Tis the season…for family photos!
Whether you have an adult family or have young ones, read on for tips to get the best photos in the least amount of time with the least amount of stress.
- If you can, engage a photographer. If your budget is more generous, look for community referrals and then examine the photographer’s work on his or her website, checking to make sure that he or she captured the vibe that you want. If your budget is not so generous, check out a local university or even high school for expert hobbyists. Make sure to discuss with the photographer, time of day, mood, lighting etc that you would like.
- Decide on a mood or vibe for your photos. Do you want casual, almost spontaneous shots or a bit more posed? Do you want an outdoor, natural setting or maybe something against a textured background – old brick walls, barnwood siding etc make great backgrounds. Discuss what you would like with your photographer as well as your thoughts on close ups vs whole body shots.
- The mood you decide on will then help out with outfit selection. Clothing will be influenced by season of course. It is nice to have coordinating outfits but not strictly matching, unless maybe if it is a Christmas PJ picture! Examples of coordination can be everyone in a shade of white top with khaki bottoms or for winter, a few of the party in a plaid shirt of coordinating colors, maybe a few more people with a solid color top in one of the colors in the plaid and then maybe a scarf or two in a different plaid that uses the same colors. On the bottom, keep it simple with blue jeans. Denim photographs really well. I would also bring a few accessories like jackets to change up the look to give you more options. Sometimes you will be surprised by what you like better. All of that being said, don’t leave the outfit selection until the last minute. Try them on, take a few selfies and make sure you like the look!
- Make sure the time you select takes everyone’s schedule into account. To make sure kids are at their best, the time should be after naps and after some food. Maybe even a glass of wine and snack for the adults so everyone is loose and in a good mood.
- Lastly, try to have fun at the photo shoot and let it flow naturally. The best photos are usually the ones that are the least canned. Don’t be afraid to move around, try different poses, and different arrangements of people. Ultimately, you want a natural feeling photo that captures the love that you have for each other, so just relax!
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