How To Prepare For Family And Individual Portraits
Family portraits can be so fun and memorable, but most of the time they can add unneeded
stress to your life, especially if you have a large family or can't get everyone together often. This usually leads to the "Everything has to be perfect because this is it" syndrome that can overwhelm you.
Family Pictures
That's not the point of family pictures. They are supposed to be a fun way to remember an event, capture a moment, or just remember that stage of life.
Here are some things to remember when coordinating a family photo shoot:
1. Coordinate, don't match. That being said, there is a time and a place for matching. Sometimes it really is cute to have the whole family in jeans and white shirts, or girls in dresses and the boys in suits.
However, for the most part, it is best to let each member of the family have a little individual style. And if you're doing a huge family portrait with all the relatives then this will cut out a lot of the stress of, "What if Uncle Bob forgets his white pants" and the whole thing is ruined.
The best strategy is to choose a few different colors that go well together and let everyone build their own outfit using those guidelines. Layering clothing can be fun as well, especially in the cooler months of the year.
Hats, scarves, gloves can all be put on and taken off to change up some of the photos and give them a different, more casual look. You never want the portrait to be so much about the clothes that you forget to look at the people, as that is the point.
2. Portraits are about people. Everything in a photograph designed especially for a family picture should reflect and emphasize the people in the picture.
More importantly, nothing should distract from the people in the picture. The location should be such that it is easy to interact with and be accommodating for a family.
Props are fun but, again, should not distract from the people or be the focus of the photograph. And props should never look completely out of place.
A good rule of thumb for props is to think, "would that object ever be in that situation otherwise?" If you have a fancy couch in the middle of the woods, that doesn't make the most sense, now does it?
If you want to use the couch, take the photos indoor in a nice room. If you want photos in the woods, do them sans couch. Simple enough.
3. Have fun. This may sound like a no-brainer, but most family pictures are stressful for parents, and we all know that when Mom is stressed, so is everyone else.
Try to laugh and have fun together; your photographer will be able to capture much better pictures if you are interacting and making each other have a good time. This way nothing is forced.
It's also easier to keep small kids from getting too antsy if they are being entertained, and if you have teenagers that never smile, this is a good chance for you to tell cheesy jokes to get that embarrassed half grin out of them!
Individual portraits
While family portraits and individual portraits are a very different thing, most of the same rules apply. Individual portraits can be so fun if you have a friendly photographer and if you're willing to try a few different things.
Here are some extra tips:
1. Let the purpose dictate the shoot. Getting professional head shots for a business card, senior portraits, your three-year-old's birthday pictures, or newborn photographs?
These are all very specific events that require the same consideration. Once you know the reason for the pictures it's easier to think of location and wardrobe that will enhance the photo shoot.
You would never photograph something sweet and pure in a dangerous situation (e.g., a newborn in a buggy on train track...it's been done unfortunately) because that's not a natural location. A newborn in mother's arms or cradled in soft fabrics is so much more endearing and sweet.
Communicate with your photographer about how you want your images to be perceived, or the feelings that you want to convey and that will help them decide the kinds of angles to use and directions to give.
2. Try everything! Sometimes you might think to yourself, "There's no way this pose/picture/background will look any good," and then you eat your words because, lo and behold, your photographer knew what she was doing.
This is not to say that you shouldn't be wary of some things, but for the most part the best policy is just to try it! You never know what will actually turn out really fabulously until you attempt.
Communicate with your photographer, tell them what feels natural and what feels weird or forced, as well as any idea you might have. Sometimes the best pictures come from clients saying, "Hey, what if I do this?" or "What if we go here?" so just have fun, play and experiment!
by: Terry Daniels
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