5 Tips for Flawless Family Photos!



Use flash outdoors and shoot vertical

The holidays are on their way, and since virtually everyone loves pictures, I put together a list of 5 tips to help you get great pictures of your family this holiday season!  Some of these are things I've learned from experience, and some are things I found out about by asking one of my old photography professors about his tricks, so rest assured- they're all actually tried and true. 


1. Use your flash outdoors.  Even- no, especially when there's enough light already.  This creates fill lighting on your subjects, so shadows won't look overly dark.  It's especially kind to do this when photographing adults, it softens the light and you'll get far more flattering photos of everyone's faces. 



Move the subject off-center


2. Move your subject off center.  Having the subject of your photo centered in the frame can cause the image to look, well, rather dull.  Try to move whoever or whatever you're taking the photo of slightly higher or lower and/or a little to one side of the frame.  Make sure you focus your lens on the subject first, then move them off center, that way they are still in focus when you take the photo. 

3. Get close.  You can't just zoom in, your pictures will look grainy.  You have to get close to your subject.


Get close, and don't pose

 4. Shoot vertical. Turn the camera sideways and shoot vertical pictures, a lot of times this allows your subject to fill the frame, rather than just getting their face and two feet of the wall behind them.

5.  Don't pose, try to catch candids.  Don't tell anyone to hold still, most cameras have a motion setting, just let them interact and start shooting when no one's paying attention. 

More importantly than any of these tips, however, is to have fun taking pictures!  Let everyone have a turn being the photographer, and you'll be surprised how many fun, silly, and fantastic photos you end up with! 

This blog was first posted at Trendy Girls Fashion Blog.

Jessi