5 tips for better family portraits at home.
The holidays are upon us!
It’s that time of year again when everyone needs a new photo of their family, their kids, and their furbabies (ahem, pets) so that they can send out greeting cards.
Maybe you’re the type of person that is super on top of it, and you’ve already booked a professional photoshoot for your annual family photos. Even better, you might attend an event where you’re all dressed up, and The Vanity Portrait Studio is creating stunning portraits. If those two scenarios don’t play out, don’t fret!
Here are a few key tips that can help you elevate your DIY photoshoot and create stunning portraits right in your own home. Thankfully none of these require you to have a fancy camera. If you do, great! If not, a cell phone will work just fine.
Let’s dive in!
5 tips to create stunning family portraits in your home:
1) Find a great backdrop!
The backdrop is going to set the feeling for your portraits. It doesn’t matter if it’s a clean, simple backdrop, like a bright white or solid painted wall, or maybe something more decorated, like your fireplace or bookshelf. But, put some thought into where in your home you’d like to create the photos and ensure that whatever you choose it’s clean and lacks clutter.
2) Incorporate some furniture.
Grab an armchair, a stool, or an ottoman! Having one person sitting and one person standing can create a much more dynamic and interesting composition than just everyone standing side by side by side. We’ve all seen the picture of six people flat-footed next to one another, like the starting lineup of a basketball team. Use your furniture to create different arrangements and combinations to give yourself lots of posing options.
3) Turn OFF the lights.
Say what? Professional photographers use lights to create photos, so why would I turn OFF the lights in my home?
Chances are your lights are not in the right place to create a flattering image. The lights in your home are probably in the ceiling and give off a yellowish light that makes the room feel cozy. This is great for cuddling up and drinking coffee but not so great for a portrait. Instead, you want to turn off the lights and open all of your windows. The light outside (assuming there is daylight) will pour in from the sides of your home, and this will create a more flattering look.
4) Make sure that your subjects (humans and pets!) are looking toward the light!
All you need to do is say, “okay, turn your toes such that they are pointing toward the window!” For pets and small kids, having an assistant to draw their attention toward the light with treats or a toy may help. Whatever you do, you want to avoid having a window behind your subject, as that will make your camera think it is really really bright, and your portraits will not turn out the way you want them.
5) Go for variety.
98.7% of the card designs out there include placeholders for multiple photos. So, consider taking some horizontal photos and then, immediately after, taking a vertical photo. Then change the combination of subjects. Take a few with everyone together. Then kids with Dad, then kids with Mom, then just the kids, then each kiddo on their own, then Mom and Dad together, then Mom, then Dad… Whew! That’s gotta be like 47 photos already. You’ll have more than enough to choose from by the time you’re done.
Bonus tip: Tell your subjects to do something random or silly.
Call out “Sing I will always love you by Whitney Houston!” or “Smell your son’s ear!”
It’s ridiculous, but you’ll get people to laugh and end up with a genuine ear-to-ear grin. As they’re doing this, be sure to keep making photographs because it will go like this:
Photo 1 – Them singing/smelling (eww!)
Photo 2 – Them laughing with the most obnoxious, overexaggerated face.
Photo 3 – THIS is the photo we want. A genuine, real deal, smiling, sparkle-in-the-eyes photo. You just NAILED IT!
Give it a go, and let us know how it works! We’d love to see the results.
Tag us in your DIY family photos on Instagram