Family photoshoot: Oh, so much fun! I love when my couples come back to us for their family photos. Not only does it mean that I (definitely!) did an awesome job for their wedding, but also feel comfortable enough to open up to me as a family. Personally, I love family photoshoots. You’ll find tons of printed family photos in my home, and you know why? Living in this digital age sure has positive things, but one thing I miss from the analogue era is having family photo albums and framed family portraits. I remember my grandmother had tons of very thick family albums that will tell the story of our family in photos. Isn’t it a great thing? I find that we have so many photos online, but we forget the joy of having them in our hands. Here at the Studio, we talk about them a lot and recommend our couples get serious about their family photos. Why? Imagine year 2100 and your grandchildren are going through an endless archive of your digital photos. More often than not these photos are going to be snaps of your daily life: food, pets, nature, your kids and loved ones. What will be missing is photos with yourself IN them! It’s crazy, but people will opt to take a picture of their kids or family members rather than jumping in the frame to take a formal, family picture TOGETHER. We forget how fascinating and fun it is to look back in 20, 30, even 50 years later to see how happy, young and beautiful we were in these moments.
Having said that, I know many people have a lot of questions about their family photoshoot. What should I wear? Where should we go? Not to worry, I wrote down the main tips I give to families to help look their best in their family photos:
Where Should We Go?
A location for your shoot will also depend on your personal style. Most likely your family photos will end up in a frame, hanging on a wall. Therefore, it’s important to keep your home’s aesthetic in mind when deciding on your shoot location. I usually ask my couples to send me pictures of their home in advance so I can get an idea what will better suit you. If your house has a very clean and almost Scandinavian-like interior design like in the photos below, it would be best to stick to something minimal. The clean and editorial-like shots (like in the photos with the kids on a red chair below) echo their home’s modern aesthetic and will look great framed on that white wall! On the other hand, if your house has a homey, country feel to it, I might suggest going to a park. This way, the nature and trees will complement your interior design in the best way possible.
Timing of Your Family Photoshoot
This is not a common question I hear all the time! It’s very important to time your family photoshoot right. I always base my timing on kids’ sleeping schedule and try to shoot during the time they are most rested. We want them to be happy and energetic! I also recommend bringing a few toys for your children to play with. Kids’ attention spans are pretty short, so it’s always helpful to have something they can interact with and stay engaged. After all, family photos are all about them!
One last thing I’d like to add is once you get all your pretty family pictures, please do your future great grandchildren a favour and print them! This is something I personally feel very passionate about and I always mention that to my couples. Who knows where your hard drive will end up 100 years from now, but having tangible, real photos of your family will make sure your family memories are passed down through generations to come. You can quote me on that one. We have great tools to print your photos, so check them out here.
What Should We Wear for Family Photos?
When it comes to picking outfits for your family photoshoot, my golden rule is to wear complementing colours. The era of matchy-matchy family photos is long gone (and for a good reason!) but wearing colours that look good together is always a good idea. I also suggest picking outfits similar in texture. For example, if it’s a winter time shoot, it’s nice when all family members wear something knit or heavy, textured fabrics.
How to Pose?
Another great question. Usually, my answer depends on your shoot location. Hence, my advice is to go somewhere you’d be your most comfortable. Is there a park you like visiting every Sunday morning? Or would you be the most comfortable in your own home? Both scenarios sound great to me, because as a family photographer, I love to capture the way you are as a family. Your environment will play a huge role on how you behave and therefore pose. A studio environment could be great for taking those really cool formal family portraits, while going to a kids park will likely generate a lot of nice, candid photos of you interacting with your kids.
I hope this little guide helps you to stay organized and be your best self on your family pictures! Below are some of my favourite shots from Leena and Arif’s family photoshoot we did last month. I hope you enjoy and get inspired!
