How To Get Men To Enjoy Taking Family Portraits Without Bribing Them!

A Strategy on How To Get Men To Enjoy Family Portraits Without Bribing Them!

Lets face it, woman like taking pictures 10 times more than men do! While I think that both men and women can see the value in family portraits, it is not something that excites the average guy 🙂 But there is good news. By approaching family portraits with a few things in mind, you can get most men a little more into the entire process. Here are four ways on how to get men to enjoy taking family portraits without bribing them!

Schedule The Session With Them In Mind

Perhaps the best tip on how to get men to enjoy taking family portraits without bribing them is to schedule the session with them in mind. About 75% or more of my family portrait sessions are scheduled on the weekends. While a lot of working adults have the weekends off of work, this is also a time of the week when most sports and other extracurricular events occur. If the men in your family are into sports, make sure not to schedule the session at the same time as their favorite sports team.

I have had many sessions where the men are checking the score of the game on their phone and they are not completely engaged in the session. It sometimes even causes minor fights 🙁 If you have to schedule the session on a weekend, make sure to be strategic about it. Scheduling the session on a weekday is also a great option to avoid this.

Along these same lines, making the session a celebration of something is another strategy. For example, scheduling the session around Father’s Day, their birthday, or your anniversary 😉

Show Them Your Photographer’s Website

PRO TIP: Never hire a Photographer without first visiting their website. Every Photographer is different than the next – or at least they should be! There should be something that attracts you to the Photographer you choose for your family portraits. If you can see your family in the types of images your Photographer creates, this is a good starting point.

So tip number 2 on how to get men to enjoy taking family portraits without bribing them is to show them the Photographer’s website. If they like the style of photographs that your Photographer takes, they will be more inclined to loosen up and enjoy the session. When it comes to my photography style, I tend to be more candid and have a goal of capturing images that are “un-posed.” In my experience this is a style that most people can do really well with. And this is especially the case with men.

Make The Process Simple For Them

Another tip is to make the process simple for them. Along with scheduling the session with them in mind make sure to give them ample notice beforehand. To make the entire process enjoyable, take care of all of the logistics as well. For example, take the lead on picking the outfits and the location for the session. The less stress that is involved in taking the family portraits, the better!

Avoid Crowds

My last tip on how to get men to enjoy taking family portraits is another simple one. As much as possible, try to avoid crowds. If you know that the men in your family already do not like taking photos, there is a good chance they wont want to take them in front of a lot of people. Check with your Photographer on the best time and location that will have the least amount of people. With less people around, this will make them more comfortable during the session. Perhaps even mentioning this to them before the session is a good idea 😉

Hopefully there were a couple of useful tips that you can use. Not all men enjoy taking family portraits. And if this is the case, coming up with a strategy beforehand can make the session enjoyable for everyone. Thanks!