Family photos are a great thing to invest in! Having memorable photos that you can hang in your house, put in a photo album, or share on Facebook with all your friends and family is something you won’t regret! However a lot of stress can come from planning family pictures so below I have listed some tips to help you be more excited than worried to capture these memories!
1. Location, Location, Location
This tip doesn’t just apply to real estate! Choose a location your family is comfortable with and a place that reflects who you are as a family. Maybe your family is adventurous, then a beautiful landscape backdrop might be perfect. Is there a favorite park your family always likes to go to? Maybe you’ve always wanted to do a photo shoot at your house? Work with your photographer to find the best location to capture your vision. If you have no clue where you want to take photos, that’s fine! Most photographers have a list of their favorite places they can recommend and that can take the stress off you! Keep in mind the best light to shoot in is during “golden hour” (the two hours after sunrise or the two hours before sun set) This will give you that soft golden light that is most flattering for outdoor portraits!
2. Choose a photographer you can connect with and who’s style you like
If you’re investing in professional photos you want to make sure they capture what your family is all about! It’s important that you like the style of your photographer’s photos and that you make a connection with their work! Communicate the things that are important to you and trust your photographer to take care of the rest!
3. Coordinate Outfits
Perhaps the most stressful part of a photo shoot. What do we all wear?! This can make or break your photos believe it or not. The most important thing is that you all wear something you LOVE the way you look in and coordinate outfits. Choose a color palette and stick with it! Most photographers have a list of examples of what to wear or even pictures to give you an idea on how to coordinate! Here’s a few outfit tips I give to my families!
Moms: Flowy dresses and skirts photograph beautifully. These add an extra touch or grace and elegance to your photos!
Dads: Chinos and fitted shirts look sharp and masculine.
Kids: Same as mom and dad! And don’t forget that accessorizing with little touches like hair accessories, hats or bow ties can add the perfect stylistic touch to your photos!
To Coordinate: Choose a color palette with one accent color. Have everyone wear colors in this palette that compliment each other. Avoid matching perfectly.
4. Be Prepared!
Make sure everyone is fed and has had a nap (including the men) to help avoid meltdowns! Bring toys, wipes, make up, and back up outfits! Maybe this sounds familiar; you’ve got the kids all dressed and their hair is done perfectly, you’re walking out the door to the car and then it happens…THE MAJOR MELT DOWN! There’s kicking and crying, the cute bows get pulled from the hair, the milk spills all over that adorable outfit, and they have snot all over their face! You’re on your way to the photo shoot where you were envisioning beautiful shots of your family smiling and happy with no tears!! Don’t worry you can still get those beautiful photos! Have wipes and back up outfits in case there are spills or clothes get dirty. Work with your photographer to get the kids comfortable and having fun!
5. Have Fun
This might seem like a no brain-er, but really expect to have fun! It can be super awkward to have a camera in your face being told to pose in all these different ways! You start to worry, where do I put my hands? Do I look stiff? I think that was my fake smile because I was concentrating too hard on the pose!! These are all real worries but trust your photographer to instruct you on posses and capture beautiful photos! Be yourself and don’t be afraid to interact with your family while you’re in these poses. Start a tickle attack or a kiss attack! Don’t be afraid to bust out cheesy jokes or silly voices to get everyone laughing! It’s great to have the posed photos where everyone is smiling and looking at the camera, but it’s also a must have to get photos that capture your family interacting naturally!
Hopefully these tips were helpful and are getting you excited for your next family photo shoot! If you are still looking for a photographer and you are in the Denver area, feel free to contact me for more information by clicking the link below
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