Diy family photos
My top 12 tips to creating beautiful family photos:
Lighting is everything. The best time of day to photograph is an hour or two after sunrise, or an hour or two before sunset. The lighting is softer during this time and shadows are not as harsh.
Location is important, but you can photograph anywhere! I once used a simple tree in a parking lot to photograph a bride and groom. You do not need a gorgeous park or amazing landscape to create beautiful images.
Place your subject(s) in an evenly shaded area or with the sun behind them. Do not have your subjects facing the sun. By placing them with their backs to the sun, you will have a beautiful backlit subject and you will reduce squinting in bright light.
Select clothing that is coordinated AND comfortable. This is especially important if you have littles! Take it from me (as a mom!), nothing is worse than having an uncooperative toddler because you (I) forgot a coat in 45 degree weather!
Bring treats! Great smiles should be rewarded! Use marshmallows for littles… they are not going to mess up their outfits and if they get stuck in teeth, marshmallows are white.
No one should be photographed on an empty tummy! Give your children (and spouse!) a snack before venturing out. Hungry tummies make weak smiles.
Get in the photo! Use a tripod to have Mom and Dad in the photos. You can use the shutter delay on your camera to jump into the photo, connect to your camera via a wifi app (see your camera manual for instructions), or use a wireless remote (my favorite option).
Set your shutter speed to 1/250 or faster. Kids move fast! Using a faster shutter speed will allow your images to be sharper, especially if your subject is moving.
Use the widest aperture (smallest f-stop) your lens will allow. The wider the aperture, the more background blur you will see in your photos. This is beautiful for portraits.
Create connection. When photographing people, keep them close to each other. Holding hands, placing a hand on shoulder, or hugging is a way to show connection and emotion in the photograph.
Use an editing app. Lightroom has a mobile and desktop version to edit your photos. It is easy to install and easy to use. My favorite presets are located here.
Keep practicing! The more you photograph, the better you will become.
People pay me to take their photos. Why am I sharing all of this? Because I have a passion for helping others learn photography!
If you want to learn more, I have a class just for you!
