It’s that time of the year when family photoshoots are in full throttle.
…In preparation for holiday cards, of course! Which, let’s be honest, can be a totally stressful endeavor. What does everyone wear? Where should the photos be taken? How do we get even ONE where everyone is smiling?! To (hopefully!) make the process a little easier for you, I’ve put together some quick and easy tips for taking great family photos. These will work during the holiday time, of course, but really they’re applicable for any time of year, so be sure to bookmark them!
My family and I took our holiday card photos a few weeks back, luckily the day before a huge snowstorm hit the Midwest and left all our trees bare. With just our camera, tripod, and ourselves, we were able to quickly and (fairly!) easily grab some photos of us that we were excited to use for our holiday cards. All of the tips from below were in full effect, which I definitely credit to getting some great photo options!
I love taking yearly family photos around the holiday season, even if we don’t end up using them for holiday cards. It’s a fun way to round out the year with a photo document with those who matter most! And, those types of photos are usually the ones that I end up framing and cherishing.
A reminder that you do not have to be a professional photographer to make your photos look professionally done. You just have to be aware of and practice the basics, and really pay attention to the details. Here we go!
10 Tips For Taking Great Family Photos That Look Professionally Done
Tip #1: Take The Photo Outside
Unless you’re working with a professional photographer who can also edit really well, indoor lighting is just so tricky. In pretty much any normal photo taken indoors, lighting can be too warm, have a yellow/orange/fluorescent tint from light bulbs, and faces are often in odd shadows. It’s my strong suggestion that you take your family photos outdoors if possible, to avoid all the above. (Again, unless you’re doing it with a professional photographer, who knows how to work with lighting indoors!)
If you do decide to take the photo indoors, don’t worry, all hope is not lost. Make sure that you’re 1. Taking the photo during daylight hours to get as much natural sunlight as possible, and 2. Having everyone facing a window. If you are taking photos in front of a window, everyone will be back-lit, and the photo will likely turn out with everyone as a shadow. But if everyone faces the window or source of natural light, the photos can turn out really nice!
Tip #2: Lighting REALLY Matters!
One of the main reasons why taking photos outdoors is key is that lighting is so crucial to a photograph! (Think about a photograph — it’s foundation is essentially capturing lighting and colors as a result of it.) Nodding to the above tips, taking family photos with natural light that is even creates a prime photograph foundation.
Natural light means leaning into the sunlight. Even lighting means no harsh shadows or too-bright images. This comes into play with the time of day you choose. Mornings, an hour or two after the sun rises, and evenings, an hour or two before the sun sets, is ideal. Golden hour – about an hour before the sun sets – is really where the magic lies! Golden hour has this lovely, natural glow about it where everything is softly lit while not being too harsh.
Tip #3: Pay Attention To Your Setting
Setting is huge; it can really help to amplify the focus of your family or take away from it.
When you’re taking your photo, look for strong setting foundations. A grouping of trees, for example, or a body of water. Look around that setting and make sure it’s free of weird background distractions, like trash cans or parked cars that can take away from the photo.
In the case of our photos, we found two settings: One was a big, bright tree where leaves had fallen on the ground below, making a lovely and colorful tie in both above and below us. The other was a grouping of trees along a pathway, creating linear lines and having us as a strong focal point in the center.
Tip #4: Coordinate Outfits To Look Aesthetically Pulled Together
Of course, the season plays into this big time. For example, you don’t want someone in sandals or in a barely-there dress when you’re shooting in fall foliage; that’d just look unnatural and a bit awkward. But going beyond being seasonally-appropriate is important, too! Coordinating focal colors is a great way to have the whole crew look pulled together and coordinated.
My biggest suggestion is to of course pre-plan your outfits, and do so around picking focal colors to lean into. A good rule of thumb is to pick in between 2 – 3 focal colors. (i.e. Navy + White, or Navy + Green + White) Incorporating patterns on 1 or 2 shirts or dresses is a great way to mix things up while still pulling in your focal colors, just make sure patterns are the minority! The point is to look cohesive and coordinated without being super matchy-matchy. One important caveat is that having every person in the exact same top or color combination (i.e. White t-shirt and jeans) can look a little cheesy and unnatural, in my opinion.
In our family photos, we knew we’d be shooting in fall foliage, but we actually didn’t go into the shoot knowing exactly where we were going to shoot. Thus, we didn’t know if the foliage would be orange, yellow, red, green, or a mix. So we leaned into really basic and minimalistic colors that would allow for the setting to pop — white and brown. The girls’ dresses were white with a navy stripe pattern, and we tied in the brown with their shoes. I wore a winter-white dress (similar here + here), and Doug a white shirt with a brown blazer. Coordinated, but not too matchy!
Tip #5: Leverage Technology + Get Options
I highly recommend to take your photo on a DSLR camera if you have one, and leverage a tripod if possible! In this case, a remote timer is absolute GOLD. Or, you can position the main group, use the 10 second timer, and join the group after pushing the button. Either way, have your camera take multiple photos in a row so that you have options.
If you’re taking your photo on a iPhone or similar device, a few things to note that can help ensure a better photo. First, make sure that you prop it up on a tripod or something steady so that your photos aren’t blurry. Second, make sure your subjects are in focus. (When you’re setting up the photo, tap on the subject matter on the screen so your phone knows where to focus.) Third, DO NOT ZOOM IN. For the love of God don’t ever zoom in! It immediately causes the photo to pixelate and almost always reduces the quality. You can always crop the photo later if you need to. Fourth, take the photo in “burst” mode and use a 10 second timer, again so that you have options! Sorry there’s so many here but I do believe all are important!
Tip #6: Allow Kids To Be Kids
The best photos are ones where everyone looks happy and feel natural! This often means allowing for kids to be kids. Don’t consider a photo ruined if a kid is looking away, or making a funny face. It shows character! Allowing for kids to be kids, and capturing the incredible essence of that life phase, is so magical in my opinion.
Of course, smiles are great, especially if everyone can do it. For this cases, Doug and I have found success in just asking them and counting down from 3. We say, “Okay guys, big smiles, ready?! One…Two…Three!” Just know you have very limited chances here, especially if you’re taking the photo on your own! Be realistic with the expectation that your photos should be quick, because the kiddos won’t usually last long.
Oh! And candy. I always bring along candy to bribe my children into smiling. Or at least not crying, ha! It works!
Tip #7: Don’t Be Afraid Of Movement
Do a group slow walk (what we did for our photos!), throw leaves, launch the kiddos in the air. Have fun with it. All this ensures that the photo will appear just a bit more natural and in-the-moment. While it’s great to have posed options, it’s also really important to get ones that aren’t so set up. It helps to show personalities way more!
Tip #8: Stagger Heads
A row of heads in a straight line is just plain boring. Staggered heights and heads help to create more visual interest in a photograph, and help to avoid too much visual repetition, making the photo visually dull. At the same time, try to make sure that there are not heads on top of heads (i.e. If a row of people is sitting, and others are right above them, make sure the heads aren’t on top of one another), or faces blocked. It’s important to see everyone’s full face!
Tip #9: Position With Interest
Another note on positioning is that, particularly with group shots, it’s important to “fill in the blanks.” You don’t want people to be awkwardly on the sidelines, not connected with the group, or have unnecessary gaps in between people. This creates a feeling of dissonance and can turn a warm photo into an awkward-feeling one.
Tip #10: Props Can Help Alleviate Awkwardness
Sometimes, a great pop is the key for taking family photos . Benches are wonderful for this, as are things like scarves. Even flowers and leaves can be considered props! Don’t be afraid to tie them in to help create a more natural looking – and feeling! – photoshoot.
There you have it! I hope these tips for taking great family photos are helpful for you as you navigate the crazy world of holiday cards. At a minimum, they’ll get you shots that were better than before! And, hey, if all else fails…call in a pro. Shameless plug: I’m available for photography sessions if you’re in the Detroit area – shoot me an email! 😉
PS – 5 Tips for Creating Impactful Photography + 10 Apps Bloggers Use To Help Make Imagery Stand Out
