Go Full Awesome with Family Photos

Who says family photos have to be awkward, unhappy affairs with children groomed and dressed in costume and then forced to endure the ‘wacky’ ‘child-friendly’ antics of a professional photographer in a studio? Or that you have to deal with sullen kids who want nothing to do with standing in your backyard or living room posing for excruciating photographs?

Your family’s not awkward (at least, we assume) so why should your photo sessions be? Instead of awkward, go for awesome: Family photos that show your family to be the incredibly fun, smart, loving group of people you know and love. Harder than it sounds? Not if you use one of these super cool ideas to make your photos fun to take and fun to look at.

The Hidden Timer

Having a birthday party, family dinner, or other event that guarantees your whole clan will be in one room for a while, possibly under the influence of sugar? Set up your camera or smartphone in an inconspicuous place and set up a timer App or mechanical timer that snaps photos every few seconds. Then forget about it and retrieve your photos later in the day – out of the hundreds or thousands snapped, at least one or two photos will be completely and totally – and unexpectedly – awesome.

For some extra fun, don’t tell anyone the camera is there so you get extremely natural and relaxed shots – and some that are probably unintentionally hilarious.

The DIY Photo Booth

Another great idea is to set up your own photo booth for Family Photos Day. You know how much fun a photo booth is when you’re at an event like a wedding reception, so why shouldn’t it be just as fun at home? It very easy to set up, too. All you need is

• A wall or a fence
• Some wrapping paper, colorful sheets, or other material to create a cool background
• Two lights set up on either side of your camera to eliminate shadows
• A tripod or stand
• A camera or smartphone.

Hang the material on the wall so you have a cool backdrop. This could be themed for the occasion, or just pretty or interesting. Turn on your lights, set the camera to snap on a timer or have a remote clicker for the shutter, and encourage everyone to have fun.

You can provide props, and let everyone dress up any way they want, or alternate between a few more formal shots and some crazy moments. Make a day of it! Keep changing the background, the costumes, the props, and the games you’re playing. Awesomeness will just happen.

Your family is unique and crazy – make sure that comes across in your photos. One of these fun techniques will do the truck, and if you get something really great from them click here and we’ll turn it into an awesome piece of art for your wall.