Tips for your Family Portraits
Obviously, I want you to hire me for your portraits, but if you don't, do you mind if I give you a few tips to help you take better portraits of your family and friends?
The best times to shoot are early morning or later in the afternoon/evening. You want that soft beautiful diffused light that come at the beginning and end of the day. You don't want people glaring into the bright sun or causing serious back lighting so that you can't make out the details of people's faces. If you have no other option than to shoot in the brightest part of the day, look for shade and shoot with the sun behind everyone's back.
Choose a great background. Nothing messes up a great portrait like a cluttered background. Avoid the cars, signs and porta potties. Look for trees, bushes, flowers, brick walls, etc. Something simple will help your subjects to stand out.
Focus on the eyes. The focal point of most portraits are the eyes, it's the first thing people look at when looking at a great portrait. Try to keep them sharp and in focus.
Go for natural poses and expressions. Sometimes, candid shots are the best. I tell my clients to pretend to laugh because it puts natural smiles on faces. With kids I tell them to yell something completely silly. It gets EVERYONE laughing.
Watch the weather. While I don't mind a little wind, a small typhoon can wreak havoc with people's hair and clothing. Rain can totally mess up looks from rain spots on clothes to completely hair and makeup disasters. I personally LOVE cloudy days, it produces some of the most beautiful lighting for portraits.
Finally, HAVE FUN, experiment and relax. Nothing can put the damper on a photoshoot then when the person holding the camera gets stressed out. Kids will be kids, so seriously, let them. If you make it fun, everyone will respond by having fun and giving you images and memories to remember.
Hi, I'm Cara, an award winning and internationally published photographer. Recently I was awarded The Best Family Photographer and The Best Wedding Photographer by The Lake Minnetonka Magazine (for the second year in a row!). I've been taking photos of all subjects since Elementary School (seriously, don't laugh, you should see pics of my big brother asleep!)