Tips for Capturing Great Family Photos (For the Family and Photographer!)
A few years ago, I published a blog with Tips for Photographing Children (Who Don’t Always Want to Be in Photos). It was more geared towards parents taking photos of their own kids. At a recent family session, I started thinking about how educating families on what to expect at their family photo sessions would be helpful as well, so I decided to put together some tips for the whole family AND family photographers to help create as stress-free of a family portrait session as possible. And like any good teacher, I love an acronym to make things easier to remember! So, I am going to teach you how to PLAY at your family sessions.
P - Prepare. Bring toys, snacks, bubbles, changes of clothes, wipes/tissues for snotty noses or teary moments, and candy for bribery (just make sure it doesn’t turn your kids’ mouths blue or green!). At the beginning of the session, let the photographer get know your kids and develop a rapport with them. I always talk directly to the children, ask them about their favorite things and what they like to do, and try to get them as comfortable as possible with me and my camera!
L - Location. Find a location for your session that is safe and comfortable for your family, especially if you have littles! Your photographer should definitely be able to guide you in choosing the best location for your vision. Consider local parks and neighborhood green spaces, which are usually maintained and possibly have a playground to use as a bribe, or even your own yard or home! I would avoid busy streets or places that might have nests and ant piles. (The quickest ruiner of a photo session is a small child stepping in an ant pile!) You may even want to visit the location beforehand around the time that you are taking your photos to see what the lighting is like.
A - Attire. Make sure you and your children are as comfortable as possible! If you have young children, you will most likely be moving around a lot, so consider shoes and clothes that you can sit, squat, and pick kids up in. I also have two blog posts with more tips on what to wear depending on the time of year you have chosen, so click below to read more!
Y - Have a YES Attitude! Have you seen the movie Yes Day? It highlights a great attitude to adopt during a family photo session. If you go into it stressed out, your children will feed off your energy and can become reluctant to smile or do what you need to get good photos! Don’t expect instant perfection when trying to pose for photos…sometimes it takes a bit of time for everyone to settle and feel comfortable—just keep smiling and snapping! When kids get antsy, let go of poses—interact, tickle, run around, just play—movement creates fun images! Some of the most beautiful family images I have taken have come from the unposed, candid moments where families are simply interacting. Even if you are frustrated, try to keep it inside and not let it show on your face! Avoid the temptation to give in to the tension, because that will definitely come through in your photos. Often, the feeling you have while taking photos ends up being how you feel about the images later. So just relax, let your kids be themselves, and let the photographer capture all the moments, posed and candid, real-life and Insta-worthy.
And one more important piece of the puzzle…share the following message with your sons/husbands if they are not excited about family photos!
Letter to Dads/Older Sons:
Dear Mr. “I don’t want my picture taken, this is stupid and a waste of time,”
This family photo session will take mere minutes, maybe an hour, of your life. Do it for your wife/mom. She needs these photos to remember you and this time in your lives! If you’re always grimacing, rolling your eyes, or resisting, it makes her feel as if you don’t care about her. She probably wants this more than the sweater you bought her for Christmas or the “Best Mom Ever” mug you gave her for her birthday. Pictures are personal memories. One day, you will look back at these with your children and grandchildren, and what will they think if they see you giving the side-eye or glaring? Just put on a happy face and do this for her. It will mean the world and show her how much you care!
Sincerely,
Every mom and photographer on the planet
Below are some images from the May Family “‘Merica Mini” session last summer at Harley Farms. Dad Jeff definitely understood the assignment…I don’t know if he intended to dress up like a Bomb Pop, but he did and it was EPIC. Giving children things to do and play with at their session makes it so much more interactive and fun!
Oh how I love the Hylemans…from their engagement photos to their wedding and now their family photos…it has been a joy watching their little family grow! They have two very active boys, so sitting still and posing is NOT in their repertoire! So I just let them be themselves and snap around them.
Little Channing behaved like a normal two-year-old for his family session and didn’t want to sit still and smile, but we still managed to capture some adorable images when the family was just playing together! This first shot was right after I had him point out his dad’s ears, eyes, and nose. And there was a great little playground nearby that kept him busy while I took some photos of his little sister. See if you can spot the snack I was able to PhotoShop out of one of the sweet images of he, his momma, and baby sis!
