Posing Tips for Your Family Photo Session

One key to getting genuine and realistic family photos is knowing how to pose in front of the camera.

Many of you will be getting your family together for some fall family photos. Before you have professional family photos taken or if you just want to improve on your photos, let me give you some advice on how to pose that will leave you with outstanding images.

Get Close

I know you don’t want to look stiff and awkward for your family photos. One secret to creating a beautiful, intimate family photo is to get close. Snuggle up to the people you love for the best photos. When there are people of varying heights in the photo, take a few photos on the same level by placing your heads close together too. Sitting on the floor often helps with these height differences. Do whatever it takes to get your heads close together and have fun with it!
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Just Have Fun

Your photos always look more authentic when your family is genuinely having fun and laughing. Spend time talking about your favorite activity or a memory that makes you all laugh out loud. Play a game! Have fun! Be silly! It's okay! These candid moments always make for the best photos. Everyone loves it when grandma and grandpa make silly faces with the grand babies!

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Keep it Natural

Overthinking posing takes away from the genuineness of your family photos, which is why it helps to shoot your family photos in a setting where you’re all comfortable and where you can go about your lives as naturally as possible. For example, if you’re in an outdoor setting, take your little one for a walk. If you’re shooting at home, bake something together or snuggle up for a story. And let's not forget about the eyes. It's uncomfortable to face the bright sky or the sun. To make sure your are not squinting, ask your photographer to shoot in open shade or with the sun to your back. The photographer will need to use some special lighting, but a pro can handle special lighting with no problem. If done properly, you will look bright eyed and natural! 

Use Your Surroundings

Very often, standing upright in the middle of a room or garden will make your photos look and feel stiff. Use your surroundings to make yourselves more comfortable. For example, if there’s a wall in the vicinity, lean up against it. If there’s a couch available, pose on that for a few shots. Sit in a chair. Better yet... put you child in a big chair!

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Make Use of Props

If you would like to change things up a bit or give a younger child something to do, you can also always incorporate a few basic props into your photos to get a few non-standard shots. By the way... little boys really love tractors and most little girls love to play dress up!!

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Your photos should be more than just snapshots.

Today, everyone has a bazillion snaps on their smartphone. These photos are fun for social sharing but rarely approach the level of fine art. 99% of these photos never come off the phone or get printed, and if they do, it’s usually at home or at a superstore, with a quality level that will not last more than a couple of years. I'm not against these memories, but we also don’t want you to let your kids’ childhoods pass by with no tangible memories. Portrait art is an investment in the present and also in the future. Once you see the difference between one hour prints and a professionally retouched portrait, I think you will be hooked too!
 

Have some ideas to share. I would love to hear from you! Post your ideas in the comments.

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If you have questions about a photo session and how to make the most of it, let me know and I will be happy to assist you with additional information. 
Cheers!

Stan

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