How to Take Great Family Photos
Get the Shot
Be Your Own Stylist and Get the Most out of your Family Photoshoot
It’s that time of year! If you haven’t already…it’s time for family pictures. Did hearing that cause anxiety? Cue a panic attack? It does cause me some anxiety and I have learned a few things over the years that has helped me keep my attitude in check. It’s probably a carryover from years working in fashion but one of my favorite aspects is what the industry calls “styling” the shoot. Styling includes choosing a photographer to work with, selecting a location, as well as picking outfits for everyone to wear, look and feel their absolute best. I will say it once and say it again, my family are the most difficult clients to work with. Lol. So here are my tips so that you can work with a bunch of jerks too, capture those moments and keep your attitude healthy through the holidays.
Choosing a Photographer
Is the person you are choosing you? You absolutely can take your own family photos, especially if you are going to only include your pets or children. iPhones and Androids have incredible cameras and the quality of the shot will be fine for printing holiday cards and capturing the moment. Hey friendie, I am a big proponent of YOU being IN the picture. For me, I believe that capturing family portraits is capturing a moment in time for our family when we are all together in one place, in clean clothes, showered, and that doesn’t happen often. I also know that hiring a professional ensures that one time a year I will be on the other side of the lens.
My two favorite photographers Lauren Defrehn and Meredith Flaherty always bring out the best in our family and capture our personalities in their photography. Lauren is a mom of four and Meredith is a former preschool teacher. Both are uniquely qualified in working with unruly kids and impatient spouses. They always help our entire family feel completely at ease, take more shots than you will ever need or use, and capture the personality of our family. You will see their work throughout the blog.
Not only do professionals have the equipment, high level photography and editing skills, but they take lots of pictures which is a must to getting that single shot worthy of a holiday card or gift for the grandparents…not to mention to post on the ‘gram! My family lacks the patience for me to take 10 far less 100 pictures of them without losing their sh#t.
Make sure the photographer you hire has a style that you love and fits your families personality. I tend to choose photographers who have a more casual, lifestyle vibe, over a more formal posed style. This is so important as photographers are not all the same. I also have a friend who specializes in cosplay…which would make a really cool, incredible family photo, but it’s just not our style.
Is hiring a professional not in the budget?
It’s financially been a challenging year or two for many and it might not be in the budget to hire a professional…and I completely get it. Here are a couple of tips for keeping the budget in check. First, look for mini sessions. This is when photographers book back to back sessions with clients at a single location and take a bunch of photos in a short amount of time offering you a few (sometimes unedited) at a reduced cost. This is great especially if anyone in your family is less than patient…children, spouses…etc.
Snap the shot yourself! But remember, the key to that one great shot is taking 100 crappy ones. Borrow a tripod and set the self timer on your phone. Choose natural light. It’s always most flattering. As I said above, the time of day matters. Don’t take your shot at high noon or anytime that the sun is shining directly in your face.
Selecting a Location
Indoors or out? Scout locations. Instagram is a great resource. Find out if you need permission or the site requires a fee. I love shooting outdoors but my family HATES it. Heard of the golden hour? That’s just after dawn and just after dusk…give or take. My family hits their stride at around 11 am. Not exactly great natural light or temperature conditions here in Houston. So indoors is best for us when everyone is in a good mood. Some of my favorite locations around Houston are the Biscuit Paint Wall (before everyone did it), Hermann Park, The Menil, and Rice University. Great locations have great light, open outdoor space, and interesting architectural details.
Picking Outfits - How to Coordinate Colors
This is my favorite…my jam. I love picking what my family is going to wear and yes it takes some bribery incentivizing. Remember incentivizing is rewarding positive behavior while bribery is rewarding negative behavior. I always start with myself, because if I don’t look good, we will not be using those pictures.
Pick something that looks good sitting or standing and that fits well. Fit is key to looking and feeling great. I think it’s usually better to size up and have something tailored than squeeze yourself into something that doesn't fit well. It’s way more flattering. Remember, size is just a number that has nothing to do with you!
Color matters. I don’t like being match-y match-y which can sometimes happen if you wait until the last minute which is what happened with our beach pictures a few summers ago. Mike and Kyle were literally wearing the same outfit. Think coordinating colors not wearing all the same color. So this is my biggest tip: Find a print or plaid that you love. One person can wear the print and everyone else wears colors from the print. Mike usually wears a neutral in the print with a pop of color. Make sure everyone is wearing something that they are reasonably comfortable wearing. Make sure you feel good. If you don’t feel good, you are not going to like the way you are going to look in the pictures. This year, I got all of our clothes at J.Crew. I wore the print and everyone else wore colors in the print. Mike required no new clothes. Because Kyle and Callie both wear uniforms to school, they too needed clothes to wear. If it’s not something you think you will wear again, leave the tags on and return after you have taken the photos. Don’t spend too much effort on choosing shoes. Nine times out of ten you won’t even see your shoes in the picture. You might even take your shoes off completely.
Side Note
It is with complete transparency that i have used professional make up artists and hair stylists as well. Is this a luxury? Yes. Will we have these pictures forever for generations to come? I sure hope so.
This year, Callie and I went to the Dry Bar. This lowers my stress level, especially when it comes to Callie’s hair. She hates having her hair washed, brushed, or touched by me. This gave her some autonomy in choosing how it was styled and gave me the relief to not fight with her about needing to wash or brush her hair before our pictures. She loved it….plus my hair looked great too and held the style, which sometimes doesn’t happen if I style it myself because I don’t use all. the. hair. products. And when you combine that with the Houston humidity, well it’s not always a “good hair day.” I didn’t have my make up professionally done this year, but I do recommend it as you do have to wear slightly more than what looks natural so that it actually looks natural in pictures.
I hope this helps you this holiday and you don’t over look capturing your family in photos this year. Perfection is overrated, keep these tips in mind and remember a real shot is way better than the illusive (and fake looking) perfect shot. Do you have any tips you’d like to share with our community? Put it in the comments below!!! I can’t wait to hear what works and what might not have worked for you! I cannot wait to see your holiday cards!
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