Family photography which contains some cool & different types of family portraits is one of my beloved types of photography.
There are so many good reasons behind it, no matter if you want to learn photography (under pressure) or even if you want to capture some pure and RAW emotions of each family member.
Using this type of photography you can do so many cool stuff and learn so much within a single photoshoot.
As many photographers say it’s not that easy and simple to capture good family portraits, especially if you’re capturing kids or a large group of people.
But after gaining experience in family photography it really helps you to build a strong portfolio and draw the attention of many more clients.
But if you love to shoot prewedding and that kind of stuff then this type of photography is very easy and straightforward for you.
Because in the end, you’ll know how to handle a bunch of people or even couples during the shoot.
Yeah, sometimes it’s very hard ( and frustrating, at least for me 😀 ) to handle kids and big groups of families to capture one single shot.
It’s even harder to get the emotions that you’re looking for in each family member’s face while you capture the image.
There are lots of things to remember before you go out for the shoot till you share the final images with your client.
So in this article, I’m going to talk about all these things like what techniques you need to remember (which every pro photographer uses to capture natural family portraits ).
I’m also going to share what gears you need to use, what type of family poses you can share with your client during the shoot, and many more crazy stuff like that.
In short, if you want to capture some crazy next-level natural family portraits then this is the only article which you need to follow.
After reading this article, I’m 110% sure (if you follow each step) that you’re ready to go out in your next upcoming shoot to capture some good bangers.
Now without talking more about it, let’s get started…
Family Photography Tips | Know How To Take Good Family Portraits
So before we get to know some tips to capture families, let’s understand the basic meaning of family photography.
Without learning the basics, we won’t be able to achieve the results that we’re talking about.
Real Meaning Of Family Photography | Why it’s important?
This is the very first question, which you need to ask yourself before you go out for the shoot ( I know you know the answer 😀 ).
So the simple meaning of a family photo is that a photo contains a group of portraits.
Just check out your old family album, you’ll get a bunch of good portraits ( if the photographer is good enough 😀 ), and that’s it, you’re going to capture these types of images during the shoot, which contain your creativity & poses.
Each photo expresses a different feeling and emotions.
So that’s the meaning of family photography from my perspective.
Newborn photography is also one part of family photography.
If you want to know more about family photography of family portraits then please check out what wiki says.
Now you know the simple meaning of this type of photography, it’s time to prepare yourself for the shoot.
So here are some PRO Family Photography Tips, which guide you from the beginning till the end to capture better & natural family portraits.
This is going to be a fully advanced guide to capture better family portraits, so make sure you’re ready with your coffee to start the journey.
Before the Shoot
These are some important steps that you need to follow before you go for the real shoot.
As you know so many professional photographers like to schedule their day according to shoots to get better results.
I like to note down some important things before I go for the shoot.
Also, this is the most crucial part of any successful shoot.
If you perform well in this part then you’ll get a pretty solid outcome for sure.
Understand Your Client’s expectation
This is the very first and most important step which you need to know and understand.
No matter, if you get a better image but if your client doesn’t like it then it’s not a good sign.
So make sure you know what your client actually wants out of that photoshoot.
Discuss some important questions like how many images he/she wants to get out of that photo shoot.
Meanwhile, you can also discuss the charges you’ll take for a photoshoot.
No matter if you’re charging hourly or for a whole shoot, just make all things clear.
Also, discuss the editing price and the due date to share the images.
These are some basic points which you need to make clear before the shoot.
Now you can discuss the location which you’re going to use for the shoot.
Locations for better family portraits
Now you know what your client actually wants from the photoshoot, so it’s time to choose a location.
If you’re doing a prewedding or even a portrait shoot then location is a very important factor.
Yeah sometimes you can shoot indoors to get some cool shots, but it’s not easy to shoot family portraits indoors.
Because you need to set up your lights and reflectors to get the perfect shot.
And if you’re shooting a big group of family then it’s not possible to handle the situation by yourself ( you can ask your friend to hand it out with you during the shoot as assistance ).
So for this kind of scenario, it’s very important to choose an outdoor location.
But if you’re shooting a family of three or four members then you can shoot indoors.
You can choose a bedroom or hall where you can find some natural light.
Which helps you to get some stunning shots.
The location you can choose for the shoot
I personally love to shoot during golden hour to get the perfect shot.
You can even choose any nearby garden or beach for the shoot.
Now all you need to do is the placement of your subject (or subjects :D) to get the shot.
You can find a large tree and play with its shades to get some sick shots.
You can even play with the shadow to get the shot.
For the golden hour, you can schedule a shoot in the early morning or during the evening time.
Bad Timing for the shoot
Avoid outdoor shoots during noontime.
Because then you’ll get much sharper sunlight and you’ll end up with some overexposed images ( you can use ND filters 😀 ).
Also, you’ll get flat and blown-out images.
Yeah you can play with light sometimes to get the shoot done, but it’s not recommended for this type of photo shoot, so make sure you choose better timing.
Know the Family Members
Another important point before you go out for the final shoot is this.
If you’re shooting a group of family then you need to know the relation between each and every family member.
So during the shoot, you can easily know what type of emotions you want to capture.
Like for example if siblings are talking then you’ll get some funny vibes and you can use these vibes and capture some funny moments.
The same thing applies to a relationship between a mother and her son and, or a father and his daughter.
If you’re clear about the role of each family member then it’s easier to get the shot.
Is there any dress code?
This is the thing, which you need to confirm with the client.
If there is any dress code then you can arrange the props accordingly.
Also if there is no dress code and some festival is about to come then you can suggest some dress code.
So you can use those images to share in your portfolio and even on your social account.
Who knows if your images get viral because of the trend (anything happens on the internet :D).
Get ready with your props
If you’re also providing props for the shoot then this is the point which you need to know, otherwise you can skip it.
Make sure you bring something trending so each family member also likes it.
Here is the idea, you can find any trendy slogan or meme on the internet and use this type of popular stuff to get your props.
You can search on Pinterest/Instagram and find some awesome ideas to find your props.
Now we know how to handle our client, and what to discuss before the shoot and prepare for the shoot accordingly.
So let’s get back to the photography stuff, to understand some basic rules to get the perfect shot during the shoot.
Set up your camera gears
Now this is the favourite part of every photographer, who really wants to know how to get natural family portraits.
Here I’m sharing some intermediate pro photography tips to get the maximum out of each shoot.
Shoot In RAW
This is an important point that you need to remember not only for this shoot but for future shoots too.
If you’re not familiar with RAW files then here you go…
To shoot in RAW you need to choose the RAW file format in your DSLR camera.
That’s all you need to do to shoot in RAW.
Basically, RAW files help you to get the detail in the image ( Raw files are uncompressed ), so if you capture the same shot in jpeg format and raw format then you’ll get more colours and detail while editing RAW files.
But it’s hard to get the same details using jpeg format ( because this format compresses the image and adds more contrast, colours, and other important stuff to your image ).
So make sure you shoot in RAW each and every image.
Yeah, you need to buy an extra memory card to store more images because the RAW files are larger in size than JPEG.
For example, I have a 24 MP camera and each RAW file is an approximate size of 24-30 MB.
As you know RAW files are not easy to edit, if you want to edit the RAW file properly then you need to buy Lightroom for mobile or PC.
So better if you know some alternatives to editing your RAW file for free ( especially for beginners, who can’t afford Lightroom for now ).
Here is one alternative to Lightroom to edit RAW files for FREE.
Lenses to use for the shoot
If you know you’re going to take some portraits so it’s better to take any zoom lens with you ( first priority ).
Also, if you’re going to capture a family picture which means you also need to bring a wide lens in your pocket.
So a combination of zoom + wide lens is the better option you can choose for this type of photoshoot.
That means you can easily get compressed family portraits and a full family shot using a wide lens.
For a wide lens a range between 18 to 25 mm is good & for a zoom lens, you can choose a lens like 24-70 mm or 28-135 mm, so you can capture each moment easily.
Camera Settings to Remember
Always use manual mode so you can control each and every camera features like ISO, shutter speed & aperture.
You can also play with white balance and other stuff during the shoot, as you know these settings totally depend on the situation.
Autofocus is the key that you need to turn on before you go out for a shoot.
Because using a zoom lens (or wide lens) it’s quite hard to get each and every shot in focus using manual focus.
So just make sure you’re capturing all images with the autofocus feature.
If you’re using a mirrorless camera or any expensive DSLR camera then you can set up a specific button to perform a specific function.
You can use this type of feature to set autofocus to get sharp images.
Also if you don’t like to play with aperture then you can use aperture priority mode so you can get the best aperture according to the scenario automatically.
- Know Some Easy ways to use your DSLR camera like a PRO | FULL guide
- My favourite camera settings for Mirrorless Camera
Pro tips to remember during the shoot
If you’re capturing all images in RAW, then make sure you keep the ISO as low as possible.
So during editing, you can bring all the required details back to the images.
Otherwise, if you capture each image with high ISO like 3200 or 6400+ with high shutter speed then yeah you’ll get good-looking images no doubt but you’ll also get some grains in your images.
You see these grains during the editing phase, and it frustrates every photographer when they see this type of mistake.
And always try to capture more than one shot per pose so if you get an out-of-focus image then you can manage to get the real one.
So make sure you capture more than one (I usually take 3-4 ) image per pose.
Now you’re ready to rock and roll for the shoot.
Let me share some extra stuff to carry with you before you go out to capture beautiful family portraits.
Some extra stuff to carry before the shoot
This is very important, as you know during family functions, normally it’ll take more time than expected.
So make sure you take some extra lite snakes with you.
So you can eat on the go without worrying about your empty stomach.
Also, bring more than one or two camera batteries, so if your camera runs out of batteries then you can easily replace them.
All this kind of stuff is very important sometimes, if you’re preparing for a big event then every photographer already takes care of all this stuff.
But It’s better to take a note about all this stuff to remember and check before you go out for any future shoot.
You can also bring a tripod with you.
But why does any photographer need a tripod to capture portraits, yeah I agree.
Sometimes if you’re capturing any moving subject like running kids then you can use the stability of the tripod to get a sharp result.
Or even if you like to do some documentary-style photography then a tripod can help you to get better output.
So just make sure you know what you’re going to capture during the shoot, according to that you can easily pick the gears which are important to you.
It’s time to shoot
Yeah, finally the major part of our family photography journey is finished, it’s time to get prepared for the shoot.
This is the prime time, which we’re looking for.
If you’re ready and prepared then I’m pretty sure you’re going to capture some really sick shots during the shoot.
Here are some important points to remember while you’re doing or capturing family portraits.
Focus on the small details
This is the very first and most important point, which you need to remember not only for this shoot but each and every photoshoot which you’re going to do in the future.
Always try to get the details in your shot.
Make sure, you get your subject in focus & if you’re capturing families then make sure you catch some crazy candid movement.
This is the type of photographer every client wants, because when they see the final image then they can easily feel that movement.
So to capture more candid images, as mentioned earlier you need to know the relations between each family member.
Because of this reason, you’ll be prepared and ready to click the shutter button to get the perfect shot.
So make sure you’re ready to create a story in your images and ready to capture some beautiful candid movement.
Play with perspective and composition techniques
This is another cool stuff ( but sometimes risky ) you can perform while attending this type of event.
For example, you can play with perspective like using your wide-angle lens to get the shot from bottom to top.
Use the rule of third ( easy to get good images ) or leading lines ( just use any composition technique ) to get a different perspective and unique shot.
As you know there is no upper limit in photography, sometimes you’ll get better results using these techniques and sometimes not.
But as I mentioned earlier it’s risky sometimes.
Because if there is some event happening which happens only once.
Like cake cutting or any function celebration then you’ll get only one chance to capture these types of movement.
So if you’re an experienced photographer or really know how to play with this type of perspective then it’s good for you.
Otherwise, you can practice this thing on your own before you directly perform during the shoot.
So you can play around with composition techniques like the rule of thirds, and leading lines, or you can even introduce negative space in your images to get better family portraits.
Rule of Third
You can even shoot some good black-and-white family portraits too ( not a bad idea ).
Here are some good black-and-white photography tips which you can remember during your next shoot.
If you’re shooting during golden hour then you can even play with shadow to get better results.
And get some sick shots, which you’ve imagined before the shoot.
Now you know everything about your camera settings and how you’re going to capture all that precious moment.
So now let’s talk about some popular & specific poses for families, which you can suggest during the shoot.
As a photographer, it’s very important to know some basic family photo posing ideas ( or at least some posing ideas for the shoot).
Here are some of the good family photo posing ideas that I found on the internet hope you like them…
Some popular family photo posing ideas to share
As you know family means a group of people and those people can be father mother and their children.
Or maybe a newly married couple, or only siblings or a big group of family members, etc…
So here I’m sharing some good posing examples for families, which you can remember and apply in your next shoot ( hope it helps 😀 ).
Father & Daughter
Mother & Son
Siblings
Young Families
Older Families
As you can see in all these images ( thanks to Unsplash ), it’s easy to feel each and every image which I just shared earlier.
So you can feel the relation between Mother & Son, Siblings and Granny, and Son, these type of details is the key to getting the perfect shot.
If you’re shooting a group of people then make sure they’re close enough ( not too much ).
So once you capture the shot, you get each and every member in focus.
You can even tell some funny stories while capturing images, so you get a so-called fake candid movement.
Or even if you’re shooting a relationship between father and daughter or mother and son then you’ll get tons of different candid movements.
Just tell family members to play with their kids, talk with them and just have fun, you’ll get really awesome photos without doing anything,
And now you’re ready for each and every situation to face while capturing some bangers during the shoot, so congratulations on that.
Here’re some final tips which you can remember before and during the shoot ( or even after the shoot ) from a professional photographer’s perspective.
To make any upcoming family photoshoot one of your best.
Things To Remember | Final Words On Family Photography
You can skip this part if you’re just doing a photoshoot for fun.
But if you want to take your photography career to the next level then you need to remember these details.
Because once you get the details then you can capture any magical movement happening around you without any problem.
So these are some tips that I’m going to share with you guys to remember during the shoot.
Value of your client
If you got the win-win deal from your client so make sure you respect them.
And reach the location on time and share the outcome before the due date, which we just discussed earlier (during the starting phase).
As a photographer, you need to be punctual and friendly with other people to earn a name and reputation for yourself in the business.
So make sure you remain cool and calm during the shoot.
Make sure everyone is relaxed
This is a quick tip but very important tip which you need to discuss with your client and family members before the shoot.
Just make sure the environment is light enough, so you can capture the real candid movements.
Also, I saw during parties & these types of an event many people stand completely straight when I shoot.
So make sure you guide each person and tell them how to pose properly to get better results.
The color combination
As we discussed earlier about the dress code.
If there is any dress code then make sure the clothing colour and background colour don’t look the same.
You can check out different & good matching colour combinations so you can choose the background accordingly.
And if there is no color combination and you’re shooting with a wide-angle lens like 24mm then make sure your background is clear enough.
If you’re planning to shoot a single person’s portrait then it’s better to clear the background or change the location to get a stunning shot.
Be on Time
Everyone likes a punctual person, so be a punctual photographer.
Always try to reach the location before other people.
If you get the extra time then you can do some sort of warm-up shoot to get in that photography zone (I personally like this technique ).
Same as reaching early at the location early, make sure you share the final edited images before the deadline ( so you may get an extra tip 😀 ).
Be Creative
As I mentioned earlier, you can play with different composition techniques to get creative shots.
If your budget is high then you can use drones to get some dope shots.
Yeah, you need to learn how to fly a drone, but if you’ve one then you can use it to get more creative shots.
You can use reflection or capture through some other objects to get better results.
As you know there is no upper limit to get the creative shots.
Once you dive in, you can easily see some unique ways to get the shot, so make sure you visualize every place before you just start shooting.
Formula to get perfect family portraits
There are so many easy ways you can apply to get a smiling portrait.
You can just say cheese and you get a good shot.
But it doesn’t work like that, sometimes you need to do something more to get a smiling portrait.
You can tell a funny story to your models to get the perfect shot.
It totally depends, but you need to try each and every possible way to get some bangers.
So make sure you’re aware of all these types of formulas to get good family portraits.
BONUS: Ways to Find family photo posing ideas
As you know right now you can find anything on the internet.
And for photographers, the real internet is Instagram to get some sick photography ideas.
It’s very easy to find any type of posing ideas on Instagram.
You can just follow some popular photographers in that field and ask them how they’re able to get these types of crazy shots.
Or you can simply follow any related hashtag to get the job done.
You can even use Pinterest ( I prefer Pinterest over Instagram ) to get some sick family photo posing ideas.
Just go to Pinterest and type the keyword, and that’s it.
Here is a real example, while I was writing this article I just searched for “Family Photo Posing Ideas” on Pinterest, and as you can see the results…
Follow Me On Pinterest
You’ll get a bunch of different posing ideas with and without props, with and without lights, or even indoor and outdoor.
If you’re lucky enough then you’ll get some small tutorials too like Instagram reels.
You can even use YouTube to get some good tutorials on posing or join any good Facebook group.
Using social media, it’s quite easy to get ideas and poses that you need, so make sure you’re aware of all this crazy stuff.
Conclusion
Now you almost know everything about family photography.
Starting from meeting your client to sending the final images to your client.
If you’re an intermediate or pro photographer then these tips are definitely going to help you out in some way.
No matter if you’re managing your client or just going out for any random shoot.
But if you’re a beginner and also working first time with the client then this guide really helps you to get started.
I personally love to shoot this type of photography a lot, and after gaining some real experience I’m here to share my experience with you guys.
As you know as a photographer, sometimes it’s quite hard to get the perfect shot that you’re really looking for or visualized before the shoot.
You need to go through all these types of situations, and you need to do enough practice before the real shoot.
If you’re creative enough or know how to visualize properly like where you’re going to place your subject and what kind of background you need to get the shoot.
Then you’re really ready to go.
But to achieve this type of level you need to click more and more images ( practice a lot ).
While writing this article, I also learned so many different techniques and ways to make any shoot a successful shoot.
So as a photographer, you need to keep learning all the time, that’s the real key to success.
So make sure you’re learning and practising each and every day to upgrade your photography skills.
Cover Photo Captured by Jude Beck on Unsplash, thanks for that.
That’s all from my side about family photography.
Hope you guys, like this fully advanced guide to capturing a better family portrait.
Let me know your favorite part of this article in the comment section.
If you really liked this article, then please share it with your friends and on your social media platforms.
Thank you, have a good day 🙂
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