How to Take Great Family Photos
Does the idea of gathering the family together for.
Does the idea of gathering the family together for a group photo stress you out? If it does, then I have a few quick and dirty tips to share with you.
How to Take Great Family Photos
When visiting a professional photographer, it is always good to have a game plan in mind especially when small children are involved.
Let’s start with a color theme. Whether it be different shades of the same color, a vibrant mix of different colors, or even a set of pastels, you’ll want the picture subjects to be wearing clothing that blends well together. If you gather your outfits in advance, you can have your group model them either in front of you or a mirror or lay the clothing out on a surface to confirm that nothing will clash. The last thing you want is for someone looking at your portrait to notice that the bright yellow shirt doesn’t go with that dark purple tie. Poor color choices can almost hide the most important part of the picture: the faces, of course.
Should You Use Drop-In Photo Studios?
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Children are most alert when they have nice full bellies but aren’t tired.Now, you do have a choice when planning a professional photo shoot. You can either schedule one in advance or, as I like to do, go to a drop-in photography studio such as Kiddie Kandids or The Picture People. The reason I prefer the drop-in studios is that babies and toddlers tend to have sporadic mood changes. You might need to postpone pictures due to children having meltdowns. A scheduled appointment teamed with an unhappy child who didn’t sleep or is hungry or just isn’t feeling the need to cooperate can make for a very frazzled picture taking session. You may not get the best pictures if your child isn’t in the mood. If you do need to schedule an appointment, try to make it soon after breakfast but well before nap time. Children are most alert when they have nice full bellies but aren’t tired.
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Keep Your Kids Happy
Another tip to remember is that children have a definite sense of who they do and do not like. If your child doesn’t like the photographer within a limited amount of time—ask for somebody else. Your child isn’t going to change their mind and the more you push them, the more they’re going to rebel. If it’s just the camera they don’t like, well, see if there’s a fun object that the photographer can provide for the child to play with while the pictures are being taken, or you could also bring something comforting from home if that will make the child more at ease. These are memories and I’m sure you wouldn’t mind having a favorite lovey or toy in the picture.
Last but not least, YOU have fun! The more fun YOU are having, the more fun it will be for the kids. “Look at Mommy and Daddy smiling! They make me laugh! I want to smile with them!” Most kids love having their picture taken. If the photography studio has those instant digital pictures that pop up, let the kids look at them. I mean, hey, what’s more fun than looking at pictures of yourself, right?
Good luck with those pictures everyone! I can’t wait to see them.
This is your friend, the Mighty Mommy wishing you happy and fun parenting!
Music – “Golly Gee” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons “Attribution 2.0” https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Photographs image courtesy of Shutterstock