Discover 9 Easy Tips To Make Your Family Photo Way Better

Getting a great picture of your family doesn't have to be a painful experience, especially if you put a few simple photo tips to use.

1. Positioning matters

It is considered that the best technique is to position everyone so that their heads are closely together. This little trick makes everyone in your family look extra friendly and happy.

While considering the proper positioning, don’t forget to think about the outlooks of your family. What should they wear? There is one simple guideline: bright solid colors. Stripes, sports logos,  act as distractions, pulling the viewer's eye away from your subject.

2. Try not to complexify things, keep everything simple

Don’t try to put everything and everyone in one picture. First, this is very confusing and distracting everyone from photographing, besides you can take plenty of additional shot whenever you want to. And if you put too much stuff in your photo in will look messy.

Shooting several family members? That’s great! They all compose a subject of a photo and that is really the relationship between the various family members.

3. Choose the best time

Try to take your family portrait at a time of day that produces the nicest light - like early in the morning when the sun is just rising.

The light can also be beautiful late in the afternoon, when the sun is just about to set.

If neither early morning nor late afternoon work for your family, look for bright open shade or the light just inside a doorway or window.

4. Take candid and natural shots.

Of course, sometimes you’re going to take classic shots of the whole family lined up on the couch or porch. But for most of your shots, take candid shots of your family working, playing, talking, and relaxing. You will capture your family’s personality that way and your pictures will be much more interesting.

5. Make posed shots lively

When you do line up the family for a group shot, take some care in how and where you pose everybody. A plain background, such as a neutral wall, is the best. Arrange a couch a few feet from the wall and then pose the group with a third of your subjects behind the couch, a third seated, and the rest on the floor. Arrange subjects with the tallest on the edges of the group and smaller ones near the center.

6. Be candid yourself

When you’re ready to take the picture, don’t say “smile” or “cheese.” You will be bound to end up with phony smiles. Instead, tell a joke, make funny noises, or do whatever you know makes your family giggle.

7. Get close

Most people are too far away when they take photos. Your pictures will have more impact if you fill the viewfinder. Set up the shot as you would normally take it, then take a step or closer to fill the frame. You can also use your zoom to emphasize what is important in your photo.

8. Pay attention to the lighting

The best time to take photos is in the early morning or late afternoon, when the sun is gentler and more flattering. Avoid taking pictures in bright sunlight. If you do take pictures in the middle of the day, look for an area with light shade.

9. Be aware of the background in your images

A neutral background is usually best. Stay away from distracting, cluttered or busy backgrounds. Be extra careful for objects such as antennas, or your subjects may end looking like they have something growing out of their heads.

Of course, sometimes the background is part of the story. If you are taking a picture of your child on skis for the first time, the mountain or the ski lift can add to the picture.
Props can also add to the picture and help show your family’s personality.

And make sure you check out our recent contests to see great examples of family photos.