Thanksgiving is the perfect day to snap a new family photo just in time to send out with your holiday cards! Use my best tips below to make sure you get a great natural looking photo of everyone in your family. ~ Cortnee
Let Everyone Dress Like Themselves (with Polish ;)) – Sometimes, family photos can look too staged due to matchy-matchy outfits or forcing kids to wear stuff they do not like, causing them to look stiff. Allowing everyone in the family to pick out an outfit that makes them feel best will give your family photo a natural and authentic feel and will be a true time capsule of the family that year. For example, in the Hollis Family Photo, you will notice that both Rachel and Ford are barefoot and still looking sharp! Before they pick out their outfits, give them a few parameters that will help a lot: solid colors or small prints tend to work best (as anything with a big print or logo can be distracting to the eye), and a little extra effort into their hair or makeup so they feel great. When people feel like the best version of themselves it is a lot easier to snap a great photo of them!
Find the Right Light – The easiest way to get some nice light for family photos is to step outside in the middle of the day! If its an overcast day with lots of clouds in the sky you can stand pretty much anywhere outside and have good even light on everyone. If you have a sunny or partly cloudy day it will be best to stand under something that will provide full shade on everyone, otherwise you will get harsh shadows on peoples faces. This is why I love to find a covered porch like at the Hollis house! Plus it is a bonus that your beautiful home will be featured in the shot as well! Have everyone sit (or stand) as close to the edge of the shade as possible without getting any direct sunlight on them – this way they will be lit up from the surrounding light without any chance of shadows.
Create a Natural Pose – Once you have found the right spot for lighting gather everyone together. If your group is going to be standing, put the tallest people in the middle and pick up very small children so they are closer to the height of grown ups. If your group is going to be sitting, cuddle in close and put the littlest children in laps, like Ford in Rachel’s lap. Either sitting or standing, I find the most natural way to pose as a family is with your arms around each other. Get everyone in position and then have them wrap their arms around their child or each other like one big happy family!
Use a Timer – Whether you are on your phone or camera you should be able to set a timer so the camera will go off in 5, 10, or 30 seconds. This is super helpful if you do not have an additional person to take the photo for you. Place your camera or phone on a tripod (or if you do not have one of those, use a sturdy surface) and once you have set everything and everyone up (leaving a spot for yourself) turn the timer on and run in to join your family!
Crack a Joke! – People look their very best and most natural when they have a sincere smile on their face. Sometimes when you are doing something unnatural though (like posing for a photo!) it is hard to get those real smiles. My best trick? Do or say something goofy and get everyone laughing at you – then snap a few sneaky photos of everyone happily laughing. Works like a charm!
BONUS ROUND: Mix it Up with B&W or a Filter! – With so many options for editing your photos these days, you don’t have to be a professional to get unique and cool looking photos. You can really change the feeling of a photo by changing its colors. I really like contrasty black & white (like this version of the Hollis Family Photo below) for family photos because it gives them a modern look while also being timeless. You could also use any of the great filters available on photo apps, if you want to mix up the regular colors and textures that come out of your camera.
