Top Tips for Taking Family PortraitsStephanie Elie uses her Tamron SP 17-50mm and SP 24-70mm VC lenses to create long-lasting memories. |
Article by Jenn Gidman Images by Stephanie Elie |
Taking a pleasing family portrait can be a challenge. Not only do you have to take photographic factors into account—finding the right light, coming up with creative compositions, making sure your subjects aren't squinting or looking the wrong way—but you have to deal with varying personalities and activity levels, especially if there are kids involved in the session. |
As the year winds down, you may want to take a family portrait for a holiday card or just to have as a memento of 2014. Here are a few tips from Stephanie Elie on how to take portraits that capture the emotion and essence of your family so you can remember them at this moment in your shared timeline. |
Bring the family to an environment where you know they'll be themselves. |
For one family I photographed, we headed to a local playground. One of the children is autistic, and his mother told me he had never interacted with a photographer before and that she could never get pictures of him. I simply had the whole family start playing, going on the swings, whatever they wanted to do, while I took a bunch of pictures. I was able to get this one shot of them all lined up on the giant tires and capture them having a great time together. I couldn't have done that in a more static environment. The mom told me afterward she was amazed how many pictures I was able to get of her son actually looking at the camera. |
Do what you have to do to engage the kids. |
Another time I had a little boy who just did not seem to like me. He kept looking away, not engaging—he wasn't responding to me at all. So I brought his parents into the picture: I had him sit on his mom's lap holding a little book while his dad interacted with him. He was much happier that way and I got a better picture. |
If the family wants to dress up and do a more formal portrait, you still have to find some way to anchor them and get them to smile. I like to position them on a couch or around a kitchen table so they're not tempted to jump around too much. Making the kids laugh helps—and if you get a shot where there's just one person looking away, don't discount that photo. It could actually make for an interesting image, and sometimes you have to take what you can get! |
Blur out the background and fill the frame to focus on your subject. |
Show relationships without centering right on the faces.
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To see more of Stephanie Elie's work, go to www.bizziephotography.com. |