11 Tips for Taking Family Photos with a Family of Five + Posing Ideas
Fall is the perfect time to think about family photos! The leaves are turning golden, and the weather is the perfect state of not too hot and not too cold. If you are thinking of scheduling family photos this season, scroll through for some family photo taking tips! After the tips check out my gallery for some family photo posing ideas for a family of five!
1. Plan Outfits Out In Advance
Finding the perfect outfits for your family photos can take a lot longer than you expect! Especially if you have to order anything online and are subject to uncertain shipping times.
2. Go With A Color Theme
On that note, while choosing your outfits, go with a color theme. Use that color as an accent in each outfit, and then fill out the outfits with neutral colors. For our pictures I chose yellow as the accent color in our photos, and cream and tan as the neutral colors.
3. Plan For Extra Time If You Have Young Kids
Taking family photos can be stressful for small children. It is a situation they aren’t used to, often with a stranger involved (photographer) and rushing them can exacerbate stress they might feel! Plan for some extra time, and give your kids plenty of breaks to play and be silly throughout.
4. Try Different Family Member Photo Combinations
Take a variety of photos with not all family members in every photo. This will give you a lot of different photos, and give kids a break. Some combinations include:
- Mother daughter photos
- Mother son photos
- Father daughter photos
- Father son photos
- Sibling photos
- Sister photos
- Brother photos
- Couple photos
- Individual photos
5. Bring Bribes To The Photo Shoot That Can Double As Photo Props
If you have a toddler or two who won’t cooperate for photos, bring something to bribe them! No shame in a little bribery, you will have photos for generations as a result. Choose a bribe that could also be a photo prop. I cute old fashioned lollipop is a great choice.
6. Plan the Family Shoot in a Good Time of Day
Usually photographers opt for golden hour for photos because the light is less direct, but sometimes direct light turns out to be great photos! It all depends on the vibe you are going for. These ones were in the middle of the day and I still love them! The colors are bold and the contrast is high.
7. Take Candid Family Photos
Kids tend to like to go their own thing, and sometimes that can turn into great photos! Catching kids in their element adds personality to the photo and it tells a great story. Have them play together and try out different angles to capture their creativity.
8. Lift your kids up for the Photos
If they are young, throw them up in the air. This will make them smile and will add some movement to the photo! If they are older, swing the around. This works the same way and will make them smile.
9. Hold hands
This works with any family member combination. It makes everyone look connected and makes posing a bit easier since everyone’s hands are occupied. It is also easy for kids to do and can add some movement to the photo
10. Have 2 Kids Hug Each other
This pose is prefect for 2 kids. Find a shaded spot and have them hug each other and turn their heads towards the camera.
11. Act Natural
Nothing is worse than a fake smile in family photos. Try your best to make it fun for the kids so that they are genuinely happy. This will make a world of difference in the pictures. Pose with confidence as much as possible so that you don’t look awkward or uncomfortable.
