Take better family portraits and photos

Get your subjects talking or telling stories to put them at ease.

Family photos should convey love and emotion, not awkwardness. Here are some ways to put your subjects at ease:

• Get them talking or telling stories.
• Photograph them in a familiar environment where they feel at ease.
• Position people naturally; forego contrived arrangements. Try arranging people at different height levels or in groupings.
• Don't arrange your family at all. Capture action shots of the kids playing on the lawn together, for example. It shows them doing what they love best.

Crop in close to capture facial expressions and remove background distractions.

Take a moment and consider your composition. It can turn an everyday snapshot into a work of art.

• Zoom in with your camera and fill the frame with your family—not a cluttered background. (Or crop in close using editing software.)
• Shoot subjects at eye level or slightly above to give the best view.
• Try extreme angles for a dramatic effect—like shooting from directly above as your kids play in the grass.

Get more composition tips for taking better photos.

Keep the focus on your family—not their outfits. Dress in clothes that work well together, but aren't too "matchy-matchy."

Gone are the days when a family portrait meant dressing up the whole clan up in stiff, uncomfortable clothing and sitting at the photographer's studio. Keep clothes and backgrounds simple.

• Photograph your family against a solid-color background. This could be a brightly colored wall, or an expanse of grass or sky.
• Dress in clothes that are in the same color palette—but are not exactly the same.

Get more tips for looking better in photos.

A casual snapshot of a child and his grandfather, cropped in close, like above, could become a treasured family heirloom.

The HP Photosmart 6520 e-All-in-One has a large touchscreen that makes it easy to use.

Start customs with your families that are centered on taking photos.

• Every day is a photo opportunity. It doesn't have to be a complicated process. Just take a simple snapshot. You'll treasure these casual photos for years to come.
• Create your own family photo days. Shoot portraits of each family member on the same day each year. Or pick one day every month to do a quick photo shoot.
• Spend time together looking at photos after vacations or celebrations, putting your favorite images into photo albums and scrapbooks.
• Each holiday season, take a new family photo and make homemade photo cards.

You'll take and print more photos if your camera and printer are within reach and easy to use. The HP Photosmart 6520 e-All-in-One has a large touchscreen that makes it easy for everyone in the family to use.

Once you get your camera's timer set, move quickly to get into the shot.

If you’re trying to photograph the entire family without the help of another family member or a friend, you’ll need to employ one of these tactics to capture the entire clan:

• Set the camera on a tripod.
• Use a timer.
• Set the camera on continuous shooting mode; the more pictures the better.
• Have a plan for how you'll fit into the scene before you set up the camera.

Using HP Premium Plus Photo Paper can protect your framed family photos from fading.

For family photo prints your children can enjoy decades from now, be sure to use high-quality Original HP ink and photo paper.

Because of its special coating, HP Premium Plus Photo Paper has exceptional fade resistance that can help your photos last for generations.¹

Learn more about how to print photos that won't fade.

You can create a photo card for any holiday or event—or send one just because.

Just drag and drop photos into a card design and print.

Still not printing your family photos? Whether you are capturing them on your phone or your digital camera, you’ll appreciate having prints you can share and treasure.

Did you know you could print high-quality photos in less than a minute? See how quick and easy it is to print photos right from your digital camera’s memory card. No computer necessary!

Watch a demo to see how it works.

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It’s simple to print photos at home—PC free!

Let your creativity flow when taking family photos for photo cards. Here are some tips for creating unique family photo cards.

• Have each family member hold pieces of paper with letters written on them that, all together, spell a word. A family of four can show their "LOVE." Just the two of you? A simple "Hi" will do.
• Match the style of the photo (background scene, wardrobe colors, etc.) to your chosen card design.
• Once you’ve chosen your photo, drag your photo to the greeting card. Drag your mouse over the photo to access the photo editing features, including flip, rotate, or scale.

Get the best results by printing your photo cards on high-quality paper, like HP Premium Plus 5" x 7" Photo Paper.

You'll find dozens of free photo card designs at the HP Creative Studio. Get more tips for making your own photo cards.