How To Talk To Your Photographer About Disabilities
The Woodlands Family Photographer
Ashley Newman Photography
Disability is a really broad category and means different things to different people but remember that your family and your families needs are important and they matter.
- Make you’re needs known: As photographers we want the experience to be just as rewarding as the final product so don’t be afraid to bring some thing extra that may help your family member engage or to set realistic expectations for the session.
For example, if you know your kiddo isn’t going to look at the camera and smile, that’s totally fine! Tell your photographer so they can know what to expect.
If you help set us up for success, it will be a more comfortable experience and everyone will come feeling more prepared. - What to share: When you are sharing details about your family, your photographer doesn’t necessarily need to know all your family medical history, but rather what is the best way to engage with the family I’m working with. Think about sharing: what are your hard stops or what will quickly end the session.
One of the ways we try to engage kiddos is to sing songs, but for some kiddos this could be a trigger and bring the session to halt very quickly. Keep those things in mind and don’t hold back when sharing those things with your photographer. - Consider location: Make sure to inquire about location options with your photographer to address mobility issues, concerns or situations you know won’t be a good fit for your family.
I have loads of locations but not every one is perfect for every family- finding the spot that works for you will always be my goal.
As the parent of 3 children, 2 with disabilities, my mama heart hears you. My oldest kiddo is not very keen on the whole picture taking process and his favorite game is to elope. Something that has saved us every time is having an extra family member attend the session to help distract and chase him down. It makes it less stressful and more successful than if we tried to force him to be in one place.
We also don’t expect smiles or for him to engage in the process with the photographer. What we do expect is for a photographer to make the effort to get to know our family and work to create beautiful memories with us.
Even though it can be stressful to think about tackling family photos, it’s always been worth it for us to have the memories at the end of the day. Your family is worthy and deserves to be documented no matter what. Don’t let anything hold you back from these precious moments.
