each other, and I get to capture all the natural smiles, silly faces, and tender moments that happen along the way.

So next time you’re planning a family session, think about what your family loves doing together. Maybe it’s as simple as sharing an ice cream cone on a summer evening, or as big as celebrating a milestone birthday at the skate park. Either way, those are the memories you’ll want to look back on—the little chapters of your family’s story.

See more BTS behind the scenes video here

*Part of me wishes I would have snapped a few more story telling photos, but this day was different. I told the family 5 minutes of photos then the camera will be put away to fully just skate and spend family time together. I was also going to just focus on Rylee, but baby Brother was being extra cute so we had to snap a few of him too!