Taking great family photos can be a challenge not everybody is ready to face. You need to be a good photographer, planner, director and sometimes even a pacifier. If you have taken on a family portrait shooting project, you are probably wondering how to make the process as hassle-free and fun for everyone as possible. There are several ways to avoid complications and they involve lots of careful planning. There are many things to consider and I suggest you have a look at this article to find out more about the art of snapping amazing family photos.
Be Patient
When you have to work with a group of people, it can be difficult to keep calm. You need to be very patient. Take your time to position the people and make them feel comfortable before the shooting begins. Feel free to take as many pictures as necessary until you have got enough to choose among. Sometimes it is hard to tell which picture is good until you view all of them on your computer. So don’t be reluctant to press the shutter button as many times as you want. We live in the digital era after all.
Image by Jyri Engestrom via Flickr
Choose Time and Location
As you know, many factors may affect how your subjects look in the picture. Therefore if you want to take great photos, you need to pick the best location and time of the day. Pick very carefully. Keep in mind that shadows can make the photo too dark and unappealing. If you want to shoot a family near a tree, make sure its branches don’t create shadows over the subjects. Consider every single detail, no matter how insignificant it seems. You had better take care of everything ahead of time instead of feeling sorry you didn’t do well in the end.
Note that you probably wouldn’t want to shoot on a rainy day unless you’re looking for something different and effective, so you’d better check the weather forecast before selecting a day and time for the shooting.
Image by David Amsler via Flickr
Consider Lighting
Lighting is vital no matter where you are shooting. Even though it sounds weird, you may find it necessary to use flash mode outdoors. Bright sun can ruin the picture by creating shadows over a person’s face. Flash mode can help light up the key areas in the photo. Many cameras offer two options: fill-flash and full-flash mode. Fill-flash mode is more appropriate to use on cloudy days and if the person is positioned very close to the camera (no more than five feet away). Full-flash mode is appropriate to use if the subject is far away from the camera (more than five feet away). It is important to use flash outdoors because it will help make the people you’re taking picture of stand out from the background.
Lighting is an important factor when you’re shooting indoors as well. Choose to take the pictures on a bright day if you don’t have expensive lighting. Take advantage of the sunlight. Ask the people you are going to shoot to stand by a large window. Cover the window with a cotton sheet or net curtain to make the light softer.
Image by Krista Guenin via Flickr ©2012 Krista Guenin/Krista Photography
Make the Picture More Fun
Experiment by offering a more dynamic image. Have some of the people sit and the others stand. Position each person in a different corner of the picture or have them gather in the centre. Some of them may be lying on the ground. They may be pretending to be fighting, playing, etc. You have so many options, just let your imagination run wild and you’ll take the best family photos you ever hoped to.
The article is contributed by SuperbCleaningServices Mill Hill
