How to Take the Best Family Portrait for Easter
The weather is getting warmer, flowers are blooming, and the Easter season is just around the corner. Many families gather to celebrate the holiday, and often take pictures to capture a pastel color portrait of everyone in their Easter outfits. Shooting a family portrait can be a hassle, with kids running around, babies crying, grandparents dozing off, and parents anxiously trying to get everyone to sit still for more than 5 seconds. Here are a few tips to help you plan your family photograph and make things quick, painless – and even fun!
1. Make things interesting by creating different levels. Using chairs, stools, or even a set of stairs can help bring a dynamic feature to your family portrait. Placing different family members at different heights gives your family portrait more depth and character.
2. To help calm the kids, bring a few toys or props to keep them occupied. A book, blanket, or stuffed animal can even add a fun element to your family photo – especially if it evokes a natural smile from your child. For Easter photos, the children’s Easter baskets, stuffed bunnies, or even colored plastic eggs can keep their hands busy and their bodies still for the shot.
3. For older family members, bring cushions and comfortable chairs, and monitor the temperature of whatever room or studio you are in to make sure everyone is as comfortable as possible. If you are outside, be sure to bring an umbrella for shade in case the sun gets too hot. If a grandparent has trouble moving around, place them in the shot first, then surround the rest of the family around them.
4. If you have an infant or small child who cannot stand on their own, assign a family member to hold the child before setting up the shot. It is often a good idea to make the baby an anchor in the photo, placing everyone around the person holding him or her. This ensures maximum visibility for the smallest family member, and helps keep everyone focused toward the center of the photo.
5. Be sure to keep an eye on the clock. A photo shoot longer than 45 minutes can be exhausting for children and adults alike. Take a few practice shots to warm everyone up, capture nice, composed shots for 5-10 minutes, then have fun! Make silly faces, laugh, and jump around – this will help make the family photography shoot a fun time for everyone, and you’ll get some nice, natural shots of real, genuine family time.
For more information on portraits, contact the photography team at In Focus Studios. Located in Pittsboro, NC and Annapolis, MD, we proudly serve the entire southeast for all video and photography needs.
