If you’re always the one taking pictures of your loved ones, you’ll miss being part of such sweet memories. It’s time to jump in the frame! Here are some great family picture ideas to get you started. 

 

DIY Ideas For Family Pictures

As mothers, we are so often the ones with a camera in hand, recording all our family’s special events and everyday moments. But before we know it, months (or even years!) can go by without us ever appearing in our own family photos!

However, the photos our children will cherish the most when they’re grown are the ones that include their mama. So we must be part of the memories we’re recording for them!

Related: 21 Gorgeous Photos of Mums Getting In The Frame

To me, family photos aren’t a luxury item. They’re a necessity! For that reason, every year I book a local photographer to document my whole family. But even if you don’t book a professional to take your family photos, you can get in the frame regularly by taking your own.

And I’m not talking about phone selfies!

 

Phone Selfies Are OK!

That’s not to suggest phone selfies are redundant or wrong!

When looking for family photoshoot ideas, taking your own family pictures with a big camera does take a little forethought and effort. Whilst the results justify the exercise, we’re a bit busy doing it for all our photos!

Getting yourself in the frame is the priority… it should never be all or nothing!

For that reason, phone selfies are valid, especially on occasions when we leave our camera at home. Just be sure that when you whip your phone out to capture random moments, you turn it around and get in the shot too!

But when it comes to creative ideas for the kind of family photos we want to print large and frame, phone selfies are limiting.

• We can only take them literally at arm’s length (or selfie stick length);
• This means it’s hard to fit everyone in the frame;
• The wide angle causes distortion of facial features; and
• The resolution dictates we can’t print very large photos without losing quality.

Related: What Lenses Do to Faces

So for great photos that include more than everyone’s head, the big camera is the only way to go.

Read on for my tips to make your DIY family photo session successful!

Invest In a Tripod

You can’t hold the camera and take the shot — that’s a selfie!

Like most things, tripods vary in quality and price, but you don’t need to spend a lot. The most important feature of a tripod is that it’s sturdy enough to hold the weight of your heaviest lens and camera combination without falling over.

Alternatively, if you’re not in a position to buy or borrow a tripod, but are looking for some family picture ideas that you can be part of, try resting your camera on a flat surface instead. However, you’ll need to bear in mind your position and posing will be entirely dictated by the height of the surface you’re using.

Remote Shutter Release

There are multiple ways to take the shot from your position on the other side of the camera.

Internal Timer

This is the cheapest option because it comes with the camera. It’s also the easiest if you’re technologically challenged!

But that’s where the advantages end.

The disadvantage of the internal timer is once you hit that button, you’ve got 10 seconds to run back, get in place, toss your hair and smile!

Secondly, you’ll need to do this for every.single.photo.

Handheld Remote

A simple handheld remote enables you to fire the shutter from your position with the family. They’re inexpensive and easy to source online.

You’ll need to point the remote at the camera, but you don’t want that in your family photos. So set it to fire after a 2-second delay to give yourself time to quickly hide it.

Built-in Wi-Fi

Some newer DSLR models have built-in Wi-Fi, enabling your camera to speak to your phone. This gives you the power to control your camera settings from an app, including your focus, which is really handy!

Ad-hoc Wi-Fi

For cameras that aren’t Wi-Fi enabled, you can still enjoy the same control as the method above. You can wirelessly tether your phone and camera using an ad-hoc Wi-Fi gadget like the CamRanger.

Be Prepared

Being prepared is one of the ideas you should keep in mind when shooting pictures with the whole family. Don’t risk losing the kids’ enthusiasm before you’ve even begun…kids will get fidgety and whiny if they have to wait — yes, I’m speaking from experience!

Set up your tripod and camera, get your settings sorted, then bring the family in.

Settings

I shot this session at f/3.2. This affords me quite a shallow depth of field, but I could get away with it as we are a family of 3 sitting on roughly the same focal plane. Also, using my phone to control focus gave me more accuracy allowing me that luxury.

If you’re not using this method and are looking for other photo ideas, I would recommend adjusting your aperture to around f/4 to give you more chance of ensuring you get everyone in sharp focus.

If you have a bigger family, you’ll need to adjust it even further. It helps to ensure everyone is sitting on no more than 3 focal planes so that you don’t have to narrow your aperture too much — thereby losing your creamy background.

To control your aperture, you do need to be in manual mode, or at least the partial auto mode of Aperture Priority.

Related: How to Select Your Aperture for Large Group Photos; Shoot How to Shoot in Manual Mode

Focus

Once you’ve sorted your settings, bring everyone in and arrange them. Don’t forget to leave a gap for yourself!

Aim focus at someone on the middle focal plane, preferably close to the centre of the frame, as most lenses are sharpest at the centre focus point.

Once you grab focus, secure it by switching the lens to manual focus, then go jump in the frame!

If you’re controlling your camera from your phone, using one of the methods mentioned above, you can select where the focus falls after you’ve taken your own position in the frame.

Related: 6 Reasons Why You’re Getting Blurry Photos

 

Fun Family Picture Ideas

Once you’re in the frame, do whatever you like to get the style of family photos you want.

Mix it up with everyone looking at the camera, and draw out more candid moments with tickles, giggles and cuddles. Most of all, have fun!

Also, try different mixes of family members.

Vary Your Compositions

Get a variety of compositions by adjusting the tripod and the camera.

Once you’ve taken a bunch of shots, try some different angles. Maneuver the tripod up or down, and alter the camera angle for high and low perspectives.

Also, move the tripod forward or backward, or adjust the focal length if you’re using a zoom lens to take some close up and wider shots.

Related: The Ultimate Guide To Family Portrait Poses

Related: 19 Touching Photos Depicting Love

 

Overshoot

Among our list of family photo ideas, this one is a bit trickier to execute. It goes without saying you’ll have less control when you’re taking your family photos in this way.

So be prepared for more outtakes than you would normally get, and don’t beat yourself up about it! Instead, it pays to take extra shots of every set-up to give yourself more chances of nailing it!

Whilst You’re There…

Once you’re done, if the kids are still into it, take the opportunity to grab a quick few snaps of them on their own. You may as well make the most of it!

Related: 12 Tips for Photographing Toddlers

Merissa Wakefield is a family photographer based in Melbourne’s bayside area. If you want to book your own family session or check her out for picture ideas and inspiration, find her at Merissa Wakefield Photography, Instagram, and Facebook.

Join my new workshop and learn Simple Steps For Taking Pro-Quality Photos of Your Kids & Family…and it’s totally FREE to join! Register here…