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21 Family Portrait Ideas for Gorgeous Photos

11 Mar

The post 21 Family Portrait Ideas for Gorgeous Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

21 family portrait ideas for gorgeous photos

Preparation is key to any successful photoshoot, and having plenty of family portrait ideas will help ensure your session goes as smoothly as possible.

Whether you’re working with friends, repeat clients, or new customers, you want to make your family portrait sessions fun and engaging, because this will always lead to better pictures.

So if you’re stuck in a rut or just looking for something new to try, check out these 21 ideas. They’ll stimulate your creativity and get you thinking about fun ways to take pictures of families.

Let’s get started.

1. Standing together

This one won’t win any awards for creativity, but it’s a classic. It just works.

Position everyone close together, with those on the outside turned slightly inward. Kids can stand on the ground or be held by an adult.

family portrait ideas standing
Nikon D750 | Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 | 200mm | 1/400s | f/2.8 | ISO 1400

I always like to start with shots like this to cover my bases before I try new and creative ideas. That way, you can always deliver a classic posed image your clients will love, in case your other ideas don’t quite work out.

2. Look for interesting backgrounds

While the focus of your family photos should always be the people, it can help to use different locations – especially if you find yourself working with repeat clients.

Introducing new background elements or other scenery can dramatically alter the look and feel of an image, and will give your clients pictures they will remember forever.

family portrait ideas background
Nikon D750 | Nikon 50mm f/1.8G | 1/250s | f/4 | ISO 100

3. Group hug!

Family portraits should be a celebration of love and togetherness.

So find ways to use that in your images!

Get the kids to snuggle up with the parents so everyone’s near each other.

Let the family, and others who see the photos, remember the love that can barely be contained in a single image.

family portrait ideas group hug
Nikon D750 | Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 | 200mm | 1/350s | f/4 | ISO 800

4. Go for a walk

Tell everyone to stand back, get in a line, and slowly walk toward you.

Here’s an example:

family walking
Nikon D7100 | Nikon 85mm f/1.8 | 1/500s | f/2.8 |ISO 200

This type of shot is a classic for a couple of reasons. For one, families love it. Plus, it’s the type of photo you can’t get with a mobile phone.

I recommend using a zoom lens, because you can zoom from telephoto to wide as the group gets closer.

It also helps to have a camera with a fast continuous shooting speed and a deep buffer, so you can take as many shots as you need to nail the perfect one.

5. Go for a run!

This one works great if you have children involved. Just tell everyone to back way up and then run toward the camera.

(Kids love doing this type of shot!)

family running
Nikon D750 | Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 | 135mm | 1/200s | f/4 | ISO 360

Make sure everyone is holding hands; otherwise, the speedier ones will end up ahead.

Also, quick tip:

Use your camera’s high-speed shooting functionality combined with a fast shutter speed to freeze the action.

6. Showcase the generations

When doing a multigenerational family portrait session, it’s a good idea to get at least one shot showing the eldest couple plus the family.

Put the eldest couple in the middle and surround them with their children, grandchildren, and other relatives. This creates a sense of closeness and family bonding that’s immediately apparent to anyone who looks at the photo afterward.

family portrait ideas generations
Nikon D750 | Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 | 130mm | 1/180s | f/4 | ISO 280

7. Headshots of each person

This might seem like cheating because a single headshot isn’t the same as a family portrait.

But I love taking headshots for my family clients since they require almost no extra effort on my part and the families always enjoy the results.

(I’ve found that most people aren’t expecting individual headshots when you do a family portrait session. So they’re seen as a fun bonus and will keep clients calling for repeat business.)

young man headshot
Nikon D750 | Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 | 200mm | 1/250s | f/2.8 | ISO 360

7. Use backlighting

It’s always important to look for the light any time you’re taking photos, and it’s especially true for family portraits.

Normally I like the light to be behind me, but it’s fun to play around with backlighting and see how it can dramatically alter your images.

In this example, the fountain behind the couple adds a brilliant shine to the shot, thanks to the power of backlighting:

family portrait ideas backlighting
Nikon D7100 | Nikon 85mm f/1.8 | 1/2000s | f/2.4 | ISO 100

The sun also adds a nice rim light to the newly engaged couple. See how they shine in the late afternoon sun?

The couple was thrilled with the result, and your clients will be, too.

8. Group the genders

Grouping the genders isn’t exactly new or groundbreaking. But it’s a tried-and-true formula for success – one that your clients might not think about in advance but will greatly appreciate afterward.

So put all the women together and take some shots, then do the same for the men.

My clients always have fun doing this, and it gives them some great photos to hang on their wall.

family portrait ideas genders
Nikon D750 | Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 | 175mm | 1/180s | f/4 | ISO 220

9. Show playfulness

Kids love to laugh, play, and run around.

So why not embrace that during a photoshoot?

Ditch the poses for a minute and let your clients just have fun. This works especially well with young kids; parents will pick them up, swing them around, and have a great time just enjoying the day.

But have your camera ready to capture those moments!

father and child playing
Nikon D750 | Nikon 85mm f/1.8 | 1/200s | f/1.8 | ISO 400

10. Build photo benches

I did many family photo sessions that left me frustrated. You see, I didn’t have a great solution for a very basic problem:

I didn’t have a spot for people to sit.

If you’re in a controlled studio environment, you can deal with this easily. If you like to shoot out in nature, however, you might not be so lucky.

Thankfully, with a few cheap pieces of wood from any home improvement store, along with some tools and a free afternoon, you can build your own photo benches (and solve this problem once and for all!).

I now have three benches in different sizes that I use to accommodate a variety of families. They can be used separately or placed together as one long bench. It doesn’t even matter if they get scuffed or dirty, since imperfections add to a sense of character.

And the results are amazing, plus I no longer worry about finding a spot for my clients to sit comfortably.

family portrait ideas photo benches
Nikon D750 | Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 | 200mm | 1/250s | f/4 | ISO 640

11. Just the kids

Amidst the joy and chaos of a family photoshoot, it’s easy to overlook this classic pose – but it’s one that you’ll regret leaving out.

Parents love shots with their kids together, and even when not all the kids are happy and cheerful, I still get positive comments. Pictures like this show the unique personalities of each child, and I usually get one or two kids smirking, grinning, or doing their own thing, to which their parents say, “Yup, that’s just who they are!”

family portrait ideas kids
This old coffee table was what I used before I built my own photo benches.
Nikon D750 | Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 | 200mm | 1/200s | f/4 | ISO 250.

12. Involve the pets

Bringing pets to a photoshoot can be a mixed bag. When you introduce a four-legged friend to a formal family photo session, you add a lot of uncertainty, and it’s almost impossible to make the animal do what you want it to.

Even so, there’s a host of important benefits: It puts your clients at ease, helps them remember their pets fondly, and can make for some genuine smiles.

I find this works best if you do your photo session at your clients’ house. But if you do go out, make sure the clients bring a portable kennel or some treats to keep the furry friend occupied when it’s not in the shot.

family portrait ideas pets
Nikon D750 | Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 | 200mm | 1/250s | f/4 | ISO 100

13. Use structures

I like going out around town to do family photo sessions (preferably to a handful of places I have scouted in advance and used many times before).

The nice thing about some of these spots is that they have built-in structures and other accoutrements that allow you to take fun, sometimes unplanned, pictures of your clients.

So don’t be afraid to include these! Embrace the structures around you and use them to add flair to your photos.

kids on a structure
Nikon D750 | Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 | 200mm | 1/180s | f/4 | ISO 280

14. Show affection

This one is a little tricky, but the results can be absolutely heartwarming.

Just be careful how you talk with your clients and direct them during the shoot. You don’t want signs of affection to be forced or uncomfortable, and unless you are good friends with your clients, you might not know where to draw the line.

That being said, I’ve had nothing but positive results just by asking parents to give a quick hug or kiss to their little children. These simple signs of affection often end up being my clients’ favorite shots.

family portrait ideas affection
Nikon D750 | Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 | 200mm | 1/500s | f/4 | ISO 2200

15. Read a book

Any time you do a family photo session with kids, particularly younger ones, you have to be willing to accept a degree of uncertainty.

After all, the kids might be hungry, fussy, or defiant – and it’s your job to make the best images possible in spite of these obstacles.

I don’t recommend handing out sweets or treats to children, as this can introduce even more unwanted uncertainty. But if you want to get the kids to cooperate, ask your clients to bring along some of their child’s favorite books. This helps them relax and can lead to some very special pictures.

parents reading to daughter
Nikon D7100 | Nikon 35mm f/1.8 | 1/320s | f/2.8 | ISO 200

16. Use their home

I do almost all of my work for clients outdoors. But sometimes I’m invited inside their homes, and this can make for some very special sessions.

If you schedule a shoot at your clients’ house, ask if you can arrive early. Assuming you get the go-ahead, come before the session and politely look for good spots to take pictures. Look for furniture, toys, and large windows that will let in plenty of light.

Ideally, you want to schedule a pre-consultation with your clients to discuss the session. Treat these at-home opportunities with the respect and dignity your clients deserve, and they will be glad to ask you for future photo sessions.

family interacting at home
Nikon D750 | Nikon 35mm f/1.8 | 1/90s | f/4 | ISO 5600

17. Show context

I sometimes get asked to photograph singular events in my clients’ lives: birthdays, graduations, and other milestones.

And while you can always use these opportunities to capture the same types of portraits you would normally shoot, what really matters is context.

So find ways of incorporating visual elements from the event into your photos, as I did in this image:

family portrait ideas context
Nikon D750 | Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 | 70mm | 1/4000s | f/4 | ISO 560

My friend asked if I would take pictures when he received his Ph.D., and I made sure to include campus buildings in the frame to serve as a reminder of his time in graduate school.

18. Capture candids

Sometimes the best shots of a photo session are completely unplanned. While posed pictures are nice, it’s also fun to get pictures of your clients just walking around, laughing, talking, and enjoying one another’s company.

In other words:

When photographing a family, show them being a family!

And it’s okay to cheat a bit here, too. For the shot below, I asked the couple to walk across the veranda, then I caught them in a candid moment of joy.

family portrait ideas candids
Fuji X100F | 23mm | 1/125s | f/5.6 | ISO 400

19. All hands on deck

When taking pictures of a large family, especially one that spans multiple generations, make sure to get an image with hands.

Clients love seeing mementos like this, and they can instantly pick out which individuals were present just by looking at the hands.

Plus, an image like the one below captures myriad details that are missing in headshots and full-body portraits: wedding rings, the weathered hands of the grandparents, and the small hands of children next to their mother’s and father’s hands. It’s a touching image that speaks volumes about the family without showing any faces at all.

hands together
Nikon D750 | Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 | 86mm | 1/500s | f/4 | ISO 280

20. Use their ideas

Any time I do a family session, I make sure I’m well prepared. I have a clear idea of my goals for the session, where I want to be, what kinds of images I want to get, and of course, plenty of spare batteries.

But you have to be willing to adapt and incorporate your clients’ ideas, too. They might want to try something different, go to a new location, or pose in a way you hadn’t considered.

Don’t shut these ideas down! Even if the images aren’t your personal favorites, your clients might love them, and they will certainly appreciate your willingness to listen to their suggestions.

couple on a bridge
Nikon D750 | Nikon 50mm f/1.8 | 1/4000s | f/1.8 | ISO 100

21. Use a silly noise-maker

This idea is last because you have to use it carefully. If you know your clients well, and if there are young children in the family, then one fun thing to consider is a remote-controlled fart machine.

Yes, I know that seems absolutely ridiculous, but nothing sends kids into a gleeful bout of giddiness quite like an unexpected breaking of wind.

These little gadgets are inexpensive and can be hidden underneath a bench, taped to a stool, or tossed behind a tree. Right as you prepare to take a shot, click the remote and watch the kids erupt with laughter.

Adults might roll their eyes, but the kids will love it, and you’ll get some of your favorite shots of the session.

family portrait ideas noise machine
If you want to get genuine smiles and laughs from kids, this can definitely help. But don’t use it with new clients. Make sure you have a good relationship with clients and their kids first.

Family portrait ideas: Final words

There’s no guarantee that these family portrait ideas will result in perfect pictures. Any number of things can go wrong on a family shoot, but any number of things can also go right.

The point here is to fill your mind with possibilities. That way, you can do everything in your power to get the best possible shots.

And above all else, try to relax, have fun, and enjoy the session!

Your clients will love the results…

…and they’ll soon be asking you to come back for more pictures.

Frequently asked questions

What should my clients wear for a family session?

I recommend solid colors in matching groups (such as some people wearing blue, others wearing green, etc.). But remember that the photos are for your clients, and even if they show up in clothing you wouldn’t recommend, your job is to take good photos regardless.

Do I need a tripod for family photos?

Absolutely not! You can use one if you prefer, but I find that tripods and even monopods are more of a hassle than a help. You need to move around, especially if you’re shooting pictures of kids – and if you are tied down to a tripod, you won’t be nearly as flexible and adaptable.

You do a lot of outdoor family photos. What’s the best type of location to look for?

I try to avoid popular spots like botanical gardens and college campuses (which often have beautiful landscaping) and look for spots that are off the beaten path. My primary consideration is light: I like spots with tall trees and even lighting, even if there aren’t flowers or fountains. Choose your locations so the emphasis in your images will be on the people, not their surroundings.21 Family Portrait Ideas for Gorgeous Photos

What camera is best for family portraits?

You can use almost any camera for family photos, but I recommend one with a large buffer and the option for a battery grip. The former will prevent you from wasting time waiting for your camera while photo opportunities slip by. The latter will give your camera enough battery power to last for hours, which means one less thing for you to think about during the shoot.

Do I need an expensive portrait lens?

No, but if the only lens you have is the kit lens that came with your camera, I would recommend at least investing in a single prime lens. A 35mm or 50mm lens won’t be expensive and can yield amazing results, especially for family photos.

The post 21 Family Portrait Ideas for Gorgeous Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.


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How to Find Good Locations for Family Portraits

20 Feb

The post How to Find Good Locations for Family Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Hunter McRae.

how to find good locations for family portraits

When you’re shooting a family portrait, about nine times out of ten the client will ask, “Do you have a place you typically like to photograph?”

We all do, of course, but if you take every portrait client to the same location, your portfolio will develop an undesirable, repetitive consistency.

That’s why it’s important to thoroughly scout the area where you live and work, to build a list of go-to spots for any scenario, circumstance, and style.

family portrait on a beach

So think about your city, and build a list of these places where you can shoot:

  • A field or shoreline with broad vistas to capture the aura and glow of twilight
  • A similar outdoor venue with features like tall grass or trees to provide a backdrop
  • An outdoor area with full shade, appropriate for shooting at midday
  • A covered outdoor space like a gazebo or covered porch for shoots in inclement weather
  • An indoor space with high ceilings and lots of windows for natural light

Because most family portrait sessions will include a variety of backdrops and poses, the perfect shooting location contains all of these elements. But that’s pretty rare and hard to find.

Finally, make sure that you have the required permits, permissions, and licenses to shoot in your desired locations, whether they’re public or private (many municipalities require a business license to shoot in public places like parks and beaches).

black and white family shot

Once you’ve built your list of go-to locations, you’re ready to schedule a session with a client.

Here are the two scenarios that could play out:

Scenario 1: The client has already chosen a location

It’s rare for a client to be dead set on a location, but sometimes there’s a family home or a special place with memories where they’d like to be photographed. Or maybe there’s an extended family gathered together already, and they’d like to keep the photoshoot as easy as possible by having you come to them. If you’re shooting for next year’s holiday portrait or another special event, your client may also choose a place that fits the theme, such as an evergreen forest or a snowy landscape.

If you’re not familiar with the location, ask questions about it when confirming the shoot. You may discover that you need to bring extra equipment, such as speedlights to fill in shadows (if, for instance, your client is hoping for a family portrait underneath a moss-strewn oak tree at two o’clock in the afternoon).

Likewise, indoor photoshoots – such as people gathered around the fireplace or around a Christmas tree, for example – may present difficulties with lighting that you’ll want to consider and be prepared for prior to the actual shoot. When feasible, visit the site of any session before arriving for the actual job.

woman holding her child over her head

Scenario 2: The client is open to your location suggestions

This is the more common scenario, and it allows you to pull out that list of locations you’ve already scouted.

Start by getting a sense of the feeling the family wants to capture in their photos. If you’re doing a holiday family portrait, the client may prefer a warm and rustic theme over something bright and urban, for example.

Timing should also affect your decision of where to shoot. When possible, schedule sessions for an hour to an hour and a half before sunset, giving you time to arrive and chat, time to get the family comfortable with your presence and style, and then time to be fully ready to capture beautiful, stunning portraits just when the changing light is at its peak.

kids playing at the beach

Sunset (and sunrise) shoots

For golden hour sessions, just after sunrise and just before sunset, choose a location that ideally has both broad vistas and objects of interest.

For example, if you’re shooting on the beach, don’t just choose a spot with wide-open sand (plus houses and passersby). Instead, aim to find a section of beach with sand dunes, tall grass, driftwood, or even distant trees.

These objects help frame the image and make it more interesting, without distracting from the subjects of the photograph. The same rules apply in a desert, lake, or city park scenario.

Midday shoots on a sunny day

The challenge with shooting at midday is the shadows. You don’t want your subjects to squint in full sun, and you don’t want shadows from tree branches or from other obstructions blocking portions of their faces. The key to shooting at sunny midday is to put your subjects fully in the shade.

woman hugging her child

When a client wants to schedule a midday session, I often lean toward urban areas with architectural interest. If your city or town has a historic neighborhood, seek out alleyways, parks, cobblestone streets, or even sidewalks that are shaded at midday, but that still present a beautiful surrounding for your subjects.

Cloudy day shoots

It’s a huge misconception that overcast days are bad for family portraits. Clients may be discouraged by the threat of rain, but encourage them with the news that cloud coverage actually makes for beautiful outdoor shots – there’s no squinting, plus there’s nice, even light.

That said, if there’s no drama in the sky (i.e., no dark clouds swirling on the horizon), an overcast day may be less exciting when shooting in broad vistas and open spaces.

Instead, turn to your surrounding objects (trees, historic buildings, etc.) to provide the intrigue in the photograph. Or add a pop of color with balloons and other props.

family portrait with balloons

On an overcast day, a local mural can actually make for a perfect backdrop – just make sure your subjects wear muted tones (black, white, gray, or beige) rather than colorful attire that might clash with the art.

family portrait locations kids on graffitied steps

Final tips and tricks for finding family portrait locations

Start by putting together your list of portrait locations. And make sure that where you decide to shoot won’t be crowded at the time you’re there; the last thing you want is a bunch of strangers in your backgrounds.

Finally, be flexible. Not every shoot will be perfect, but it’s your job as the photographer to ensure that your clients have an enjoyable experience. Have confidence in your skills, and work around obstacles as they arise. If you are engaged and the subjects are happy, it’s possible to create gorgeous family portraits that your clients can share on cards, calendars, and gifts throughout the year.

Now over to you:

How do you choose family portrait locations? Do you have a favorite type of location? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post How to Find Good Locations for Family Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Hunter McRae.


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10 Tips for Doing Your First Family Portrait Session

30 Jan

The post 10 Tips for Doing Your First Family Portrait Session appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Louise Downham.

family portrait tips

Photographs from a good family portrait session will be treasured for many years to come. It’s an incredibly rewarding area of photography, but it can also be a little daunting for new photographers. You need to build a rapport with the family, keep the children on board, and meet the parents’ expectations with gorgeous photographs.

Family portrait family group

So where do you start? Which camera settings should you choose?

Here are some important pointers to make your first session go smoothly, and to help you take great family portraits every time!

1. Get down on their level

If you’re photographing children, get down on their eye level. This will lead to far more engaging photographs, and will also help you interact better with the child.

Family portrait girl with flowers

2. Use the center AF point to focus

Different focus settings suit different photographers, but using the center point to focus tends to be the most useful for family portraits. As you take more and more family images, you’ll get a feeling for whether this setting suits you.

But it’s a great starting point for your first session.

3. Choose an appropriate aperture

Your aperture settings will be influenced by the style of photography you prefer.

As a starting point, many lifestyle family photographers choose to shoot wide open for individual portraits (f/2.2 works really well if you’re after beautiful background bokeh), and around f/5.6 for group shots to ensure everyone is in focus.

Here’s an example of the effect you get with a wide aperture:

girl in the park family portrait
This image was shot at f/2.2.

And here’s what you get when shooting at f/5.6:

Family portrait dad and son black and white
This image was taken at f/5.6.

4. Choose a fast shutter speed

Children move fast, and sometimes unpredictably.

That’s why you generally want a faster shutter speed, at least compared to your average portrait settings. A good place to start is 1/250s, which will still deliver sharp photos, even if children are rolling over or waving.

If you have a situation where someone is moving very fast, such as a child jumping or racing off into the distance, choose a much faster shutter speed (such as 1/800s).

family portrait baby held up high
To capture a sharp shot of this child being tossed in the air, I shot at 1/800s.

5. Use Auto ISO

While you’re familiarizing yourself with the apertures and shutter speeds that work for family portrait sessions, consider setting your ISO to Auto. The results are usually satisfactory, and it’s one less thing to think about when shooting.

As you gain experience and confidence, you can start to select the ISO manually.

6. Experiment with metering modes

Certain metering options suit some photographers better than others. As you take more family portraits, you’ll soon see which mode works best for you.

To start with, try using Spot metering for individual portraits, and Evaluative metering (also known as Matrix metering) for group shots.

family portrait mother and baby
This photo was taken using Evaluative metering mode.

7. Shoot in RAW format

If you shoot in RAW, you’ll have a far greater range of colors and details in your images – which you can then use for stunning edits in Lightroom.

8. Use Auto White Balance

Set your white balance to Auto if you’re doing a location shoot.

Why?

Because you’ll be working with a variety of scenes with different lighting, and you won’t have much time to change the white balance as you go.

Plus, correcting white balance is an easy edit in Lightroom, so you’d be better off spending the time engaging with the family you’re photographing.

9. Choose your lenses carefully

Carefully consider which lenses to take to the family portrait session.

If you don’t have several lenses, consider renting some. This can be surprisingly economical, and it’ll give you the opportunity to try out different focal lengths to see which suit your style of shooting.

Family portrait baby at 85mm
This baby photo was taken with an 85mm lens.

Using several lenses in a family portrait session will also help you vary your compositions, and it’ll ensure you can cope with most locations. A zoom lens like a 24-70mm will give you lots of flexibility, while a popular prime lens for family portraits is an 85mm lens (it creates very flattering photos!). A wide lens, such as a 35mm prime, will help you set the scene.

As you gain experience photographing families, you’ll develop a sense of which lenses work best for your style. And once you know what you like, I recommend you invest in the highest-quality lenses you can afford.

family portrait siblings at 35mm
This sibling photo was taken with a 35mm lens.

10. Set limits

Limit yourself to capturing five versions of each scene. This will train your eye to look for the details and expressions you want to capture, and will teach you to include everything you need in a single photograph.

Family portrait photography tips: Conclusion

So there you have it – family portraits in a nutshell!

Practice makes perfect, though, so be prepared to work hard and hone your camera skills. Above all, a friendly and professional attitude combined with careful preparation for each family portrait shoot should make for happy clients and repeat business.

Do you have any family portrait photos you’re proud of? Share them in the comments below!

The post 10 Tips for Doing Your First Family Portrait Session appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Louise Downham.


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Outfits for Family Photoshoot: How to Choose and Coordinate?

22 Dec

If your home is anything like mine there are photos of you and your family dotted all over it. There’s something heartwarming about looking at the different moments in time and reliving them. Remembering how you felt, the smells, tastes and sounds of the day. It’s no wonder that year after year families just like yours and mine enlist the Continue Reading

The post Outfits for Family Photoshoot: How to Choose and Coordinate? appeared first on Photodoto.


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10 Tips for Creating Great Family Portraits

19 Dec

The post 10 Tips for Creating Great Family Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darlene Hildebrandt.

family portrait tips

Family portraits are a lot of fun – and they can be highly rewarding, too! However, it’s often tough to get started. After all, how do you pose an entire group of people? How do you interact with them? How do you get great photos?

Thanks to my background in classic-style studio portraiture, plus 25 years of experience photographing portraits and weddings, I have a few tips up my sleeve to share with you.

family portrait tips example

In fact, with a little planning, doing a family portrait will be fun for both you and the family you’re photographing. Here are 10 tips to help you have a successful and enjoyable photo session.

1. Use a tripod whenever possible

I already know what you’re thinking:

A tripod cramps your style. It’s too heavy and cumbersome, whereas your style is more free-flowing.

That all may be true, and in some cases (like when photographing kids running or doing more documentary-style photography), it may be better to shoot handheld. 

However, just consider another side of the coin.

Heise-0005fsm

Most people are nervous when being photographed. Yes, nervous! Some are downright scared, and some would even go so far as to say that they hate having their photo taken.

So it is part of your job to help your subjects feel more comfortable and relaxed. That can be hard to do when you’re also nervous, especially if you’re new to portraits. But there’s a big advantage of putting that camera on a tripod. Two, actually.

  1. A tripod automatically forces you to slow down. That’s a good thing! You can check your settings, review the composition, and preview the exposure to make sure you’ve got everything right. It’s easy to get carried away once you put the camera up to your eye, only to later realize you had the wrong white balance, your ISO was 6400, or you accidentally shot tiny JPEGs instead of standard RAW files. A tripod will help you slow down to avoid an “Oops!” moment.
  2. A tripod allows you to get your eye away from the camera so you can actually make eye contact with your subjects. Your subjects are very real people, and they feel even more uncomfortable staring straight into your lens than they do looking at you. You can gesture to get the kids’ attention and you can make faces. But you’ll get way better expressions by interacting with your subjects than you’ll get while looking through the viewfinder. Try it!

Hood07-034f

2. Shoot in Manual mode

Assuming that you’re setting up your family portrait photoshoot in advance, you have control over all the elements.

Meaning that, once you get set up, the exposure should not need to change.

Unfortunately, if you set your camera to Aperture or Shutter Priority mode, depending on the metering mode selected, the camera could choose a slightly different exposure for each frame. You do not want that! Consistency is very important.

Inconsistent exposures create more work in post-processing, as you have to even out all the photos. Plus, they can cause a slight color shift, increase noise (if some of the shots are underexposed), and result in other undesirable things.

To keep your exposures consistent throughout the whole shoot, use Manual mode. Just remember that each time you change the pose, location, etc., you need to check the exposure again. I just fire off a quick test shot, review the histogram, adjust if necessary, and continue.

3. Lock the focus

Just as you do not want the exposure to change from frame to frame, neither do you want the focus to be adjusted. Assuming you’re using a tripod, you will not be moving. And if you’ve posed your group in a relatively static position, they should not be moving, either. Not much, anyway. Here, we are only concerned with moving closer to the camera, or further away from the camera.

So set your camera up to do one of the following: use focus lock, use back button focus, or use manual focus. With any of those options, the focus will not change from shot to shot.

If you use the shutter button to focus and someone moves a little bit so that the focus dot hits the background, you’ll have another “Oops!” moment. If you aren’t sure how to focus using one of the methods I recommended above, consult your camera manual.

Bonus tip:

Here’s an easy way to focus manually with pinpoint accuracy:

Turn on Live View so you can see the image on your screen. Hit your Zoom button (it may have a magnifying glass or a “+” sign on it) once or twice. The image on the rear LCD will zoom in so you can see what is in focus, which allows for more precise manual focusing. Press the Zoom button again to return to normal view and turn off Live View.

Liebel-002-600px

4. Stagger the heads

What you want to avoid here is a boring straight line, straight row, or straight column of heads. Diagonal lines are more dynamic and add interest to an image, so try to do that with the people in your portrait group.

Imagine there is a line drawn from each face to the next. Try and position your subjects so that no head is directly on top of, or beside (on the same level), another. Make diagonal lines, not flagpoles.

Use props to seat some people or bring some small folding stools. Have some people sit down or stand up on something. Use objects in the environment to pose your subjects, or if you have nothing available, just arrange them so the heights are staggered.

family by a lake

5. If it bends, bend it

This is a general rule for photographing people, and it’s a good one. People tend to stand stiff and rigid when you position them, so you need to get them to bend a few body parts to look more natural. Nobody naturally stands stiff as a board.

Here are a few starter poses:

  • Get your subject to shift their weight to one foot and stick out one hip away from the camera.
  • Get your subject to put a hand in a pocket. I usually recommend they put their thumb out, otherwise they have a tendency to shove their hand to the bottom of the pocket, which looks unnatural.
  • Get your subject to hook a finger on their belt or through a belt loop.
  • If your subject is sitting, have them lean forward a bit and put weight on one hip.
  • If your subject is standing against something, have them cross one foot over the other, toe down.
  • Have sitting (males) put one knee up, foot flat on the ground (but make sure they rotate so you aren’t looking straight at their crotch).

You get the idea. The best way to get someone to do any of this is to do it yourself and have them mirror you. Face them, do the pose you want them to do, and have them mimic it exactly.

family by a building
An example of bending body parts. The girls did a much better job here than the guys, but even the arms bent at the elbow helps. Some people are stiff, and they may present a challenge. Just do your best.

6. Let kids be kids

I’ve found that often parents will tell their kids, “You need to be good and smile” before a photo session. For many kids, this puts too much pressure on them to perform. I usually prepare parents by getting them to tell their kids this instead:

We’re going to the park to take some photos. It will be a lot of fun.

That’s it! Set no expectations other than fun. Then you, as the photographer, should prepare yourself. Bring along props, and get Mom to bring one of the kids’ favorite toys or books. I usually have a hand puppet and bubbles in my camera bag along with my gear. If the kids don’t want to sit and smile, don’t force them. Let them run around and be kids for a while and shoot that. Play with them; make it fun. A few minutes later, they may cooperate and sit for a bit.

When I’m photographing kids, I make a total idiot of myself. I make funny noises, I sing songs (I’m really bad, but they don’t care), I make fish faces, and I play peek-a-boo behind the camera. I run back and forth to the camera with my hand puppet. I lie on the ground. I stick my butt out. Kids are the ones that have life the right way around; it’s us adults that ruin it. Let them be kids, and let them have fun. Then be ready to capture the fun when it happens!

Kids playing a game of peek-a-boo around the tree
This was a game of peek-a-boo around the tree. Look at those genuine smiles! You can’t force those.

7. Pose people to flatter them

Here’s the bottom line:

If Mom thinks she looks fat, then she isn’t going to like the photos, no matter how great the lighting and expressions (see the next tips). So you’ve got to get the posing right.

Be aware of people’s perceived “flaws” and work with them. Here are some quick tips:

  • If someone has a bigger bottom half, don’t pose them walking away from the camera using a wide-angle lens.
  • For double chins, take a slightly higher camera angle (above the subject’s eye level). Making them look up stretches their neck and minimizes the chin/neck area.
  • A bump on a nose will show up when they face one way and not the other (usually). So study their face to find out which way to shoot them.
  • When you have a couple with a huge height difference, get the taller partner to stand with their feet further apart. That will make them slightly shorter, closing the gap a bit.
  • For really heavy people (or those overly self-conscious of their weight), use the lying down in the grass pose and pile the kids on top (as shown in the image below). It works great every time, because it hides tummies, stretches out chins, and makes the kids closer in size (it just shows faces!).
family posing with kids
The lying in the grass, pile on top pose. It’s great for families with small children. This family didn’t need the pose to correct anything; it’s just fun having the kids jump on top and squish Mom and Dad.

8. Lighting is king; get some in their eyes

Light can make or break any photograph, and portraits are no different. The biggest thing you want to make sure you do for portraits is to get light into your subjects’ eyes. There are many ways to do that, and it’s a huge topic, but here are a few things you can do to start off with good light:

  • Choose the time of day to do the portraits very carefully. Generally, late evening – about an hour before dusk – is the best time for portraits. Why? Because the sun is lower in the sky, and you don’t get the harsh overhead light you do at midday. Light is more directional, and it’s usually a bit diffuse if there’s haze on the horizon.
  • If you can’t shoot at dusk, find some shade. Get the family out of the sun, but make sure you don’t get a lit-up background. Bright areas in the background will draw attention away from the subjects. Look for areas in the shade of large buildings or under large trees.
  • Avoid shooting on an overcast day simply because the lighting is even and less harsh than bright sunlight. While it is true the light is softer and less harsh, the direction isn’t great. Overcast days give you direct overhead lighting and dark eyes, especially for anyone with deep eye sockets.
  • Add some light using a reflector or a flash if need be. Again, this is a complex subject, but learn to tell when you need more light on your subjects’ faces. Here’s a quick tip: If you cannot see a catchlight (the light source reflected in your subject’s eyes), then there isn’t enough light on their face!

Just as important as getting some light in the eyes is having it come from a good direction. We’ve established that overhead isn’t good direction, and neither is light straight from the camera. So turning on your built-in pop-up flash isn’t going to give you good light. Neither is mounting an off-camera flash above your camera. Light direct from the camera flattens the subject, and that is not what you want.

Instead, you want the light to come slightly from the side; 30-45 degrees from camera is a good starting point. To learn more about this, read my article on the 6 Portrait Lighting Patterns Every Photographer Should Know.

family portrait just before sunset
This was done just before sunset. The sun is coming over the kids’ shoulders on the left (from behind). I used a flash bounced into an umbrella off to the left to add light to their faces. Without the flash, they’d be in shadow.

9. Expression is everything

Lighting is king, but getting the right expression is everything! You can totally screw up the lighting and the pose, but if you get your subjects laughing or making the perfect face, the photo will be a big hit!

So how do you do this?

Being a photographer means that you sometimes have to be a comedian or a clown. Knowing the right thing to say or do to make people smile is mostly experience.

Sometimes you’ll get tough adults, too. The dad in the photo above by the brick wall pretty much has the same expression all the time. I’ve known this family and photographed them for 13 years; they’re my friends. So I know I can bug the dad a little bit or get out the ducky to have some fun at his expense.

If there are small children or babies involved, make sure to get their attention. It even helps to have an assistant; tell them to bring Grandma along or a friend to help out.

What always happens is you get the kids all looking and smiling, but what are the parents doing? Looking at the kids! I always tell the parents, “No matter what, keep looking at me as I make a total fool of myself. Do not look at your child!”

family posing with a baby
The baby is laughing, while everyone else followed instructions and looked at me. Success!

10. Have a little fun with it

The last tip is to not take yourself so seriously. Create a few really whacky shots at the end of the session (or even in the middle of the session if the energy seems to be fading).

Tell your subjects to do a group squish and really get them to squish. Often, they will start laughing, and as they pull apart, you can grab the shot.

Do a pile-on down in the grass. Ask your subjects to jump in the air or make goofy faces (you make one, too!). It breaks the tension and lightens up the mood.

family with kids posing while making faces
I was making a similar face!
family jumping
My off-camera flash stopped working, so this shot used on-camera flash (not my first choice!). But we were all tired and I thought this would be fun, so we just went for it. Notice how Dad has a new expression!

Bonus tip

Get the family to think about what they are going to wear ahead of time.

Some people disagree with my point of view on this, which is totally fine. But if you want to read more about it, see my article called “Clothing for Portraits – How to Tell Your Subjects What to Wear.”

Tips for family portraits: conclusion

Capturing stunning family portraits isn’t hard – especially if you remember these ten tips.

Just don’t be afraid to make a fool of yourself, and everything will turn out great.

So get out there, photograph some families, and have fun!

The post 10 Tips for Creating Great Family Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darlene Hildebrandt.


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15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

04 Jul

The post 15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.

dps 15 poses for family photographs

In this article, we’re going to share 15 quick and easy poses for family photographs to try at your next family photo session to keep it moving smoothly. You will also have great poses to choose from when it comes time to deliver the images to your clients.

These poses are useful for all family sizes and types so that you have a great variety to deliver once complete.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs
Canon EOS 5D, Canon EF 85mm F1.8 USM, 1/250th, f/2.8, ISO 250

1. Standing poses

When it comes to photographing families, a standing pose is a great choice. This way, you’ll be able to see all family members in the portrait.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs
Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF 50mm F1.8 USM II, 1/1250th, f/2.2, ISO 400

You can vary the standing pose with the family close together, connecting in one way or another with hands. Having the family get close can help to create more of a connection between the family members.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs
Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF 28-105mm F3.5-4.5 USM, 28mm, 1/160th, f/8, ISO 400

Another great standing pose is where you give each person a little bit of space and take a wide shot. This works for small and large families!

2. Group squeeze

A group squeeze is another of the great poses for family photographs given that it can bring about some genuine smiles from the family, which is the real focus of the pose.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

Ask your clients to get close and hug each other while still facing the camera, then ask them to squeeze tight and watch the laughter happen! Take as many photos as possible of the moment as the family will love to see these natural expressions caught on camera!

3. Sitting pose

Sitting is another great pose to try. First, ask if there is anyone who has problems sitting or getting low. If there are family members with issues, try and use a chair or a posing stool.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

Otherwise, have the family sit comfortably and get variations of the family looking at the camera, looking at each other, perhaps sitting a little further apart, or try to have the children behind the parents sitting a bit taller.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

If you are going to use a chair or stool, it can bring about many different levels in a photograph that will make the poses more interesting. Try people behind the person sitting on the stool, move the stool/chair to the side, and have everyone fill in around.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs
Canon EOS 5D, Canon EF 50mm F1.8 USM II, 1/1000th, f/2, ISO 400

If you’re photographing a big family, you can even pose family members beneath the stool/chair to add to the levels.

4. Walking together

When looking for poses for family photographs, you can’t go past them walking together. It is a great pose for all families, especially if they feel a little nervous or stiff. Have them line up and walk towards you while they look at each other and laugh.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

Encourage them to talk and joke amongst themselves to make the shot look a little more natural.

5. Smaller groups

This pose is for big family sessions where you’re photographing smaller groups that make up the big family. Get each smaller family alone and photograph them in two to three different poses each. Use the same poses for each family to keep the session consistent. When all the family photos are put together in a wall gallery, for example, the photos fit well together.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

You don’t have to use the same pose for all, you can change it up depending on the feeling each smaller group gives you. However, when we say keep it consistent, we’re talking about the lighting, background, and focal length.

6. All mixed up

A fun way to photograph the family is to have them mix it up and then get together for a portrait. This can get the family scrambling and laughing; allowing you to get more natural smiles from the entire family.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs
Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF 50mm F1.8 USM II, 1/320th, f/5.6, ISO 250

7. Jumping

Jumping is another of the great poses for family photographs. Capturing a jumping shot is a great way to loosen up client nerves. More than actually getting the best shot, the jumping photo is to get everyone laughing and having fun.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

You can photograph the jump with the family facing you or away from you. Make sure you get low so the jump looks more dynamic.

8. Just the kids

It’s good to also get a few photographs of the children without any adults in the photos. For siblings, get them playing or hugging.

For larger groups of children, like grandchildren, get them all in a group squeeze or on different levels like piggyback, sitting/standing, or all lined up so that everyone is seen in the portrait.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

You can also break down the groups of children into girls, boys, older and younger, and maybe all playing together.

9. Exploring

Nothing says meltdown like telling children to hold still and pose. To avoid a potential meltdown, allowing kids to explore their surroundings helps to keep them moving and engaged in the session.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

Get the parents involved in exploring the location. It could be smelling flowers, picking up sticks, and taking in the surroundings.

This works perfectly for kids who are more sensory and for younger children. It can also help older kids feel less nervous and less focused on during the session.

10. Playful

Having fun is one of the best parts of the client experience. Making sure that your clients, especially the children, have a good time is really important.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

Photograph the children building sandcastles, enjoying the playground, throwing a ball, or playing a game with their parents to help keep everything light and fun. It’s not a pose exactly that you direct, but you can choose where to have them play.

Having playful photos of the family completes the story of the session and also shows a more lighthearted side to the family. It also makes the session less stiff and serious.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs
Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF 50mm F1.8 USM II, 1/120th, f/5.6, ISO 400

Even if you’re in a studio, you can blow bubbles, play songs, have a dance party, and play with sounds to make the session more playful. Toys are a wonderful idea for smaller children.

11. Just the adults

While getting photos of the whole family is important, getting one or two poses of the adults by themselves also works to add variety to the whole session.

If the adults are a couple, pose them together in the same location. Take one with them looking at the camera and one looking at each other. Then have them walk a little while as they talk to each other.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

If they are able to sit, get a couple of photos of the couple sitting, either on steps, benches or on the grass/ground.

12. Holding hands

Holding hands is a good way to show a connection among the family members. Choose different poses, either sitting or standing, where the family is holding hands. You can vary it with big groups where some are holding hands and others are not.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

This works for children to get them to stand in the same place together. It can also help to hold hands with younger children so that they don’t stray too far and are engaged in the session.

13. Being themselves

Allowing your clients to simply be themselves as a family can be just the thing to calm nerves and help the session flow much more naturally. Help them by choosing where you want them to sit or stand and then have them talk amongst themselves.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

Perhaps tell a joke, dance or play. Allow the family to get natural expressions, which adds more variety to the final gallery.

14. Kisses

Families love each other and often show affection for each other. Kisses are natural and can show a real connection. You can choose to have the parents kiss while the kids make funny faces, have siblings kiss and hug, or have grandparents give kisses on the cheek.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

This works best with young children like babies and toddlers to show affection and draw the baby’s attention to the parents. It also works with group squeezes with smaller family units.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

15. From behind

Complete your session images with a final shot of the family from behind. This can be a silhouette or have the family overlooking the location where they are, like a beach, for example.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

It can be a great photo to finish your client’s gallery with a nice contemplative photo of the family simply looking and being themselves.

In conclusion

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

It’s great to have 15 poses for family photographs that work for all families and all situations. Use these 15 poses, and you’ve already got a great start to your client’s gallery! Do you have any go-to poses that work for all family sessions? Share in the comments!

The post 15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.


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The best cameras for family and friends photos in 2019

12 Nov

Family moments are precious, and sometimes you want to capture that time spent with friends or loved-ones in better quality than your phone can manage.

We’ve selected a group of cameras that are easy to keep with you, and that can adapt to take photos wherever and whenever something memorable happens.


Our pick: Sony a6100

We’ve chosen the Sony a6100 because its autofocus system is so good at focusing on people. With very little effort, it will find people and stay focused on them, even if they look away, reacting quickly that you can capture the perfect expression. It’s a pretty small camera, which makes it easier to carry with you.

Our review includes a couple of tips for setting up the camera, but with just a few tweaks it does a good job of making it easier to grab those memorable moments. It’s also pretty adept at shooting video clips, and can easily transfer images to your smartphone.

The compact 16-50mm power zoom lens it’s usually bundled with is convenient, though not the sharpest kit lens out there, but there are a number of comparatively affordable single focal length lenses available which improve the camera’s low-light performance and let you blur the background of your images.


While the Sony a6100 was our winner, there are several other cameras well-suited for photographing family and friends that are also worth consideration. We’ve listed them all out below with detailed breakdowns of their features and performance:

  • Our pick: Sony a6100

Also available:

  • Canon EOS M50
  • Canon PowerShot G5 X II
  • Fujifilm X-A7*
  • Olympus OM-D E-M10 III
  • Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9
  • Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VII

* This camera has not been fully reviewed and is therefore not yet eligible for an award.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sony a6100 review: Should it be your next family camera?

29 Oct

The Sony a6100 is a 24MP APS-C mirrorless camera, aimed squarely at beginners and people who want attractive photos but don’t necessarily think of themselves as photographers. A new, powerful autofocus system makes it one of the easiest cameras to use, if you just trust it to do its thing and concentrate instead on what you’re shooting.

The a6100’s specifications aren’t cutting edge, and it’s priced accordingly. But that simple, effective autofocus system means it makes it easy to get the photos you want, and hence, arguably, it’s better value than those less expensive rivals. On paper it looks a lot like the bargain-basement a6000 but in use this is a vastly better camera.

Our main doubts about the camera come if you want to get more involved in the photographic process.

Key features:

  • 24MP APS-C CMOS sensor
  • Advanced AF system with highlight dependable subject tracking
  • 1.44M dot OLED electronic viewfinder
  • 0.9M dot LCD tilting rear touchscreen
  • Wi-Fi for image transfer to smart devices (with NFC for quick connection)
  • 4K video capture
  • USB charging

The Sony a6100 has a list price of $ 750, a $ 50 premium over the launch price of the original a6000, which suggests it may take a similar low-cost position in the lineup, long term. It has a list price of $ 850 with the small but uninspiring 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 power zoom. A two-lens kit adds a 55-210mm zoom for an additional $ 250.


What’s new and how it compares

The a6100 contains many familiar components, combines them in a way that can be excellent as a family camera. After some initial setup.

Click here to find out the camera, its features and its rivals

Image quality

Improved JPEG color, a good sensor and sophisticated processing mean the a6100 delivers attractive images.

Click here to take a closer at the a6100’s images

Autofocus and Video

Autofocus is the camera’s great claim-to-fame, and its video is easy to capture.

Click here to read more

Conclusion

The a6100 has probably the most powerful, easy-to-use autofocus systems on the market. But there are a few too many inconveniences, we feel.

Click here to read what we found

Sample gallery

We think the a6100 can turn its hand to a bit of everything, see what you think of its performance.

Click here to see our sample gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Tips & Tricks: A Survey of Iconic Family Lifestyle Photography

06 Oct

Family lifestyle photography is a unique and incredibly exciting subsection of the photographic field. This is a method that is widely practiced, though to be done right, one needs to properly understand its history, its limitations, its necessities, and how it can be executed to get the most incredible and poignant photos possible. First, defining lifestyle photography is imperative: here, Continue Reading

The post Tips & Tricks: A Survey of Iconic Family Lifestyle Photography appeared first on Photodoto.


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Essential Family Photo Session Preflight Checklist

26 Nov

Essential Family Photo Session Preflight Checklist 1

When preparing for a family photo session, there are plenty of things to keep in mind. Such as: making sure you know what time to meet, where you are going to do the shoot, and having all your gear handy. However, even the most seasoned family photographer can overlook some items from time to time though.

For people who are new to this type of work, it can be a headache trying to keep track of all the little things that can make or break a portrait session. A simple solution is to borrow a technique from the aviation industry known as a Preflight Checklist. Creating a checklist makes all the difference between happy clients and photographic disaster.

2 Essential Family Photo Session Preflight Checklist

A Preflight Checklist is a list with various items on it that you can physically check off. Pilots use them to make sure everything is in order before taxiing down the runway, and photographers can use them before they start snapping photos.

You could create one on your phone with any note-taking app, but I recommend a physical Preflight Checklist. Since you can keep it in your pocket, you don’t have to worry about accessing apps or unlocking your phone. You can also hand it to someone else if you need another pair of eyes to check it over.

Some of the items on a photographer’s Preflight Checklist might sound relatively obvious, but it’s a good idea to keep one handy to make sure you have everything in order. Simple mistakes can make or break a photo shoot, and it doesn’t hurt to double-check that you have every little thing set – especially when dealing with families and children.

Following are the items I advise you to put on your checklist. You may want to customize it to suit your needs and possibly even create your own from scratch using a word processing program. I have included explanations for each item on this list. You could remove them to save space and focus just on the items and not the rationale for including them.

3 Essential Family Photo Session Preflight Checklist

Checklist items

1. Format Your Memory Cards

Each photo session should use fresh memory cards. The best way to do that is to format them using your camera. Doing a complete reformat, using the instructions provided in your camera’s manual, is preferred over merely deleting the pictures one-by-one. Doing a complete reformat resets your memory card to a fresh state. Deleting pictures can leave certain bits of data intact that, over time, could cause problems and make it more difficult to recover images in the case of a card failure.

2. Charge All Batteries

Charging your batteries may seem painfully obvious, but most photographers have been in at least one situation where they forgot to bring fully-charged batteries to a session. Having this on a checklist ensures that this doesn’t happen to you.

4 Essential Family Photo Session Preflight Checklist

This engagement session lasted quite a while, but luckily I remembered to have plenty of fully-charged batteries. I almost forgot though, which would have spelled disaster for the entire shoot.

3. List the Camera Gear You Need

You probably don’t need to bring all your camera gear to every photo shoot. Having a checklist for family photo sessions (or other types of sessions, such as sports or weddings) is an excellent way to ensure nothing gets overlooked. This list should include camera bodies, specific lenses, flashes, filters, even specific equipment like camera straps and lens cleaners. Don’t just assume you will remember to bring these! Having them on a checklist can save you from a big disaster during the photo session.

4. List the Accessories You Need

Accessories can include something to write with, something to write on (such as a clipboard), blankets for people to sit on, benches, footstools, and even stepladders (depending on the location and situation). Be as detailed as you like with this. It may help to have different accessories listed for different types of sessions such as pictures involving young children, or elderly grandparents.

5 Essential Family Photo Session Preflight Checklist

I was so focused on getting the gear I needed for this shot that I nearly forgot to bring a blanket for this baby to lay on.

5. Edible Items

It never hurts to have food or snacks on hand. As well as pacifying fussy kids or calming nervous parents, it sends a message to your clients that you know what you are doing and have their needs in mind. Chewy granola bars, single-serve packs of fruit snacks, and bottles of water all come in handy at photo sessions. The clients appreciated it too. Just be sure to avoid food that leaves crumbs or stain clothes!

6. Specific Types of Shots

Wedding photographers know this well, but some family photographers can easily make the mistake of forgetting specific shots in the hustle and bustle of a session. Write out the shots you want (i.e., Mom and Dad, Mom and kids, Dad and kids). Consult with the family beforehand to see if they want anything unique to their shoot. Even if they don’t have something in mind, they may appreciate that you asked for their input.

6 Essential Family Photo Session Preflight Checklist

The family specifically requested this type of shot, so I made sure to include it on my checklist.

7. Specific Poses

It’s easy to get lost in the shuffle and chaos of a family photo shoot only to realize afterward that there were certain poses you wanted to get. Or worse, certain poses your clients requested that slipped your mind. Once, I looked through my photos in Lightroom after a session. I banged my head against my keyboard because I forgot to get a shot of the parents holding their daughter or all the brothers in one group.

If you take more of a freeform approach to your sessions, you might not be too concerned about certain poses. However, if you want to cover your bases, putting your poses in your checklist is a great way to get the ones you want.

8. Clear the Pockets

If I had a dollar for every time I looked through pictures from a photo session only to realize that someone had keys, a giant cell phone, a glasses case, or other sundry items sticking out of their pockets, I’d be a rich man. These types of imperfections can land an otherwise frame-worthy photo in the rejection bin. Alternatively, it requires hours of postprocessing to fix.

The easiest solution is to have clients empty their pockets before you start taking pictures. Family sessions can be so hectic that it’s easy to overlook. Put this item on your checklist, and you’ll be all set.

7 Essential Family Photo Session Preflight Checklist

I forgot to use a checklist on this photo shoot. As a result, I didn’t think to have everyone empty their pockets. Even though the family was very pleased with their pictures, the phone and handkerchief are glaring mistakes that could have been easily avoided.

9. Clothing Check

Similarly to pocket-clearing, this one is an easy fix but can cause you to pull your hair out in post-processing if you forget. Make a note on your checklist to see that shirts are tucked in, collars are down, and ties aren’t sticking into belts.

10. Names

Names are last, but it’s one of the most important things to remember. It can make the difference between a one-time client and years of repeat business. Leave space on your checklist to write all the names of your clients and take a bit to rehearse them before your clients show up. This helps to avoid an awkward scene when directing a person to stand somewhere or put a hand on another’s shoulder, but you can’t remember their name. Nothing says unprofessional like barking out, “Hey you over there, move your hand!” Write your clients names down and use them during the photo session as much as possible. It helps the entire event to run smoother.

8 Essential Family Photo Session Preflight Checklist

There were a lot of names to keep track of during this session, but writing them down on a checklist was an easy way to help me remember.

Every photographer is going to need different items on his or her checklist. Hopefully, these give you a good idea of where to start. Creating the list is as simple as opening up a word processor and starting a bulleted list. Once you have a basic one created, you can fine-tune it to meet your needs on each shoot. It might seem like much work to create a checklist, but in the end, it saves you far more time than you might realize. You create better results for your clients too.

If you’d like to use my checklist as a template, you can download it here. I strongly recommend using this as a starting point and adding, removing, or changing the items to suit your needs.

Do you already use a Preflight Checklist or other such devices to help you with your photo sessions? If so, what do you put on it? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below, and I’m sure other photographers would as well.

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