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HP Digital PhotographyHP Digital Photography videosCapturing Perfect Family Photos |
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It's a challenge to get portraits that do your family justice. So many of them are the same old same old, uncomfortable or stiff looking family members lined up in a row. But, wouldn't you rather take a family portrait that you couldn't wait to share? Or frame and hang on the wall for years to come? Keep in mind that one of the most important ways to get great family photos is to create a relaxed atmosphere that allows all of those wonderful personalities to shine! You want your pictures-even portraits-to look natural. I'll share some easy techniques that I use. You want to position people together in a way that's memorable. But you don't want to arrange them like furniture. You want your arrangements to look natural. Here's how not to do it... See? It looks like a line-up, because it is a line-up! Boring! No one naturally lines up in a row like this. Now let's mix things up a bit. I'm going to arrange everyone at slightly different height levels...you can stagger subjects on stairs, bleachers, stools...whatever. If you're taking a picture of a big group, create two or three small clusters of people within the frame. Doesn't that look more interesting? It looks real and it shows the relationships between the people in the photo. The right clothes can also make your pictures. Clothes that work well together help put a focus on your family-not on a crazy shirt or pattern. In this one, I had the family wear complementary colors: not too matchy-matchy, but clothes that let you know that this family is connected. And, since you are taking portraits of your relations, it only makes sense to showcase that relationship in your photograph. For instance, in this picture, the father is showing off his daughter. Even though you can't see their faces, you can see how proud he is of her, how happy he is supporting her on his shoulders. Be creative and look for ways to express relationships within your photo. I love this one. Here, the three siblings are having a great time posing with each other, and I arranged them by age, the youngest boy on the bottom. It's a simple device to show the age range of children visually. Little touches like this make your photos become much more emotional and engaging. Even though you're on the hunt for great portraits, never underestimate the power and personality of candid moments. That's one of the many reasons digital photography is so wonderful: You can take as many pictures as you want. Look for warm moments where your family is comfortable and absorbed in a story or a joke, and get snapping. You need to stay focused on your subjects, and eliminate any element that doesn't add to your composition. An easy way to do this is by filling the frame with family! Now this is a sweet photo, the distance and the cluttered background dilute the moment. By zooming in, it's all about your subjects. Plus, it helps solve the busy background issues. That brings us to our next tip. Have you ever taken a photo of a loved one, and found out—after the fact—that it looks more like a mug shot than a portrait? The missing ingredient is intimacy. And, just like in real life, it's all about eye contact. I took this photo at eye-level. And now the photo seems like you are right there with the mother and daughter, having a conversation. Now here's a fun tip. When taking pictures of your family, try experimenting with crazy angles. Here, I just kneeled down on the beach and got a great picture of the sand squishing in between these brothers' toes. Don't worry about how silly you seem crouching on the floor or standing on the kitchen counter even. It's worth it for that handful of photos that tell a story of your family better than any so-called "normal" photo ever could. I'm sure you-just like me-have had potentially great photos ruined by those glowing red eyes. See what I mean? But luckily, many HP Photosmart cameras come equipped with red-eye removal. With just a few clicks, I turned a photo that I would have trashed into something I can't wait to share! So, there you go. Now you have what it takes to capture great family moments and preserve them with beautiful portraits. That's all for now. I'm Tracey Clark, and I'll see you next time.
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