Mastering Family Photography: Posing Tips for Creating Connection
Capturing beautiful and authentic family moments is both an art and a skill.
As a family photographer, your ability to pose your subjects effectively can make all the difference and can be the determining factor whether your clients are going to look back at these images like they are timeless, or as if they were at an amusement park doing those old timey saloon style photos. And, unless you’re going for that look, most people AREN’T hoping that is the vibe in 20 years for their family portraits.
I’m going to share a few of my favorite, essential posing tips to help you elevate your family photography game and create images that truly resonate with your clients, and aren’t filled with boring, stiff, and awkward smiling at the camera poses!
Tip 1: Prioritize Comfort and Connection
When posing families, prioritize comfort and connection above all else. Encourage natural interactions and genuine expressions by creating a relaxed and fun environment during your sessions. Rather than rigidly posing your subjects, focus on capturing candid moments that showcase their unique personalities and relationships.
I always suggest that you do a PRE-SESSION questionnaire to get to know the family if it’s your first time photographing them. This way, you can learn about their bonds, comfort levels, and more. You may realize one child does better for one parent, or certain tactics will work better as talking points. If you don’t have these already set up, or yours could use an update, you can swipe my Photography Client QUESTIONNAIRES for FREE HERE!
Tip 2: Use Prompts and Games
One of the best ways to elicit authentic emotions and expressions from your subjects is to use prompts and games during your sessions. Encourage families to interact with each other by playing simple games or encouraging them to ask each other questions. This not only helps break the ice but also creates opportunities for genuine moments to unfold for you to photograph.
For example, I will have parents look in children’s ears for bugs, and vice versa, to get close up snuggly shots, or laughing images in between them doing this, because, most don’t do it with a straight face ;) And rather than tell a kid to go kiss his Mom or get close to her, THIS gives them a reason to want to, an “activity” as opposed to a demand.
This is just one of the MANY prompts I use during my sessions with my clients, and I share ALL of them with you inside Photos You Can Feel, which is the online version of my in person family photography workshop. Go learn more about the online workshop HERE!
Tip 3: Embrace Movement and Variety
Avoid static poses that feel forced or unnatural and instead embrace movement and variety in your compositions. Encourage families to walk, dance, or play together while you capture candid shots on the fly!
My hot tip, while photographing movement, make sure you are moving in and out. Getting both detailed close up shots AND pulled back shots of the moment. Advanced tip, play with your shutter speed and get both tack sharp movement images AND blurry ones for some fun affects! Experimenting with different angles, perspectives, focal lengths depending on your lens, and distance can add visual interest and depth to your images.
Tip 4: Focus on Composition and Framing
Pay attention to composition and framing when posing families to create visually compelling images. Consider elements such as leading lines, symmetry, and negative space to draw the viewer's eye to the focal point of the image. While the MAIN focus should be on the connection and emotion and the subjects, your job as the expert is to not forget to keep in mind the background and horizon lines and other distracting elements that you’ll kick yourself for being in the background later.
Tip 5: Practice, Practice, Practice
Like any skill, mastering family photography poses takes practice and experience. Don't be afraid to experiment with different poses, techniques, and styles to find your own unique approach. Take the time to study the work of other photographers and draw inspiration from a variety of sources. With dedication and perseverance, you'll soon develop your own signature style and repertoire of poses, I promise!
And by all means, DON’T be afraid to shoot for free. I know that isn’t always a popular suggestion, and yes you do deserve to be paid for your work, BUT, some of my BEST work has come from model sessions. Over 10 years in, and I still do them. Why? It allows me to create freely and openly, and it let’s me learn without any restrictions.
Elevating your family photography game requires a combination of technical skill, creativity, and a genuine passion for capturing meaningful moments.
If you're looking to hone your posing skills and take your family portraits to the next level, consider enrolling in our Photos You Can Feel workshop.
With in-depth tutorials, practical demonstrations, and hands-on exercises, it's the perfect resource for photographers looking to unlock their full potential.