I was finally able to herd the gang and get our Salt Lake family portraits taken for our annual Christmas card - no easy feat with this group. Over the years and many family portraits later (both good and bad), I’ve amassed the best tips to ensure you get the most out of your precious family pictures.
- Avoid taking pictures outdoors in the bright sunlight - it will be too harsh on your subjects and you’ll likely end up with squints and funny faces. Take pictures when the sun is softer and more flattering, in the morning or early evening.
- When taking pictures indoors, try to use natural lighting to reduce harsh glares and red-eye. Make sure the settings on your camera are set for indoor portraits.
- Busy backgrounds and clutter can be distracting so be mindful when selecting a location to take pictures.
- Have your subjects lean in towards the camera or turn slightly in order to create depth in the photo.
- To create a more personal and candid photo, aim your camera just slightly below the subject’s eye level.
- Don’t line everyone up in a row! It looks unbalanced, not to mention like a first-grade class photo. Have everyone stand naturally and pull in close, or sit grouped together.