There are lots of great reasons why you should learn how to take family portraits and you don’t even have to embark on a photography career to do so. Having portraits taken professionally can sometimes be too expensive for many families. And often it can be difficult to get everyone to the studio at the scheduled time.

Every family deserves to have at least one good family portrait displayed together with a nice picture frame. But, it’s even better to have additional portraits taken as the family grows and ages. If you want to learn how to take portraits, learn by taking a portrait of your family or someone you know who would love to have a family portrait! If you are taking a portrait of your family, you have to be in it too! So be sure to use a camera with a remote shutter button release and a timer.

If you are new to photography, learning how to take good family portraits will come in handy when taking group pictures at family gatherings like Thanksgiving.

So, here are some tips to help you get started taking great (formal or informal) family portraits.

1) Avoid the “Police Line Up” Portrait – Instead of having them all line up shoulder to shoulder, try something more natural looking and that also makes it easier to get a big family into the picture.

Staggering is one technique that works well for group photos. For example, you may want to stagger family members on the front steps of a porch or around a group of boulders so some family members are standing and others sitting. If in a park, two siblings might sit on a low hanging branch of a tree or all could sit on the lawn clustered together. Show family closeness by spacing members close together. And by staggering the group, it will make it easier to display the picture in a 8×10 picture frame or even something larger like a 11×14 picture frame.

2) Show Relationships – You can do this by the way in which you have people pose in the portrait. For example, Grandma and Grandpa might stand next to each, a toddler could be in Mother’s arms, two siblings might have arms slung over each others shoulders, etc.

3) Consider Including the Family Pets – assuming they hold still long enough. Even if the pet is sitting still, you probably should raise the Shutter Speed Priority to 1/125 because even the smallest movement can cause a blur. It is always easier to take an individual portrait of a someone with their pet (or even a pet separately), but if the family has a mellow dog or cat, try to take some poses with and without the family pet.

4) Get Creative with Props – depending on the type of portrait you want. Does the family do any activities or sports like community baseball? Each family member could hold a ball, bat or mitt. This is popular for individual portraiture that works well for family portraits too.

5) Get Everyone Smiling – Instead of just saying “cheese,” put the family at ease (no rhyme intended) by talking to them: compliment, tell a story joke around, and soon they won’t be so nervous about the photographing and their smiles will become more relaxed and real. When you’ve got the smiles and pose, ask the family to hold them until you give the signal that your camera’s got the shot.

Finally, have fun taking lots of pictures so the family can choose their favorite. You’re sure to get some great shots where the family will be excited to frame them for all to see.