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Resources » PhotographyFamily Photo ShootJuly 19, 2007 by Carrie Castillo If your family is anything like mine, then capturing that highly coveted family photo is anything but easy. Being a self-proclaimed professional photographer, my family always counts on me to capture special moments. One thing that has always been a challenge is getting everyone together for a group photo. I've found a few tips and tricks that have made the process a bit easier and I'd love to share them with you.
My first tip would be get everyone together PRIOR to the holidays. Last year, my parents wanted a nice portrait of our entire family so we picked a day far enough in advance that everyone could work it into their schedules. Being that our entire family lives in the same city, we chose the week before Thanksgiving so that my parents could have a photo to include with their Christmas cards. We secured a location (on a gorgeous golf course where my parents live), and the keys to this portrait were:
Working quick was key because my dad has a tendancy to act 'squirrely' and we had to incorporate the newest member our of family into the photo....my five month old nephew. To prepare for the shot, I had my sister bring three small, matching folding stools so that I could also utilize different height levels. Those stools turned out to be such a life saver, I went and bought three stools at Walmart for ten bucks each!
Utilizing natural light is so important because it is always the most flattering light (besides VERY expensive studio lighting). And best of all natural lighting is FREE! We are fortunate enough to live in Arizona where the temperatures are so mild that we can take an outdoor photo in late November. However, those of you who live in 'Snow-ville' there are a few things you can do to compensate for your colder whether. Although they will take some planning!
The easiest thing to do is to gather your family earlier in the season, perhaps early fall when temperatures are still mild. Plus, you'll have the benefit of a beautiful fall background (something we NEVER see in the Arizona desert!). Keep in mind, it will take extra planning since you will have to your photoshoot early in the season.
If you have a small enough group, you could always do your photoshoot indoors, near a bright window/door. Just keep an eye out for which room is the brightest and at what time.
Worst case scenario is you could do your group photo indoors and use a flash. Capturing the moment is always more important than great photographic technique! You could always convert your photo to black-and-white/sepia (which can sometimes help with 'toning' down a photo where a flash was utilized).
And who says you can't do a photoshoot AFTER the holidays? Sometimes this could definitely work to your benefit. With the hustle and bustle of the holidays over, it might be easier to get everyone together!
Tools you'll need for your family photoshoot are simple:
For my family's shoot, we wanted to stick with loose color scheme of black pants or jeans and a red or black top. This way, everyone was coordinated but not super 'matchy-matchy'. The end result was fun and everyone was pleased!
Also, don't be afraid to get some wild goofy shots. These tend to be crowd favorites ;o) One of my favorite tricks is to tell the group (on a whim of course!) is, 'Okay, on the count of three make the stupidest face you can!' The results are priceless!
Here are the photos from our family photoshoot last year. Priceless if you ask me...
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