All Things Family Photos! Tips and tricks to get that "perfect" shot

Ah family photos! The best and sometimes most stressful experience all at the same time! But they always seems to be worth it when you get those magic photos back!

{fun fact: this is the first family photo shoot that Isla has suddenly had a blow out ON my husband! weirdest thing, because she never has blow outs until picture day! haha}

Over the years we've had the opportunity to work with many photographers (and being one myself) I decided to write a few tips and tricks that have made the family shoots much easier!

So let's jump in shall we!

Picking outfits:

I used to stress out about this a lot more than I do now. I've found that if you keep things simple then you're probably going to be ok! You probably know by now which colors you feel most confident in, pick those! You also probably know which style of clothing fits you too, pick that!

One thing I like to go for is long dresses! They are flattering and look amazing in photos. I always pick my dress first and then plan my family's outfits around it.

Usually the less patterns the better. So if I pick a more bold outfit then I will make sure theirs are more subtle.

Soft blushes, creams, tans, blues, and whites are my go to's!

The main thing to consider is how you FEEL in what you're wearing! Honestly, you could all wear pajamas and have the cutest pictures if that's what you all felt comfortable and happy in!! Not everything needs to match perfectly! Just pick things that are simple and that you love!

Picking a photographer:

Go through they're feed. Pick someone who you feel their style would hang well in your home!

It seems to be the trend these days to have dark moody photography, and while that looks great on instagram, it definitely wouldn't match my bright, colorful, home. Not to mention the dark contrasts do not go well with our very contrasting skin tones.

For those reasons I always look for someone who has a more bright and true to color portfolio.

I also love photographers who make you feel comfortable and catch those real moments. Look for movement in their photos and if they are catching more than just the look straight at the camera pose.

A side note would be to look at reviews online and try to get to know the personality of your photographer anyway you can. I can't tell you how HUGE of a difference it makes to find someone you feel comfortable with and who brings a good energy and ideas to your shoot!

Locations:

Locations are also one of those things that don't matter as much as you think they do. You can get good pictures almost anywhere as long as you have great LIGHTING! Early morning or about an hour before sunset is usually your best bet- unless there's lots of shade wherever you go.

That being said, some of my favorite locations in Utah are:

Tunnel Springs (shown in these photos)

Memory Grove Park

Little Cottonwood Canyon

Silver Lake

The Capital
And just about any studio

Getting your husband on board:

;) Still working on this one! haha Is it just me or is it really difficult to get your husband in photos too??
He can usually manage once a year if I'm lucky :) and working around his schedule is the best bet! Also just trying to make it fun and comfortable for him has been a good thing! He literally picked out his outfit minutes before this shoot and I was ok with that as long as he wore something that matched our dressiness level and was a good neutral.

Also lots of thank you's and kisses.

Posing:

Ok one of the biggest things to do if you are trying to get a shot where ALL of you are looking is to focus on YOU! Make sure YOU are ready and in position, looking at the camera and smiling! If you're constantly looking at your children, or husband, trying to get them to look at the camera then you're not going to be looking either. Let your photographer be the one to make sure you're all looking. You keep your glance and eventually she'll get at least one of ALL of you smiling.

Another thing I've learned is to just not care so much. You don't need to be thinking about where to put your hands or how to stand. Just act natural. Movement can be great. Just follow your photographers lead and have fun! Swing your dress, keep slowly changing your stance, be as genuinely happy as you can and that will shine through. Play and have fun.
Think of something funny and LAUGH!