Deep Dive ~ How to Ace Family Photos

What this photographer says matters most (and what doesn't matter at all)

Here’s a secret: there are no secrets to getting great photos of your family. 

Smile. Wear something nice. Hire a good photographer.

That’s it.

I’ve photographed hundreds of families, and what makes every single family session a success comes down to these three things. Here’s what I mean.

three steps to success

1. If you have a family member who really hates photos, bribe them. Plan to get ice cream immediately after the shoot. (Or maybe during? Now that is a good idea. If you want an ice cream shoot, please reply.) 

2. Every person in the family should wear something they feel gorgeous in. Wear something clean and beautiful. Iron it. If you need some inspiration, read about how to get dressed for family photos here.

3. Trust me and trust yourself. Investing in a professional means you’re getting someone with a ton of experience, and you can trust them completely. I’ve photographed hundreds of families, so all you have to do is show up, and I’m there to help you pose without looking “posed.” I make cheesy jokes to get your kids to laugh. If you’re nervous, let me know. If there’s one photo you just *have* to have (i.e., for the Christmas card), let me know. And then: take some deep breaths.

“I loved having Alex do our photos because she made me feel very comfortable in front of the camera. I felt like myself. Our family could relax and still get great photos, because I knew Alex knew what images I was hoping for. That gave me confidence. I just followed her direction, and in the photos we didn’t come across tense or nervous, we just look like our happy selves.”
– Jane, repeat client

These are the exact directions and prompts I give families while we’re shooting:

• Always be holding onto someone in your family. Nestle against them, hug them, hold their hand. It brings a sense of life and love into the photos.

• If you feel nervous or tense about looking into the camera at first, smile at a family member. 

• Fake laugh. Soon enough you’ll be real laughing. 

• *Bonus tip for your toddler: give her something tiny and special to hold, like a quarter, earring, or marble.

“A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.”
– Roald Dahl

tl;dr

Bribe your family. Wear something gorgeous. Trust your photographer.

A family photo session can be so daunting and nerve-wracking. Someone always seems to spill on their outfit, give themselves a haircut, or break a bone right before family pictures (did you spot Julian’s blue cast in the middle photo?). Nothing makes me more nervous than getting my picture taken, so I get it.

But trust me when I tell you, do. not. sweat. it. None of that matters. All that matters is that you’re there, together. I can take care of the rest.

I promise you, if you trust yourself, trust your photographer, and smile, you’ll end up with family photos you will treasure year after year.

PS: You get fifty bucks off your session, since you’re a paid subscriber. Drop me an email to get on my calendar.