Family Photos - 3 Pose Guide
Hello Reader! Today we’re going to talk about family photography.
Family photos can be a daunting idea for some (either as the photographer or as the family)! In part, because as humans we feel apprehensive of the unknown; which is why I want to go through just a couple of reliable prompts / poses for family photography! I’m only going to go through 3 poses here, but my hope is that this guide helps fellow photographers feel a little more confident about the prospect of working with families, and inspires you, Reader, to take new and fun photos that you might not have thought of otherwise.
So without further ado, let’s get into it!
First off, I like to start with the family standing - because in my experience it’s better to start them off with some simple poses/ prompts. I even start a lot of sessions by telling clients “Don’t worry if you feel a bit silly, I often find that the first 10 minutes of our session we don’t use the photos - we’re just going through a warm up to start you off.” I don’t tell this to everyone - just the folks who are particularly nervous at the start of session. I find it helps them to relax to think that they’re on the “practice run”.
Most of all, don’t be afraid to direct your clients! Presumably they’ve come to you because they love your images, and they trust your vision, so don’t be afraid to direct. Photographers who say things like “these beautiful candid moments” or imply they didn’t direct or pose their clients can make everyone else feel so silly that they just can’t get those candid or unscripted moments when in reality, we ALL pose our clients. Unless you’re working with models, you HAVE to direct them.
Credit where credit is due though, I have learned a great deal from other photographers - most particularly from https://www.elenasblairphotography.com and her courses. Even “self-taught” photographers are never fully self taught. So, if you like this little guide - I recommend you check out her website and her courses as I wouldn’t have been able to do this session nearly as well without her education.
A classic “start of the session” shot. I did include this in their gallery even though some of the kids weren’t looking. Mum particularly enjoyed that it captured the kids personalities well.
For this pose, I asked if Dad was happy to give one of the kids a shoulder ride - because we want to create layers within the photo, which can be very effective if subjects are different heights. I then got Mum to snuggle in with Dad. I had to ask her to reach over and put her hand on his stomach, and ask Dad to put his arm around her shoulders. Then I asked their little girl to run in and give Mum a BIG hug. The remaining boy wasn’t in the mood to give Mum or Dad a hug, so I asked him to run around Mum and Dad but to stay nice and close. We wound up getting some sweet photos when he started skipping around and making everyone smile.
I started with Dad - asking him to sit down and get comfortable. Then I asked Mum to sit next to Dad, making sure I requested she sit with her back leaning into her husband (no daylight rules here!) Then I turned to the kids and said “Who wants to sit on Mums lap?!” and their little girl, and one of the boys ran in to sit with Mum. I popped the eldest boy on Dads lap, so that the whole family is touching and feeling connected. Then I wiggled my eyebrows at them and asked “Are the kids ticklish?” (Can you guess who was?).
The last pose I love for getting a few different angles, and we can move directly into this from the previous pose.
Here, we get the Mum to lie down, with her head in her partners lap. Do make sure to double check that her hair isn’t completely pinned as she’s lying down as it can pull her hair backwards and give it a less desirable look.
Once she’s lying down and comfortable, pop the youngest on Mums lap facing her. Then position the other children around so that they’re all nearby and connected with each other. If they’re touching, thats perfect. We want to capture connection, and the best way to do that is through touch. This can be a moment where you get the family a little break to just chat and be present with each other, then once they’ve settled in together - I asked the little girl to give Mum a big kiss!
BONUS PROMPT - Give Mum a Kiss!
Because the little girl was super happy to give Mum a few kisses, I asked her to give Mum a couple of kisses. The boys ran off after the first one (as you can see in the second image), but this is a really good chance to get a couple of different angles of that moment.
It’s amazing how quickly you’ll be able to capture the photos you need for a gallery size of your choosing. Don’t be afraid to have some fun, run around with the kids and chat to the parents. You don’t need two hours to take photos, you can capture everything you need in around 40 minutes if you use your time wisely. So, get out there and make some magic. Capture photos that someone will love with all their heart, because the world needs your art.
Once again, if you liked this guide - I heartily recommend you check out https://www.elenasblairphotography.com and her Lifestyle Family Posing course. It was a huge game changer for me and I think it can help every photographer up their game.
Enjoy shooting!
HappySnappyLaura