Making a good family photo is not that easy. Before you have the whole family in view, the first family members have already become impatient. And then, of course, you also want the family portrait to look a bit original. The tips below will help you create the perfect family picture that will hang on everyone’s wall for years to come.
- Tip 1: focus
- Tip 2: natural lighting
- Tip 3: higher perspective
- Tip 4: positioning
- Tip 5: relaxed laughter
Tip 1: focus well on the faces
In a portrait photo, it is important that the face is sharp. You probably have a portrait mode on your camera, which helps you focus on the face. The position also ensures that the background is blurred. This puts the attention even more on the people. You actually only use this option with close-ups. If you take the family portrait from a distance, you want the whole image to be sharp.
Tip 2: use natural lighting
Getting the whole family in a photo studio is often quite a challenge. In addition, not every photographer has such equipment. Natural daylight is your best friend in this case. Depending on the time, daylight provides a nice, even exposure. That is something you cannot achieve with a single flash. Incidentally, faces do not get more beautiful from this artificial light. So, move the whole family outside. The best thing is when the sun falls diagonally on the group.
Tip 3: choose a higher perspective
Photographing at eye level is a safe option that always ensures a good photo. But it does not make the family portrait more original. Go stand on a kitchen step or bench to photograph the family from above. This means that a large group also fits in better with the framework. Are there small children? With a close-up, make sure that you or everyone else falls down or let someone lift the little ones.
Tip 4: ensure an interesting positioning
Try to be more creative with the positioning of the subjects. Don’t put everyone in a row, but leave your family members half in front and behind each other. This provides an interesting whole and a lot of depth in the image. The best thing is to let everyone move around freely and to take pictures while everyone walks around a bit. This is also much more fun for children who cannot stand still for long.
Tip 5: let everyone relax and smile
If you have a large family, it is difficult to keep everyone happy while shooting. Some people probably don’t like to be photographed anyway and children often run in all directions. You solve these problems by having everyone relax. Give children some toys or use a pet as an asset. Try to distract indifferent adults by making jokes. As soon as everyone laughs and looks relaxed, you take the photo.
