It’s a Snap: Quick Tips to Tackle Family Portraits

A professional family portrait makes a memorable keepsake as well as a great gift for family and friends. A great photographer will have many creative techniques to capture this moment in time for your family so you look natural, not stiff, however, the photographer will require your assistance in accomplishing this. Here are a few tips to ensure your family’s photo session is a success.

Dress to impress: This doesn’t mean forcing the kids into their Sunday best. Times have changed. In fact, contemporary trends in family photography are more about being who you really are as a family, and not that perfectly posed portrait in a studio. Keep this in mind when choosing a wardrobe.

Choose appropriate clothing that you and your kids are comfortable wearing. If choosing an outdoor setting, make sure that your clothing won’t be ruined if it gets a bit dirty. Be sure to discuss a colour scheme with the photographer beforehand. Agree on a complementary palette such as primary colours or jewel tones.

Feel free to co-ordinate clothing but don’t match it. This will only date your photograph. Stay away from busy prints and overly bold colours. This makes for jarring visuals and will not be very pleasing to look at in years to come when styles in clothing change.

Make sure your family is rested and fed: Nothing makes a family portrait session go south faster than an overtired or starving child. Schedule your session for a time of day when small children are at their best. If your children regularly nap in the afternoon, try to schedule a morning session. If your kids come down with a cold or are having a particularly off day, see if you can reschedule.

And don’t forget the same applies to parents. Try to get a good night’s sleep the night before the session. Make sure that when feeding your kids you don’t forget to feed yourself!

Get inspired: Collect magazine clippings, or show your photographer a friend’s successful family portrait to show him or her the sort of image you are looking for. Make sure to do this prior to your portrait session, preferably during your portrait consultation with the photographer.

Scout a location: Does your family have a favourite picnic spot? A popular playground? A great backyard? Keep these family friendly places in mind as the location for your portrait. Taking a picture in a place where your family is familiar will make them feel at ease. As long as it does not become a distraction, giving kids space to play also creates the opportunity for candid shots that capture their personalities.

Be playful: The most successful family portraits show people interacting. Don’t think that you and your children must sit still to get a good shot. Some of the freshest photos show families running around or just goofing off. Interact normally with your spouse and your children and allow the photographer to capture that unique connection. If it’s getting too crazy, the photographer will let you know.

Don’t try to run the show: It’s a fine line between communicating your ideas to the photographer and taking over. Remember that you’ve hired a professional, presumably someone whose work you have looked at and admire.

You may know your kids better than anyone, but the photographer knows family portraits. Once you arrive at your photo session with family in tow, your work is done. It is now time to listen to the expert and let the photographer do his or her job.

That being said, it’s okay to ask questions or remind the photographer that you really wanted a pose showing this or that. Just don’t be in control!