The Do's and Don'ts of that Family Photo Shoot!
If I'm lucky, we organize ourselves in front of a pro with a camera once every couple of years. BUT from my days posing in front of the camera (long story...not that glamorous...the focus was on my baby belly), I've learned a few tricks. And I'm really keen on sharing.
Now, please don't judge our own family shots...these are likely NOT the best examples, but sometimes we don't DO what we should...I'm just keeping your eyes moving down the page to the good stuff.
Because, let's admit, this process is usually a bit agonizing for all!
It takes a village.
“Great photography is about a depth of feeling, not a depth of field." - Peter Adams
Let's break this down a bit:
1. Weeks before, hire the photographer. Just do it. You will never regret the price you pay.
2. PLANNING. Spend 20 minutes on your favorite holiday card site and take note of designs you have set in that ole favorites category. Do the designs need blank space on the right, the left, the top, the bottom...notice these things and even take a quick pic on your phone to show your photographer. It is so much easier to START WITH THE END IN MIND, other than drive yourself nuts after the shoot trying to format a gorgeous photo into a set card frame that just doesn't match!
3. TUNE IN TO LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. Note your favorite spots, with your CARD in mind and your THEME in mind. Find a match or a deliberate contrast. You are setting the stage for this photo shoot. Be the director. Set the mood. This is actually the fun part if you allow it to be.
4. THEME. Now let's talk nitty gritty. I'd say there is generally one person in the partnership that needs more time than the other to be "show ready". If it's you, take the time. Pick out your outfit first! Pick an outfit you love, that is comfortable to move in, looks unfussy, and is flattering on you. Go ahead and add accessories. Those can be handy on set to add and take away as needed. TEXTURE is good!
5. Next, lay out everyone else's wardrobe. Please, please, please do NOT be too matchy-matchy. It screams at us from another decade. Think tone-on-tone. As long as the outfits relate, you will look fantastic. Perhaps that means Instagram-filter tones of soft hues or vivid brights for spunk. All casual or all formal works. Just veto those character tees! Mind your prints so there aren't too many...and layer, layer, layer. Movement in clothing is good. Texture is GREAT.
A NOTE on SHOES:
Days before, try on the children's SHOES! Clothing choices are relatively easy to edit, but shoes are a different beast. If you don't have a pair that will look neat and clean, ditch them and plan a barefoot scene. Or Amazon Prime a pair of Converse and call it a day.
6. Back to YOU. A little "me time" won't be wasted. Maybe that means bleaching your teeth, getting a quick trim, or layering some self-tanner into the nighttime routine. My biggest piece of advice is to mind your behavior the night before that shoot. Lock up the weekend wine or really and truly drink a glass of water in between each glass. It's just one night. You will thank me. You will sleep better, look better, and even have more patience with the kids (I think).
While you are prepping, take a minute to practice some angles in the mirror. You might feel foolish, but learning what looks best will help when you are in front of the lens. Simple things like holding shoulders down, angling yourshoulers a bit towards the camera, and being certain you don't tuck your booty UNDER while standing (it only exaggerated the width of thighs)...these tricks help. Don't hold your arm directly against your body and bend things that are meant to bend...the camera loves angles.
At the photo shoot...
7. HERE WE ARE...the BIG DAY...remember, down play this so no one gets overly anxious, including you. First things first, allow the kids to put on their clothing early. I mean HOURS early. I'm not kidding. Small wrinkles won't matter and things can be Photoshopped. What Photoshop CANNOT erase is the pressure-fueled shouting matches the ensue when no one is ready and your family arrives 15 minutes late to a photo booked back-to-back with others. No bueno.
8. After kids are dressed, you can prep. It's time for smoke and magic! Visine those eyes, blow dry the hair, and use face makeup primer. If you have exposed legs, slather them up with a combo of Lorac TANtalizer (bronzing luminizer) and Vaseline cocoa butter gel body oil. Game day makeup means a little heavier lip and soft but defined eyes since this is a family shoot, not a fashion shoot. You should look and feel naturally lovely. Just avoid lots of gloss so your hair doesn't sit in it all day if the wind picks up.
9. Pour your "other" a drink! Explain that the hour you spend as a family is literally the playdate of the day. There are zero expectations (believe it and stick to it!) for perfection. Take the pressure off and amazing results are more likely.
10. Assign each child with a task of coming up with one beginning moment...standing, kneeling, pointing, joking...it's like a verbal game of Mad Libs. Name that adverb! Use those beginning moments to kick off the shoot and get everyone comfortable.
11. Posing. Absolutely follow the photographer's direction. They know the lighting and composition best, but ALSO absolutely speak up if they are trying direct you in a way that doesn't feel authentic. Your pro is doing their best to get your crew comfortable and moving rather than freezing up in frames, but you know what is real and what is going to read as something less than that if you don't speak up.
Our family is playful when we are out of the house and away from chore, so our best shots are when we geek-out and goof-off. The kids love to see us act up and the real smiles shine.
Do what your family does best...toss a ball, cuddle, tickle, hang from trees...!
12. Remember, don't always look at the camera. Some of the most lovely warmth comes from shots taken a bit candidly, at other angles rather than straight-on. Trust your photographer to catch those moments and keep moving fluidly...but hold off on the talking and the mid-sentence face distortion.
13. Play MUSIC! Trust me, music tames the wild beasts and does wonders for the mood of the adults on set. Vary it.
14. Bring PROPS! If you love to play sports or had a unique family adventure that year, make a nod to it in your photo. You are telling a story. It can be like Halloween-lite, dressed well, with flair...as long as there is enough of it to "read" as intentional.
15. By the way HUGS are so good! Keeping everyone on eye level with each other helps them interact and relate. You want to remember the feeling of closeness and see it represented, too. So pick up the kids or have them snuggle up behind you if you are seated. This is why I love elevations in my site choice...rock walls, benches, curbs, etc. Staying close helps the photographer get you all in focus and it helps you bring out he REAL in each other.
If you are in or around Raleigh, scoping out locations, take a gander at these...some of my favorite picks:
ACS building (August Construction Solutions, apparently), near The Cardinal Bar...no joke...they've got a great colorful brick wall...on N. West St, off Peace St.
The newly finished Union Station
Arboretum
The giant globe in front of the NC Museum of Natural Sciences downtown
Fred Fletcher Park
NCMA has terrific sculpture installations and views like the ones in our shots above
Yates Mill Park
Umstead Park
Raleigh Rose Garden (more of a spring and summer spot to see the blooms)
Pullen Park
Dorothea Dix, using our Raleigh skyline as a stunning backdrop
The Greenway, pick a trail, any trail (you can download the trail app!)
Boylan Bridge
The train tracks that run through downtown near Jones/Glenwood
Lassiter Mills Falls
And, lastly, if you want a bit of urban flair, check out the mix of industrial and retail warehouses near Revival Antiques. I'm drawn to those textured backdrops when juxtaposed again the sweet cheeks of little ones...it feels very fresh and modern to me...unpredictable and certainly "outside of the box"
I hope some of this helped. Please let me know if you have other favorite finds for photography locations! I'm always learning, too.
That's all for now...
Truly yours,
Maggie xo
www.TheRaleighEdit.com
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