A successful family portrait can become a cherished treasure that the whole family can enjoy, while a boring or poorly composed family photo may end up in the recycle bin. If you want a family photo suitable for framing, use creative photography poses and put some thought into how you want to portray your family on film.
Considerations
Have a few poses planned out ahead of time to reduce boredom and confusion, and to save time. Have an idea of what you're going to do, and tweak the poses as needed. Also, remember to take plenty of photos. Chances are, someone will blink a few times, so take more shots than you need to ensure you end up with a keeper.
Instead of having family members simply line up, think of ways that you can break up the line to make the shot more visually interesting, advises Michael Wright in the book "Digital Family Photography." Think about composition, and watch for dead space in the photo. Make sure the pose fills the frame. Kodak suggests experimenting with placing family members at different levels. Some can stand, some can sit in chairs and children can sit on the floor. Use a staircase to position family members at different levels, with the smallest people situated closest to the camera.
Warnings
Don't forget about the background when planning family photography poses. The focus should be on the family, so watch out for distracting elements behind the people in the picture. You can blur the background of the photo by adjusting your camera to a larger aperture. The smaller the f-stop number, the larger the aperture, so try to use an f-stop of 4 or 5.6 to blur the background. You can also blur the background later using a photo editing program.
Watch out for colors as well. The family doesn't need to wear matching outfits, though try to have all family members wear the same tone.
Using Props
Incorporate props that reference a family's style or other identifying characteristics. Include pets if your family loves animals, or have everyone hold a different instrument and take an "album cover" style photo. The setting or background of the photo can also be used as a prop that tells a story about a family. Pose on different levels of a boat or in a tree house. Have family members lounge in a flower bed, or put on costumes and act out a scene from a favorite movie. A family's own house can even serve as a prop in a family photo. Station the photographer in front of the house, and have different family members poke their heads out of windows in the house.
Showcasing Family Dynamics
Sometimes the best poses are the most natural ones. Natural shots that show how a family relates to each other in candid moments can look just as engaging as the most planned out pose. "Any family group contains strong dynamics and inter-relationships," says Michael Wright. "When shooting a group such as this, encourage them to talk and to interact, then record these unique events as honestly as possible."
More Poses
Use action for an exciting and creative family photograph. Have the family members hold hands and jump up in the air at the same time, or give every family member a bubble-blowing wand and have them blow bubbles in the camera's direction.
A circle motif will also showcase your family's bond. Stand in a circle, and have the photographer take the photo from above, or lay on the ground and position your heads together in a circle.
For more creative photography poses, look to the work of others. Browse photography books, or use a classic painting in an art book and recreate the image with your family.
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