5 Tips to take Better Family Photos
January 5, 2009 by Eastmon Admin
Filed under Beginners Tips, Featured Tips, Home Highlights
Haven’t we all wanted to take better family photos! It may be a special family gathering, birthday, reunions etc. Sometimes it can just be that we want to take portraits and group shots for enlargements or canvas prints to display in our home. It doesn’t really matter what prompts us to do it, what we really want is some tips to take better family photos.
Keep your camera handy
Often the best family photos come when you least expect them. These are usually captured by someone who just takes a few snaps in a moment to remember. Be ready!!!
- A digital camera, unlike the old camera the gentleman in this picture is holding, can not take pictures without batteries charged and ready to go.
- Leave your camera in a position that is easy to get to, somewhere in a room where you spend a lot of time. The worst possible place is your wardrobe where it is ’safe’.
- I always found I used the camera more at home if I left it out of it’s bag so I could grab and use it easily, It’s then a simple matter of putting it back in the bag when I was going out.
Can you see me?
When taking a family group photo, always ensure you can see everyone’s face clearly. Ask them to make sure they can see the camera.
- It’s always amusing photographing a group of people only to have a couple of eyes visible form behind someones head or shoulders and they think ‘because I can see you, you must be able to see me’. As gently as you can bring the shorter people to the front or side, or ask the people in front to spread apart to allow the person in the back to be seen.
- Allow a little bit of spontaneity when shooting groups as people tend to gather closer to family members or friends they are more comfortable with.
Photograph life
Take photos of family members doing their favourite things including sports, hobbies and any other recreational activities they enjoy together.
- People are generally more relaxed doing activities they enjoy. Rather than pose people, as a photographer try moving around your subject while they are involved in what they are doing.
- Lens choice, or a big zoom range is very important to capture lifestyle photos. You may use a wider angle to capture your subject in the setting they enjoy or zoom right in to capture the intensity or pleasure in their expression.
Background and beyond
Watch the background. keep it plain and simple if you are wanting to concentrate on the person, or open it up to tell a story.
- When your concentrating on just getting it right it’s so easy to become blind to the background of your picture. As your composing your photo have a quick scan around everything your LCD screen or viewfinder is showing you and ask yourself ‘Do I want this in my picture?’
- Take your time, it may be that you want a particular background in your photo to tell a story. It’s true a picture can tell a story if you get the right background.
- Be careful in placing your subjects in front of backgrounds that distract from your subject or an even bigger no no is the old tree, post or sign coming out of the top of someones head. Remember if you can see it through the camera, than the camera will photograph.
Speed
Work quickly because family patience runs out quickly. Prepare before hand so all you have to do is slot in the people and take the picture.
- If you want to stay on side with your family, then be quick! Everyone can remember the well meaning relative that spent so much time trying to get the photo ‘just right’.
- Make any custom settings you want on your camera prior to gathering everyone together.
- Check out the area you want to take the pictures in prior to shooting, you may find the light is not right or something else is wrong. It’s always better for you to look around yourself then drag a whole lot of grumpy people around.
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