Family photo tips
Capturing the magic of your family
They’re the ones who connect us and are the ones who see us through the most memorable moments as well as the difficult ones. From important occasions to lazy weekends, we’ve compiled our guidelines to ensure you remember the special memories that will make you and your family special.
Tips for family photos
1. Get in the photo
2. Find the moments between the photos
3. Capture your surroundings
4. Have fun
5. The details that add depth
6. Everyday moments
7. Create regularly
1. Take a picture
Retrospectively reviewing photos, so often, there’s a single person that is missing: the photographer. The thing that makes photographs so unique is the people who are in them. Think about a tripod that you can carry around and use your camera phone’s countdown timer. If you’re out and about, have someone else nearby shoot the picture. It is best to make sure you know who’s behind the camera to ensure you can capture the entire family.
2. Find the moments between the photos
It’s often the unplanned imperfections that make the memories that last forever. Photos that are posed definitely have a place, but capturing the genuine moments captures the spirit of family. People are more relaxed after a picture has been taken, so make sure to take several more if they’re not aware.
3. Capture your surroundings
Where your photos are being taken is just as important as the people within them. Looking back on pictures and seeing the surroundings can often transport you right back to the moment and bring the memories flooding back.
4. Have fun
If you’re planning an event with your family, try not to push it too much (kids typically do not like photographing themselves). The process should be enjoyable and natural. Select a fun activity, such as biking or spending time on the beach, and be sure that everyone will have an amazing time. Their enthusiasm and energy can be seen in the pictures, which will bring joy to your face as you revisit their photos.
5. The details that add depth
Often, we get too focused on pictures of the person and forget to capture what they are doing. Capture your kids as they are reading as well as what they are reading, your spouse as they are cooking as well as what they are cooking. So often, these are the things they love doing. Looking back, they will be reminded of that book or family recipe, adding another layer of detail to the memory.
6. Everyday moments
The ability to capture the realness of the family dynamic is essential. It’s often the quiet times at home and meals at the table with your family that tell the story of your family. Don’t wait for the major important occasions to happen. They’re all around you. Make it a point to set a date and challenge to the goal to snap a picture each day to capture a day in the day that your entire family.
7. Create regularly
How much enjoyment do you get from looking back at photos of your parents and grandparents when they were young and seeing the journey of their life? Hearing the stories of a past that has now become a legacy? So many of our family photos end up online or stuck on our computer and are rarely revisited. With so many memories being built every year—creating a family photo book or album and building a collection is a great way to preserve your memories and ensure this tradition is passed on to your children and theirs.
